This holiday ham casserole features thinly sliced potatoes, a rich cream sauce, diced ham, and tons of cheese. It's an easy ham and potato casserole recipe that's ideal for any holiday or celebration. You can prepare it for the big day or even make it using leftover ham.
Serve with cloverleaf or butter herb Rhodes rolls and roasted brussel sprouts with bacon or creamed kale.
Easy Ham & Potato Casserole
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This old-fashioned holiday ham casserole has been in my family for ages. It makes regular appearances whenever there is plenty of ham on hand.
I've even made it using leftover Christmas ham multiple times because it is just that good.
The bechamel sauce is easy to prepare, and I'm always a fan of adding a seasoned Panko breadcrumb topping to take it up a notch.
Whether you're a pro at hosting Thanksgiving dinner and holiday parties or giving it a try for the first time this year, you're sure to find my ultimate guide to planning Thanksgiving a help! Don't forget to safely thaw your holiday turkey early, too!
🥘 Ingredients
Ham & Potato Casserole
- Butter - 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter to add flavor to the sauteed onions.
- Onion - 1 small yellow or white onion, diced.
- Flour - ¼ cup of all-purpose flour to thicken the sauce.
- Heavy Cream - 2 cups of heavy cream to add richness.
- Milk - 2 cups of whole milk for the sauce.
- Seasonings - ½ teaspoon of salt, pepper, and garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg. You will also need 2 teaspoons of fresh, chopped thyme.
- Dijon Mustard - ½ tablespoon of Dijon mustard (or a Dijon mustard substitute).
- Potatoes - 4 pounds of russet potatoes that have been peeled and sliced into ¼-inch rounds.
- Cheese - 2 cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese.
- Ham - 1 pound of thinly sliced or diced ham.
Optional Breadcrumb Topping
- Breadcrumbs - ½ cup of plain Panko breadcrumbs.
- Butter - 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
- Garlic Powder - ¼ teaspoon of either garlic powder or garlic salt.
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Holiday Ham Casserole
There are two steps to preparing this casserole: making the bechamel sauce and layering everything for baking in the oven.
All you will need is a pot, measuring utensils, a cutting board, a knife, a whisk, and a 9x13 baking dish.
This recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd, as it makes 8 hearty servings.
Prep and Saute Onion
Step 1: Preheat. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4).
Step 2: Saute. Place a deep skillet or pot over medium heat and melt 6 tablespoons (84 grams) of butter. Once melted, add 1 small yellow onion (70 grams) and saute for 5 minutes or until tender and translucent.
Step 3: Add flour. Add ¼ cup (31 grams) of all-purpose flour and cook while stirring for 2 minutes until the mixture is paste-like and turning a light golden color. *This cooks out the flour taste.
Make the Sauce
Step 4: Whisk. Whisk in 2 cups (473 milliliters) of heavy cream, followed by 2 cups (473 milliliters) of whole milk. Continue cooking, whisking frequently over medium-high heat until the sauce begins to simmer and thicken.
Step 5: Season. Season with ½ teaspoon (3 grams) of both salt & pepper, ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) of garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon (0.5 grams) of cayenne pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon (0.25 grams) of fresh nutmeg.
Step 6: Add. Turn off the heat and whisk in ½ tablespoon (7.5 grams) of Dijon mustard and 2 teaspoons (4 grams) of fresh thyme.
Layer the Casserole
Step 7: Pour. Pour ¼ of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.
Step 8: Layer. Cover the bottom with a layer of the sliced 4 pounds (1.81 kilograms) of russet potatoes, followed by â…“ of the remaining sauce, â…“ of your 2 cups (226 grams) of sharp cheddar cheese, and then â…“ of your 1 pound (453 grams) of ham.
Step 9: Repeat. Repeat the layering process 3 more times.
Bake and Serve
Step 10: Make the breadcrumb topping. For the optional breadcrumb topping, mix together the 2 tablespoons (28 grams) of melted butter, ½ cup (30 grams) of Panko breadcrumbs, and ¼ teaspoon (0.75 grams) of garlic powder. Then, spread the mixture over top of the casserole.
