During the holidays, the greatest dish for leftover ham is Easy Scalloped Potatoes with Ham. Cheddar cheese and sliced ham combine in a creamy, cheesy potato casserole!
Use this simplified recipe for Scalloped Potatoes to transform leftover Thanksgiving Baked Ham into a tasty and simple side dish the following day.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham Recipe
Is there anything better than perfectly cooked potatoes mixed with smokey ham, covered in a velvety sauce, and crowned with melting cheddar cheese? This creamy side dish will quickly become your favorite way to prepare scalloped potatoes, especially if you happen to have leftover ham.
Just as simple to prepare as the original recipe, these Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Ham are really delicious. Even the pickiest eaters will love this meal because of the creamy, buttery cream sauce and family-friendly ingredients. This soft potato casserole is elevated with a creamy, rich béchamel that comes together quickly and effortlessly.
You may use leftover ham from the holidays or sliced ham straight from the supermarket to make scalloped potatoes with ham. You may use diced ham instead of sliced ham if you’d rather; simply cut it into even smaller, bite-sized pieces. For a vegetarian version of scalloped potatoes, you might omit the ham entirely and substitute another cooked meat that you already have.
Can Scalloped Potatoes and Ham be made ahead?
Prepare as directed and bake for 45 minutes, then remove without baking the cheese layer, if making ahead of time. Let potatoes cool fully before putting them in the refrigerator for up to two days, covered with plastic wrap. Bake for twenty minutes, or until bubbling and heated. After adding the cheese layer, bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes. If your main dish requires a lot of time or you don’t have much time on the day it’s served, prepping these potatoes may be rather beneficial.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes: slice them into quarter-inch pieces. If they get too thick, they won’t finish cooking. They may crumble and not withstand the thick ham properly if they are overly thin.
- ½ medium onion: Mince the onion to get small bits that will mix nicely with the sauce and each mouthful of potato.
- One dozen ounces of ham: To ensure that the soft potatoes and creamy sauce melt in your tongue, slice the ham slightly thinner than the potatoes.
- Just a dash of kosher salt and a quarter of a teaspoon of coarsely crushed black pepper are used to season the potatoes. The cheese, the creamy components, the sweet and salty ham, and the fact that only salt and pepper are needed will all contribute a ton of flavor.
- Four tablespoons each of butter and flour: Your creamy sauce will thicken thanks to the paste that is created when the butter and flour are combined.
- One cup heavy cream and one cup whole milk: The ideal pairing of milk and cream will create the creamy sauce. You can use low-fat milk in place of whole milk if you don’t have any. Your sauce will have a little reduction in
- One cup of shredded cheddar cheese: For the cheese in scalloped potatoes, cheddar works well. For this dish, you can use either mild or strong cheddar cheese.
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Time to Prepare
Set the oven’s temperature to 375. Apply cooking spray to a 13×9 baking dish to grease it.
First, place approximately ⅓ of the potatoes in the baking dish that has been prepared. Sprinkle with half of the chopped onions and about ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Layer Two
Arrange half of the ham in a layer into the baking dish.
Repetition of Layers
Add another layer of potatoes, onions, and ¼ tsp salt on top. After adding a second layer of ham, spoon the leftover potatoes on top.
Prepared Sauce
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour, pepper, and the remaining salt. Continue whisking for 30 to 45 seconds. Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and milk until it thickens, which should take two to three minutes.
Add Cream Sauce on Top.
Spread the cream mixture over the potatoes and bake for 45 minutes, covered with aluminum foil.
Cheese Garnish
Take out of the oven and cover the potatoes with shredded cheddar cheese.
Cook the cheese for a further twenty-five minutes in the oven, uncovered.
Cooking Tips & Tricks
Use these handy suggestions to get your ham and potato side dish to the proper cheesy, creamy consistency:
Slicing the potatoes thinly
Using a mandoline slicer or a heavy-duty vegetable slicer is essential for creating perfectly thin and equal potato slices for fork-tender scalloped potatoes. To ensure that the potato slices cook evenly, use a very sharp knife, but make sure the slices are consistent.
Stop Potatoes from Turning Brown
As you chop the potatoes, dip them into the milk and cream and let them soak while you make the other ingredients. The sliced potatoes are prevented from browning by soaking them.
Do Not Let Potatoes Soak in Water
Because soaking releases the starch in the potatoes, avoid soaking the potato slices in water. This starch is necessary to prevent watery potatoes and to thicken the white sauce.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham Variations
- Potatoes: You may replace the russet potatoes in Scalloped Potatoes with sweet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, or red potatoes. You may also swap out the potatoes with other root vegetables, such as carrots and parsnips.
