This Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole is layered with fluffy cheesy potatoes, creamy cheese sauce, salty cubed leftover ham. It's topped with sharp cheddar cheese for an easy melt-in-your-mouth casserole. This is a cozy meal your whole family will love!
Next time try the Cheesy Chicken Tetrazzini Casserole - the sauce is AMAZING!! This is one of my favorite cozy casserole recipes!
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Why you'll love this recipe
Let’s face it, there’s almost always going to be leftovers when it comes to the holidays. While it may be fun and exciting to slave away in the kitchen for those holiday dinners, the days that follow should focus on making memories with family and friends!
Thanks to this potato casserole recipe, you can easily transform leftover ham into an entirely new main course!. With minimal ingredients and recipe prep time required, get ready for a delicious and effortless meal!
Like this Pressure Cooker Ham and Potato Soup Recipe, This cheesy casserole recipe is such a simple dish that tastes extremely decadent thanks to the au gratin potatoes, creamy sauce, and savory ham. It's comfort food in a casserole!
Bonus? Next day - this tastes even better, it's a great make-ahead recipe.
Ingredients
For the exact measurements, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- peeled russet potatoes are perfect for this recipe! You can also use Yukon gold potatoes or red potatoes will also work, but I really like the starchiness of a russet potato.
- leftover holiday ham is great. If you don't have any, use ham steaks or a ham slice. Smoked turkey would be fantastic as well and bacon? Well that would just be tasty!
- cream of chicken soup - you can substitute cream of mushroom soup or creamy of celery. For extra cheesiness use cheddar cheese soup! Personally I prefer the cream of chicken for this recipe.
- one can of evaporated milk, however you can substitute with milk, however it won't be as creamy.
- cream cheese - speaking of creamy... right?!!!
- a packet of ranch dressing mix - this is the perfect amount of seasoning! There's no need for additional salt or black pepper, garlic or onion powder.
Instructions
This is an overview of the instructions. For the complete directions just scroll down to the bottom!
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Make the sauce. Add the chicken soup, evaporated milk, cream cheese and ranch mix to a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and combined.
- Add a ladle of sauce on the bottom of the baking dish.
- Slice Potatoes, place a layer of potatoes and ham cubes add a ⅓ of remaining sauce.
- Repeat layers. Finishing with sauce, top with shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Cover dish with foil.
- Place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for an hour and half covered.
- Uncover, place under broiler for 3-5 minutes and brown potatoes and cheese. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn. You're just looking to brown the cheese!
- Allow to sit at least 15 -30 minutes lightly covered with foil after you remove it from the oven.
Equipment
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- You'll need an 11x13 casserole dish.
- Pairing knife
- Potato peeler - I love the vibrant colors this comes in!
FAQ's
Russet potatoes are a very popular choice when it comes to casseroles or other baked dishes since they contain a higher starch content and absorb less moisture.
Next best - Yukon Gold. Both potatoes are ideal when making au gratin potatoes. They’ll provide you with a creamy texture - the perfect combo with ham and melted cheese!
Absolutely! A great way to save some time is to fully assemble your casserole and then cover it with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to be stored in the refrigerator for a day or two, after which you can add it to the oven and serve to the family or guests.
It may be worth leaving the top layer of shredded sharp cheddar cheese off the casserole while in storage and sprinkling it on just prior to baking for added freshness.
I must say - it’s very similar, yes! The russet potatoes are sliced the same way and this casserole also replicates the same decadent creamy sauce and layering of ingredients as a traditional potato au gratin recipe.
The main difference with this cheesy ham and potato casserole is the addition of ham. The salty ham adds another level of flavor to the casserole, offering a more hearty meal.
Tips
- Cubed salty ham adds a meaty flavor to this cheesy casserole dish but you could also use shredded or cubed chicken or turkey instead.
- For an extra cheesy texture to this recipe, consider sprinkling an additional layer of shredded cheese with the repeated layers of potato, ham and creamy sauce.
- While I’ve sliced the potatoes for this casserole you can dice potatoes if you’d prefer. It won’t alter the taste, just look a little different!
Variations
It’s hard to offer recipe variations at times, especially when a dish is loved as much as this ham casserole! With that said, if you are in the mood for adapting this recipe, consider these options:
- Add cooked bacon and sausage into the casserole for an extra meaty meal.
- If you enjoy a kick of heat in your food, consider adding thinly sliced jalapeño peppers, sliced yellow onions and a pinch of chipotle pepper for a Tex Mex flavor!
- Frozen hash browns is an option
- Turn this cheesy ham potato casserole into a vegetarian-friendly meal by simply omitting the ham and incorporating other veggies such as sauteed bell peppers, spinach and cauliflower.
Storage
Cheesy ham and potato casserole can be refrigerated for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container or casserole dish, wrapped with plastic wrap.
If you would like to extend the storage life of this casserole, freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the oven prior to serving.
More easy casserole recipes
If you can’t get enough potatoes, you’re not alone! They are super versatile and can be a helpful simple side dish to numerous main meals.