Step 11: Bake. Bake uncovered in your preheated oven at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the sauce is bubbling.
Step 12: Cool. Let the casserole cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
💠Tips & Notes
- Uniform Potato Slices: Try to make all potato slices the same thickness. A mandoline slicer is a perfect tool for getting uniform slices.
- Breadcrumb Topping: While optional, a breadcrumb topping offers a delightful contrast to the creamy potatoes.
- Herb Measurements: When substituting dried thyme for fresh, use ½ teaspoon. For more on converting herbs, check out my herb conversion guide.
- Prevent Over-Browning: If your casserole starts to brown too much before it's fully baked, lightly cover it with aluminum foil to protect the top.
- Lighter Sauce Option: For a lighter version, reduce the heavy cream and increase the quantity of milk. Remember to adjust the flour accordingly to ensure the sauce thickens as desired.
- Avoiding Spillovers: To catch any sauce that might bubble over while baking, place a sheet of aluminum foil or baking sheet beneath the baking dish as a precaution.
Try out all of my tasty leftover ham recipes that your family is sure to love!!
>>>>See all of my recipes here<<<<
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Let your casserole cool completely, and then store it tightly covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze, let the casserole cool and cover the dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating
Individual portions can be heated in the microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes.
You can reheat the whole casserole in the oven at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for about 20 minutes.
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📖 Recipe Card
Holiday Ham Casserole
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoon butter
- 1 small yellow onion (diced, or use white onion)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- â…› teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated is recommended)
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoon fresh thyme (chopped or stems removed)
- 4 lbs russet potatoes (peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick)
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (grated)
- 1 pound ham (thinly sliced or diced)
Optional Breadcrumb Topping
- ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs (plain)
- 2 tablespoon butter (melted)
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder (or garlic salt)
Instructions
Prep and Saute Onion
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4).
- Place a deep skillet or pot over medium heat and melt 6 tablespoon butter. Once melted, add 1 small yellow onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until tender and translucent.
- Add ¼ cup all-purpose flour and cook while stirring for 2 minutes until the mixture is paste-like and turning a light golden color. *This cooks out the flour taste.
Make the Sauce
- Whisk in 2 cups heavy cream followed by 2 cups whole milk. Continue cooking, whisking frequently over medium-high heat until the sauce begins to simmer and thicken.
- Season with ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, and ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg.
- Turn off the heat and whisk in ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard and 2 teaspoon fresh thyme.
Layer The Casserole
- Pour ¼ of the sauce into the bottom of a 9x13 casserole dish.
- Cover the bottom with a layer of the 4 lbs russet potatoes, followed by â…“ of the remaining sauce, â…“ of your 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, and then â…“ of your 1 pound ham.
- Repeat the layering process 3 more times.
- For the optional breadcrumb topping, mix together the 2 tablespoon butter, ½ cup Panko breadcrumbs, and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder. Then, spread the mixture over top of the casserole.
Bake and Serve
- Bake uncovered in your preheated oven at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the sauce is bubbling.
- Let the casserole cool for 15-20 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Make sure that your potatoes are all the same thickness for even cooking. Using a mandoline makes this super easy!
- The breadcrumb topping is completely optional but adds a nice texture contrast to the dish.
- If using dried thyme instead of fresh, you will need ½ teaspoon.
- If the top of your casserole is becoming too brown but it is not done baking, you can cover it with some aluminum foil.
- To make this dish lighter, you can use less heavy cream by adding more milk. You will also need to add more flour to help the sauce thicken properly.
- Place a sheet of aluminum foil under the baking dish if you’re worried about the sauce bubbling over during baking.
- Let your casserole cool completely and then store it tightly covered in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Individual portions can be heated in the microwave at 50% power for 1-2 minutes.
- You can also reheat the entire casserole in the oven at 350°F (175°C/Gas Mark 4) for about 20 minutes.
- To freeze, let the casserole cool and cover the dish with plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge before reheating.
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