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.
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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 ⅓ of the remaining sauce, ⅓ of your 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, and then ⅓ 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
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.
Storage:
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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Course Casseroles, Holiday Recipes, Potato Dishes, Side Dish