Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

What You’ll Like About This Recipe

• So much cheese! This recipe is cheesy to the max, and tastes amazing!
• It’s made with mostly pantry and common fridge ingredients. You probably have most of them in your house right now!
• This casserole is meal-prep and leftover-friendly. Have leftover ham to use up? This is the perfect dish! Want to prep easy lunches for the week? Do it! You can even serve this for breakfast with some scrambled eggs mixed in and wrapped into a burrito.

Ingredient Notes

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• Onion – Use whatever you have on hand. Either red, white, or yellow onions will work fine.
• Butter – I use salted butter for practically everything. If you use unsalted butter, taste the cheese-potato-ham mixture before it goes into the oven. You may find that you need to add a little more salt.
• Dry Mustard – Mustard powder is an incredible flavor booster and, no, it won’t make the whole dish taste like mustard. It just adds a nice piquant background flavor. My favorite Colman’s dry mustard.
• Milk – Whole milk or 2% milk is best for this recipe. If you have half-and-half or cream, you can also use that, and it will make the recipe even richer.
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese – While you can use pre-shredded cheese successfully, for the best melt and taste, shredding your own cheese is preferred. I use extra-sharp Cheddar. If you prefer mild or medium, that’s fine, too.
• Ham – There are several options for the ham in this recipe. Obviously, diced leftover baked ham is perfect, but not always on hand. Other options are to purchase a thick ham steak and dice it, or just buy a package of diced ham from the meat counter in your local grocery store.
• Potatoes – As with the ham, there are options for the potatoes. If you have leftover baked potatoes, they’re perfect! If not, take a few minutes to microwave several baking potatoes (also called russet potatoes or Idaho potatoes), then let them cool until they can be handled.
• Parsley – I prefer chopped fresh parsley. Dried parsley doesn’t have quite the same flavor, nor does it look as fresh.

How to Make My Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

This recipe is simple to make and tastes incredible! Your whole family will love it.

1. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees. While the oven warms, grease a 2-quart baking dish with butter or cooking spray and set it aside.

2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion and cook until it becomes tender. The goal is to soften the onion without letting it brown.

3. Stir in the flour, salt, dry mustard, and pepper. The mixture will thicken quickly and take on a paste-like consistency. Let it cook for a minute or two to remove the raw flour flavor.

4. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly. This step takes a little patience, but the sauce will gradually thicken into a smooth and creamy base. Add 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese and stir until the cheese is fully melted and incorporated into the sauce.
5. Next, gently fold in the diced ham, cooked potatoes, and chopped parsley. Stir just until everything is evenly combined, being careful not to break up the potatoes too much.

6. Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
7. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbling around the edges and the top is lightly golden. Let it rest for a few minutes before serving.

Recipe Tips

• If you have leftover baked potatoes, they work great for this dish. If I don’t have any leftover, I simply microwave a few (usually about 6) small baking potatoes and cube them.
• While leftover ham is perfect for this, you can also use an 8-ounce package of diced ham available in most grocery stores. I love those packages because you don’t have to wait until you have a little bit of leftovers to make a dish like this. You don’t even have to bother with chopping the ham yourself! It’s great stuff.

Recipe Variations/Substitutions

• Want to cheese it up even more? Mix in 4 ounces of softened cream cheese!
• You can also mix in different varieties of cheese, too. Pepper-Jack would add a nice kick!
• A little garlic powder added to the cheese mixture in Step 4 is also good.

How to Serve Ham and Potato Casserole

I like to serve this with a crisp green salad and some vegetables. Broccoli salad is a great option, as well as fresh salad greens with a homemade vinaigrette. My Old-Fashioned Southern Green Beans would also make an incredible side.

Storing Leftovers

Store leftovers covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave until steaming hot. This dish keeps very well and is a good option to make ahead.

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Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

This Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole is creamy, comforting, and great for using leftover ham. It’s an easy, crowd-pleasing family favorite!

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Course: Main Dishes

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 372kcal

Author: Lana Stuart

Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ cup butter
• ▢ ½ medium onion chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt
• ▢ ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ▢ ½ teaspoon pepper
• ▢ 1 ½ cups milk
• ▢ 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
• ▢ ½ pound ham diced
• ▢ 6 cups diced cooked potatoes
• ▢ ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish; set it aside.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is tender but not browned, about 5 minutes.
  ¼ cup butter, ½ medium onion
• Stir in the flour, salt, dry mustard, and pepper until the onions are well coated. Let the mixture cook for 1 to 2 minutes to remove the raw taste from the flour.
  ¼ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon dry mustard, ½ teaspoon pepper
• Slowly add the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Continue cooking over medium heat until the mixture thickens into a smooth sauce, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese and stir until it melts completely and the sauce is smooth.

  1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
  1 ½ cups milk
• Add the diced ham, cooked potatoes, and chopped parsley. Stir gently to combine, being careful not to break up the potatoes too much.
  ½ pound ham, 6 cups diced cooked potatoes, ¼ cup fresh parsley
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheese over the top.

  1/2 cup shredded cheese
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted and lightly golden. Let the casserole sit for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with extra parsley, if desired.

Notes

• This recipe is great for using up leftover baked potatoes, but if you don’t have them you can just quickly microwave a few (usually about 6) small baking potatoes and cube them.
• If you don’t have leftover ham, you can pick up an 8 ounce package of diced ham available in most grocery stores.
• Store leftovers covered in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave.

Nutrition Information

Nutrition Facts

Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

Amount Per Serving (1 )

Calories 372 Calories from Fat 171

% Daily Value*

Fat 19g29%

Saturated Fat 10g63%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 60mg20%

Sodium 884mg38%

Potassium 855mg24%

Carbohydrates 34g11%

Fiber 4g17%

Sugar 4g4%

Protein 18g36%

Vitamin A 603IU12%

Vitamin C 34mg41%

Calcium 222mg22%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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