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Home » Recipe Index » Cele-Brunch

Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

Published: Mar 31, 2024 · Modified: Dec 8, 2024 by Kris Longwell · This post may contain affiliate links

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We love a casserole that is perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner! And this one couldn’t be better!

If you have leftover ham, this is a casserole you absolutely must make. It’s easy and is a true-fire winner for a family favorite. We like to par-boil the potatoes, but, if you’ve got the time, you can skip that step and simply bake the dish a little longer. So good!

An overhead view of a person using two grey napkins to hold an oval baking dish that is filled with a freshly baked cheesy ham and potato casserole.

How To Make Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

 

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The Ingredients You Will Need

The ingredients in this casserole are straightforward and very pantry-friendly. You could skip making the bechamel sauce and use canned cream soup, but, the sauce is so easy to make we encourage you to not go the canned soup route! Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:

Potatoes – We recommend russet or yellow. You can peel them, or not, that’s up to you. We cube ours, but if you prefer, you can slice them, about ¼-inch thick. We use our vegetable chopper to easily cube them.
Ham – Leftover is perfect, but, you could also pick up a ham steak from the supermarket. Any kind of ham will work perfectly.
Cheese – Go with your favorite. We love mild cheddar, but Monterey Jack, Fontina, Gouda, Gruyere, Mozzarella, or a combination of any of these are all wonderful options.
Butter – Unsalted
Onion – Finely chopped, anywhere from half to a full cup.
Flour – All-purpose.
Seasonings – Salt, pepper, garlic powder, and ground mustard are our favorites. Other options are smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, oregano, or even chili powder.
Milk – Whole is recommended, however, you could also use half and half or heavy (or double) cream. We don’t recommend skim or reduced fat.
Garnishes – We like snipped chives and hot sauce (ie, Tabasco), but any type of herb would be great. Or, just skip the garnishes, if desired.

EXPERT TIP: You should have about a 1 to 2 ratio for the ham and potatoes (more potatoes than ham). You can eyeball it, depending on how much ham you have on hand. We typically try to go with 3 cups of ham and 6 cups of potatoes, but, again, you can be flexible here.

Chunks of ham being dumped from one glass bowl into a large glass bowl that is filled with a pile of cubed potatoes and topped with shredded cheddar cheese.

Tips for Making Perfect Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

Try to Keep Ham and Potato Pieces Uniform in Size – Cutting the potatoes and ham into similar-sized, small, uniform pieces ensures even distribution and cooking throughout the casserole.

Par-Boil the Potatoes – This isn’t absolutely necessary, but it ensures the potatoes are perfectly cooked when they come out of the oven. You just want to slightly soften them first, and then they will finish off in the oven. Don’t leave them in the boiling water for too long, otherwise, they will become mushy.

Gently Toss The Sauce with the Other Ingredients – Pouring the sauce over the ham, potatoes, and cheese in a large bowl and then gently mixing together helps to make sure there is an even distribution of all ingredients, and then pour into a greased baking dish

Bake to Golden Perfection – Bake the casserole until the potatoes are perfectly tender and the top is golden brown and bubbly. Keep an eye on the casserole as it bakes to ensure the cheese melts evenly and forms a delicious crust, while the bechamel sauce binds the layers together for a comforting and satisfying dish.

EXPERT TIP: The homemade bechamel sauce is a key component to making this dish a success. The onions cook down and are not a prominent flavor, at all. If you despise onions, just leave them out. And feel free to season the sauce with your favorite seasonings. We think garlic powder and ground mustard are wonderful.

A creamy béchamel sauce being poured from a skillet into a large glass bowl filled with cubed potatoes, shredded cheddar cheese, and chunks of ham.

How To Serve and Store

This casserole can be assembled up to 12 hours before baking, which makes it ideal for serving at breakfast or brunch. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate until about an hour before baking. Let it sit out to lose the chill before baking.

