Use your leftover ham in a creamy ham and cheesy potato casserole. An easy to make breakfast casserole for a Mother’s day brunch, holiday gathering or weeknight dinner. Tender potatoes covered in a cheesy sauce made without canned soup creates a scrumptious casserole the whole family will love.
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. Don’t have ham, then try a sausage potato casserole or a sausage and brie overnight casserole or make a breakfast casserole with hash browns instead.
While this has an amazing cheese sauce, it’s not as rich as creamy scalloped potatoes 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!
Cheesy Ham Potato Casserole ingredients
- 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.
Russets are also the potato of choice for baked mashed potato casserole, hamburger potato casserole and for au gratin potatoes for the same reason, you want the texture a russet will provide to your casserole.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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 serve Ham and Cheese Casserole
A ham and cheese casserole can be served as a meal in itself with a strawberry spinach salad. Or more commonly is served as a breakfast casserole alongside a batch of homemade biscuits.
How to store Cheesy Ham Casserole
How long will a potato casserole last in the refrigerator?
Put it in an airtight container and it should be fine for 3-5 days, if it lasts that long! Or you can freeze it for up to 3 months.
Cheesy Ham Casserole Recipe FAQs
How do I reheat a cheesy casserole?
You can microwave it or I prefer putting it in a 350º oven until warm. About 10 minutes.
Can you use deli ham for a cheesy ham and potato casserole?
You can use any type of cooked ham for this potato casserole. If using ham from the deli, ask them to cut it into ½ inch cubes rather than slices.
Can I use turkey or chicken in this recipe?
You can substitute turkey or chicken for the ham, just make sure it is fully cooked.
Can I make Ham and Potato Casserole ahead of time?
This is a great recipe to prepare the night before. Since the potatoes are covered in a cream sauce they won’t turn brown. Just let it warm to room temperature and bake and you have breakfast without any fuss.
This recipe for cheesy potato casserole is so easy and handy to make! You can always make it ahead of time for company and serve it with berries and flaky sour cream biscuits, or as a quick weeknight meal, alone or with a fruit salad. 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.
Try these potato casseroles too!
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Potato, Ham and Cheese Casserole
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cooked ham 1 ½ 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 ½ cups
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400º. Butter an 8 x 8 inch baking dish.
- Peel and dice potatoes into small cube. Cut ham into similar sized cubes. Combine the ham and potatoes in a mixing bowl.
- Saute onions in a tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Once softened add flour and whisk together for a minute. Gradually add warm milk whisking until it has slightly thickened. It should be pourable, if not add more milk. Salt and pepper to taste.
- Add a cup of cheese to the sauce and stir until melted. Pour over the ham and potatoes. Stir until coated and place in the prepared baking dish.
- Cover with 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 is melted and starts to brown.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- Warming the milk in the microwave with make it easier to make the sauce.
- You can use leftover ham, ham steaks or ham from the deli, just make sure it is cooked first.
- Russet potatoes work best but you can use other types, it might affect the cooking time, so test for when the potatoes are soft.
Nutrition
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