- Cheese: Instead of using cheddar cheese, use shredded gruyere, mozzarella, or Monterey jack. For Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin, place a gratin of bread crumbs and parmesan cheese on top of the cheddar layer.
- Cream Sauce: Whisk a can of cream of chicken soup with the melted butter in place of heavy cream. Add shredded cheese or Cheddar Soup to the sauce mixture to create a cheese sauce.
- Meat: Chopped cooked bacon or Italian sausage can be used in place of the ham. Utilize ground beef, pig, or chicken instead of cooked leftover meat.
What to Eat With Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
Use your milk, cream, and russet potatoes to make these Scalloped Potatoes with Ham instead of Mashed Potatoes. This recipe yields enough for potlucks and holidays, and they make a simple side dish for Sunday dinner or midweek meals. Serve your favorite comfort food dishes, such as roast chicken and roasted broccoli, with Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham.
How to Store Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
- Serve: Before being stored, scalloped potatoes with ham can be left out at room temperature for up to two hours.
- Store: Cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap or store the ham and scalloped potatoes in an airtight container. Keep chilled for up to four days.
- Freeze: After the cooled potatoes are frozen for up to three months, place them in a freezer-safe container or a disposable baking pan. Thaw overnight and reheat in the oven over low heat until heated through.
Recipes for Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
Add some chopped parsley as a garnish to your potatoes to give them a little bit of fresh taste and texture. Another option is to sprinkle chopped green onions on top; this will enhance the flavor of your cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham. To intensify the flavor of the cheese, you might also top your potatoes with some Parmesan cheese. For an additional spicy bite, sprinkle the potatoes with more cracked pepper or pour with your preferred hot sauce.
Alternative Scalloped Potatoes and Ham Cooking Techniques
Slow Cooker Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
- Use a liner or mist the crockpot insert with cooking spray.
- Arrange a layer of potato slices in the slow cooker’s bottom, sprinkle with salt, and then add half of the onions.
- Place ½ of the sliced ham on top, followed by another layer of potatoes and onions, another layer of ham, and finally potatoes on top.
- As usual, make the white sauce by starting with the roux made of butter and flour, then whisking in the milk and cream until it thickens.
- Cover the ham and potatoes with white sauce.
- For 4-5 hours on high or 7-8 hours on low heat, cover and cook.
- During the last 30 minutes, add the cheddar cheese, cover, and heat until the cheese is bubbling and melted.
FAQs
Do I need to peel my potatoes?
No, peeling the potatoes is not necessary for making scalloped potatoes with ham. The russet skins can be left on; just give them a thorough cleaning before slicing. Eating the peels is recommended since they are high in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. You are welcome to peel your potatoes first, though. You have the option.
Why are my Scalloped Potatoes not cooked all the way through?
When a potato is undercooked, you can tell immediately since they are quite unpleasant to eat. It will resemble an apple in its crunchy crunch. The next time, you might want to slice your potatoes a bit thinner if they are undercooked. Additionally, confirm that your oven is hot enough to bake in while preheating.
Why are Russet Potatoes used for scalloped Potatoes and Ham?
Russet potatoes are a fantastic option as they are readily available and nicely starchy. You can, however, substitute other potatoes. See the variants in this post below.
Kitchen Tools & Equipment
- 13 x 9-inch Baking dish: Use a rectangle baking dish to bake the potatoes and ham. This recipe calls for either a glass or a metal baking dish for the scalloped potatoes.
- Cooking Spray: Grease your baking dish with your preferred brand of cooking spray.
- Mandoline or Sharp Knife: To produce thinly sliced potatoes, use your preferred kitchen knife and a cutting board. Alternatively, use a mandoline to slice potatoes uniformly.
- Medium Saucepan: To create the creamy, cheesy sauce to pour over the ham and potato layers, use a medium-sized saucepan.
- Whisk: To ensure that there are no flour clumps remaining in your cream sauce, whisk the ingredients together thoroughly.
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Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes sliced into ¼ inch slices
- 1/2 onion minced
- 12 ounces ham thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt divided
- 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Set the oven’s temperature to 375. Apply cooking spray to a 13 x 9-inch baking dish to grease it.
- Arrange a layer of potatoes in the baking dish and sprinkle with half of the chopped onions and roughly ¼ teaspoon of salt.
- Arrange half of the ham in a layer in the baking dish, and then add another layer of potatoes, onions, and ¼ teaspoon of salt on top.
- After adding a second layer of ham, spoon the leftover potatoes on top.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour, pepper, and the remaining salt. Continue whisking for 30 to 45 seconds.
- Slowly whisk in the heavy cream and milk until it thickens, which should take two to three minutes.
- Cover the potatoes with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes, adding the cream sauce on top.
- After covering the potatoes with grated cheddar, bake them uncovered for a further twenty-five minutes.