We love to serve this casserole with snipped chives and plenty of hot sauce for family members who like a little spice to their dish.

Homemade dinner rolls round out a perfect meal, morning, day, or evening!

EXPERT TIP: For the shredded cheese, we recommend purchasing block cheese and grating yourself. The bagged variety is fine, and we use it often. But anti-sticking additives are added to pre-shredded, and we find when we shred our own, the taste and texture is improved.

Person sprinkling shredded cheddar cheese over the top of an unbaked ham and potato casserole in an oval black baking dish.

Other Comforting Casserole Recipes To Try

Everyone loves a good casserole. They are perfect for feeding a hungry family at home, but also bringing to a potluck feast. And they reheat wonderfully! Here are a collection of our favorites:

Chicken and Rice Casserole with Broccoli and Cheese
Chicken and Sage Casserole
King Ranch Casserole
Turkey and Stuffing Casserole
Green Enchilada Casserole with Chicken
Chili Cheese Dog Casserole
Best-Ever Tuna Casserole
Mexican Lasagna with Tortillas
Wild Rice, Fontina, and Spinach Casserole
Oyster Casserole
Cream of Corn Casserole
Yellow Squash Casserole
Best Corned Beef Hash

All of these are amazing, without a doubt, but in the meantime, isn’t this casserole calling your name?

A close-up view of a wooden spoon that is inserted into a cheesy ham and potato casserole in a black baking dish with a portion of the casserole missing.

There are so many reasons to love this casserole.

It’s easy. A great way to use up leftover ham.

But most of all, it’s just amazingly delicious! And it’s always such a huge hit with family and guests.

Every bowl is a serving of pure comfort!

A close-up view of an antique dinner bowl filled with a serving of cheesy ham and potato casserole and topped with snipped chives.

Ready to make the best casserole in town? Go for it!

And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!

A close-up view of a wooden spoon that is inserted into a cheesy ham and potato casserole in a black baking dish with a portion of the casserole missing.

Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

If you've got leftover ham for any reason, then you need to make this casserole. Even if you don't it's worth a trip to the grocery store to pick up a ham steak and make it. It's always a crowd favorite and can even be prepared in advance. Perfect morning, day, or evening!
4.67 from 3 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast, Lunch, or Dinner
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes minutes
Resting time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour 25 minutes minutes
Servings: 6
Calories: 525kcal
Author: Kris Longwell

Video

Equipment

  • 9"x13" baking dish or equivalent size

Ingredients

  • 2½ lbs russet potatoes peeled and cubed, about 6 cups
  • 3 cups ham cubed
  • 8 oz cheddar cheese shredded, 2 cups, divided
  • 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 cup onion chopped
  • 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups milk whole
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground mustard
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Cooking spray
  • 2 tablespoon chives finely chopped, for garnish, optional
  • hot sauce for serving, optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully drop the cubed potatoes into the water and bring them back to a boil. Allow to boil for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
    2½ lbs russet potatoes
  • Place the potatoes, ham, and 1½ cups cheese in a large bowl and gently toss.
    3 cups ham, 8 oz cheddar cheese
  • In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions, and sauté until soft, about 4 to 5 minutes.
    3 tablespoon unsalted butter, 1 cup onion
  • Stir in the flour, and cook, stirring often, until completely combined, about 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk and stir until completely combined, and most of the lumps are gone. Stir in the salt, pepper, mustard, and garlic powder. Continue stirring until thickened (should be the consistency of gravy), about 4 minutes.
    3 tablespoon all-purpose flour, 2 cups milk, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, ½ teaspoon ground mustard, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Pour the sauce into the ham/cheese/potato bowl. Use a large wooden spatula or spoon to gently stir the mixture until all ingredients are combined.
  • Spray the baking dish with cooking spray. Transfer the ham and potato mixture into the dish and spread for even distribution. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup cheese over the top of the casserole. Bake for 45 minutes, or until very bubbly and slightly golden on top.
    Cooking spray
  • Allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Serve at once with chives and hot sauce on the side, if desired.
    2 tablespoon chives, hot sauce

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 
If desired, you can cut the potatoes into ¼-inch slices. Peeling the potatoes is optional. If you want to skip par-boiling the potatoes, you'll need to bake the casserole for about an hour and 10 minutes, or until a sharp knife can easily pierce the potatoes. 
The casserole can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and keep refrigerated until about 1 hour before baking. 
Leftovers will keep in the fridge (covered) for up to 5 days. Simply reheat in the oven, on the stove, or in the microwave. 