- This Colcannon Recipe (Potatoes and Cabbage) and Cracker Barrel Cheesy Potatoes are great options!
- The Potato Soup Recipe is one of the most popular potato recipes on the blog!
- You'll really enjoy the Hamburger Potato Casserole recipe. It's beefy and cheese and one tasty meal!
- Additionally there are a ton of AMAZING casseroles on the blog - like Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
A side dish like this Deviled Ham recipe is another tasty option. You could even substitute ham for chicken in the Ultimate Chicken Casserole, wouldn't that be amazing?
If you still have some leftover ham, be sure and try this easy recipe for Navy Bean Soup - it's one of my very favorite meals!! More options are Instant Pot Ham and Potato Soup or 15 Bean Soup with Ham.,
Serve with
- One of the reasons I love this delicious casserole recipe is its versatility. It can be served as a side dish to meatloaf; BBQ Pork Ribs; or even salmon.
- Hearty enough to be enjoyed as a main meal with side dish options such as the Roasted Vegetables Recipe, Bacon Wrapped Asparagus, Steamed Green Beans, or this Old Fashioned Collard Greens Recipe.
- Winter-perfect Citrus Salad Recipe with Winter Greens.
- Be sure to make some dinner rolls, sweet potato dinner rolls or these easy yeast rolls - There's nothing like fresh baked bread!!
Add a holiday-favorite dessert to the gastronomical line-up such as Mountain Dew Apple Dumplings or Double Chocolate Cherry Brownies with a scoop of ice cream!
While this casserole can certainly be enjoyed as a holiday side dish, the addition of ham makes each serving hearty enough to be served as a satisfying and filling meal as is.
This casserole recipe is also a life-saver when it comes to finding creatively delicious ways to use up any leftover ham from holiday dinners or other special occasions. Your entire family will appreciate it as an entirely different meal while adding convenience to your meal planning!
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Ham and Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 8-10 cups russet potatoes peeled and sliced
- 2 cups cubed ham
- 10 ounces cream of chicken soup
- 12 ounces can of evaporated milk
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ¾ ounce ranch mix that's one full packet.
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese you'll want ½ cup of each type of shredded cheese.
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray the casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
- Peel the potatoes, slice ¼ thick.
- Make the sauce. Add the chicken soup, evaporated milk, cream cheese and ranch mix to a saucepan. Place over medium heat. Whisk until the sauce is smooth and combined.
- Add a ladle of sauce on the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Place a layer of sliced potatoes then a layer of cubed ham. Add ⅓ of the remaining sauce.
- Repeat layers. Finishing with cheesy sauce. Top with shredded mozzarella and cheddar cheese. Cover with foil.
- Place in the oven on the middle rack. Bake for an hour and half covered.
- Uncover, place under broiler for 3-5 minutes until it's golden brown. Watch it carefully so it doesn't burn. You're just looking to brown the cheese!
- Allow to sit at least 15 -30 minutes lightly covered with foil after you remove it from the oven.
Deb
The ingredient list doesn’t mention the two shredded cheeses for the topping. How much do you recommend? How much if we include it in the layers?
Bowl Me Over
Hi Deb, you'll want 1/2 cup shredded cheddar and 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese. If you decide to include it in the layers use a total of 2 cups cheese.
Lyndel Colman
The printed recipe doesn’t show the two cheeses added to the top of the casserole. This recipe was very tasty, but the bottom layer of potatoes stuck impossibly to the casserole, even though I did start with a layer of sauce before adding potatoes.
Bowl Me Over
The recipe card at the bottom blog has instructions regarding the cheese in instruction number six. Sorry the potatoes stuck to the bottom. I always spray the casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray and have updated the instructions to reflect that. Enjoy leftovers, I think they are even better on day two!
Bernalee
Hubby and I made this tonight. We added steamed broccoli, cheddar cheese, and ground mustard. It was soooo good. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Bowl Me Over
Great additions to the Ham and Potato Casserole Bernalee, that sounds delicious!
Cam
Is there a substitute for the cream cheese? It breaks my heart that my boyfriend hates cream cheese lol so many good things I don't get to make often. But this looks amazing!!!
Bowl Me Over
Use this recipe for Alfredo Sauce (yes.... you could use store-bought, but the homemade version is SO amazing!) Then you could omit the evaporated milk and probably the cream of chicken soup as well. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Chris Kuse
This was a great weeknight meal and a great use of our leftover ham. I did have to add an extra 15 minutes to get my potatoes done. I had used a glass pan with a cookie sheet under it so that may have affected my cook time. Just as yummy when I reheated it the next day for lunch. Thank you!
Bowl Me Over
Glad you enjoyed it Chris, it' sone of my very favorites! Thanks for the tip about the cookie sheet and timing, I appreciate it!!
Alma Wilson
Looking forward to trying your recipe and would be interested in seeing more of your recipes.
Thank you,
Alma Wilson