Name: Baked Ham Cheese & Potato Casserole (No Canned Soup)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: 8 ounces cooked ham (1 1/2 cups diced); 1 lb russet potatoes (2 medium potatoes peeled and diced); ¼ cup sweet onion (diced); 1 tablespoon butter; 1 tablespoon flour; 1 cup milk (warmed); 6 ounces colby cheese (1 1/2 cups)

This cheesy ham and potato casserole combines diced ham (leftover ham works well) with chopped russet potatoes, sweet onion, butter, milk, flour, and shredded colby cheese. Made without canned soup, it bakes for about 40 minutes until golden brown and bubbling. Enjoy it as a breakfast casserole, for brunch, at a holiday gathering, or even as a weeknight dinner. It’s a versatile meal that’s made with a set of simple, easy-to-find ingredients.

A ham and potato casserole in a baking dish next to a bowl of fruit.

Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

Do you have ham in your freezer leftover from Thanksgiving Dinner or Easter brunch. It’s time to put it to good use in this cheesy potato casserole. This is a fantastic way to use up some leftovers and it’s so easy to make!

It’s great as a breakfast potato casserole all by itself or serve it with eggs. Best of all it’s a do ahead dish that can be thrown together the night before. There’s nothing like cheesy potatoes.

While this has an amazing colby cheese sauce, it’s not as rich as scalloped potatoes with gruyere cheese or crispy au gratin potatoes which makes it a great choice for breakfast.

Don’t have leftover ham, you can use a ham steak that’s pre-cooked or deli ham. A ham breakfast casserole only has a few ingredients and most of them you probably have on hand so, it’s one, two, three and you’re ready to go!

I spent an entire weekend perfecting this recipe and honestly Mike is really sick of it but, when I got to the final version, he said, “ Barbara, this is really delicious!” You’ll get that response from your family too!

This has become one of our favorite hearty breakfast recipes to make for holiday brunches when you don’t feel like an egg based breakfast casserole. It will go with almost anything that’s being served.

Reasons you’ll love this Ham Casserole Recipe

Great way to use up leftover ham
It’s an easy recipe with just a few ingredients
No canned soup, just the real stuff
Creamy sauce
Great for brunch or as a main course
You can make it ahead of time

Ready? 1, 2, 3. . . Let’s go!

Ham Casserole ingredients

Ingredients for a ham and potato casserole.

Cooked ham – you’ll need about 1 ½ cups diced ham. If you don’t have any left over, then use ham steaks or have them cut it at the deli. A honey baked ham works great in this dish.
Russet potatoes – 2 medium potatoes (yes the plain old kind!), peeled and diced.
Onion– I prefer a sweet vidalia onion for a milder flavor in this breakfast casserole.
Colby cheese – I like the mild flavor of this cheese but you can substitute sharp cheddar cheese instead.
Pantry staples – milk, butter, flour, salt and black pepper

What type of potatoes should you use for a potato casserole recipe

Russet potatoes work the best in this type of casserole. They have a high starch content which means they will hold their shape and not get mushy while baking. You can use other types, but the texture will be different, still delicious though.

Pro tip: If you are making this in advance and don’t want the potatoes to turn brown, place them in a bowl of cold water until you’re ready to assemble! Just dry them off before placing them in the casserole.

How to make Ham and Potato Casserole

Step 1: chop

Peel and dice the potatoes and cut the ham into similar sized cubes. Combine the ham and potatoes in a large bowl.

Diced ham and potatoes in a glass bowl. — Cut the potatoes and ham the same size.

Step 2: make the sauce

Saute onions in some butter in a skillet, once softened add flour and whisk together then gradually add milk whisking until it has slightly thickened. It should be pourable, if not add more milk. Salt and pepper to taste.

A skillet of cooked onions. — Cook the onions and flour.

A sauce with a whisk in a skillet. — Whisk the milk in slowly.

Step 3: make it cheesy

Add a cup of cheese to the sauce and stir until melted. Pour over the ham and potatoes. Stir until coated and place a casserole dish. (you can cover the entire casserole in plastic wrap at this point and keep it refrigerated overnight and serve the next day)

Cheese sauce poured over ham and potatoes. — Add cheese and then pour it over the ham and potatoes.

Cheese sauce poured over potatoes and ham. — Combine the creamy cheese sauce with the potato mixture.

Step 4: bake

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the sauce is bubbly. Remove and add additional cheese. Place under the broiler for 2 minutes until the cheese melts and starts to brown.

What to Serve with Ham and Cheese Casserole

Serve it with berries on the side or buttermilk biscuits and homemade strawberry jam. A spinach salad would be a nice addition if serving for brunch or dinner.

How to Store Leftover Ham Casserole

Let cool and then store in an airtight container in the fridge and it should be fine for 3-5 days, if it lasts that long! Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.

To reheat: You can microwave it or I prefer putting it in a 350º oven until warm. About 10 minutes.

This recipe for colby cheese casserole is so easy and handy to make! You can always make it ahead of time for company. Because it’s made of things that you usually have on hand and can be customized with different cheeses if necessary, it’s my new go to for a quick, and filling dish.

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.