Nutrition

Calories: 525kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 106mg | Sodium: 1508mg | Potassium: 1194mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 732IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 408mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe? Take a Picture!Mention @HowToFeedALoon or tag #HowToFeedALoon!

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Comments

  1. Laurie says

    July 24, 2024 at 3:08 pm

    4 stars
    Very good. I did make some changes, like I used about 1 lb of frozen diced potatoes. That’s all I had. So I cut the rest of the ingredients in half. I used a cast iron skillet so this was pretty much a one pan meal. Sautéed the onions. Added the flour, then milk and seasonings. When it thickened I put in the cheese, potatoes, and ham and mixed it up. Then put it in the oven for 30 min. Worked out well and now there’s a little less Christmas ham in my freezer lol

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      July 25, 2024 at 3:26 pm

      Hi Lauria! Awesome! Sounds like you made the casserole wonderfully! Thank you so so much for sharing and for the good review! We appreciate that very much! Best, Kris & Wesley

      Reply
    • Sarah says

      April 28, 2025 at 6:08 pm

      Thanks for your comments, In the oven now, excited for dinner!

      Reply
      • Kris Longwell says

        April 28, 2025 at 7:26 pm

        Awesome! Let us know how it turns out! We hope you enjoy it!

  2. Holly says

    April 07, 2024 at 11:06 pm

    5 stars
    We made this with left over Easter ham for a family dinner. The grandgirls loved it- the sauce is definitely worth the small effort it took. Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      April 09, 2024 at 5:00 pm

      Hi Holly! Yay!! We are THRILLED you made the ham and potato casserole with your leftover ham and it was a hit with the whole family. Thank you so so much for sharing and for the wonderful review. That honestly means just so much to us! Please stay in touch and say to those adorable grandgirls of yours!!

      Reply
  3. Denise Walters says

    March 31, 2024 at 10:51 pm

    Often when I use ham in a casserole, I find the flavor is greatly improved by this one simple procedure: get a ham steak from the deli department of your grocery store. Have them cut it to be about a pound (give or take) close to half an inch thick, up to three-quarter of an inch, but certainly no thicker or thinner -it ruins it. Cut it into CUBES. Heat 3 tablespoons of butter and one tablespoon of bacon grease in a skillet and fry the ham cubes until they’re showing browning all around them. THEN put these ham cubes in your recipe according to how you see fit. I do this with my macaroni and cheese casserole, Greek pasta salad, and lima bean soup. You’ll notice the difference if you try it.

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      April 02, 2024 at 4:04 pm

      Awesome! We’ll try that for sure! Thanks for the tip!!!

      Reply
  4. Barbara Snedegar says

    March 31, 2024 at 5:15 pm

    It was worth the wait. One of the best recipes ever. Don’t change a thing!

    Reply
    • Kris Longwell says

      April 02, 2024 at 4:02 pm

      So sorry about that, but, you – being the pro that you are – figured it out and executed it perfectly! Thanks so much for sharing and for the awesome review. We appreciate that so so much!! xoxo Kris & Wesley

      Reply
  5. Barbara Snedegar says

    March 31, 2024 at 4:03 pm

    5 stars
    Every one of your recipes that I have tried has been sensational. I just made this and it is in the oven. I can’t wait to taste it! I could not find oven temp anywhere. Went with 350°.

    Reply
4.67 from 3 votes

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