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Scalloped Ham and Potato Casserole has layers of tender, sliced potatoes and ham smothered in a creamy cheese sauce.
My husband Jack first served a version of this Scalloped Ham and Potato Casserole recipe many years ago at one of the food establishments he managed – and it has been one of his favorite dishes ever since. Over the years, he’s adapted the recipe to the version we’re sharing with you today!
What’s the difference between scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes? And why are we calling this a casserole?
Originally, this dish was made as a traditional ‘scalloped’ potatoes recipe – with sliced potatoes in just a white Béchamel sauce – with no cheese added.
But over the years, Jack tried adding different blends of cheeses and seasonings – and we love the addition of cheddar and mozzarella cheese along with the ham and potatoes!
So – some people might call this an ‘au gratin’ because of the added cheese – although technically, in culinary arts, the term au gratin refers to a dish that has a topping of seasoned breadcrumbs and cheese, which is then baked or broiled until golden brown. (Our recipe doesn’t add breadcrumbs to the top.)
Phew! Still with us? (Scalloped = White sauce. Au Gratin = Cheese and bread crumbs and a golden-brown top. Our Scalloped Ham and Potato Casserole = White sauce with cheese and no bread crumbs.)
No matter what you call this Scalloped Ham and Potato Casserole, this dish is a wonderful, comforting weeknight family meal! You can serve it along with a salad or green vegetables (we love it with our Perfect Asparagus recipe!) for a complete meal. Or – it can also be served as a side dish, without the ham, alongside your choice of roasted meat.
We made our casserole with thinly sliced Black Forest ham from our local deli. But you could adapt this recipe and use leftover ham from the holidays instead.
Can I make this Scalloped Ham and Potato Casserole ahead of time?
Yes you can! You’ll want to fully-bake the casserole, then allow it to completely cool to room temperature. Wrap it tightly with foil, then refrigerate it until ready to reheat.
On the day you plan to serve your Scalloped Ham and Potato Casserole, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, then place the casserole dish (still covered in foil) to heat through – approximately 30 minutes or so.
We hope you love this Scalloped Ham and Potato Casserole as much as we do!
This recipe was originally shared here on A Family Feast in November 2013. We updated the photos and made some minor edits to the recipe – just to clarify the steps.
You may enjoy these other potato recipes:
- Ham and Vegetable Soup
- Potato Leek Soup
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
- Maine Potato Stuffing
- Sliced Potatoes with Herbs and Cheese
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Scalloped Ham and Potato Casserole
While baking, if the top browns before the potatoes are tender, cover with foil for the last few minutes of cooking time.
Ingredients
2 pounds peeled Russet potatoes*
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dry
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
Few drops hot sauce such as Tabasco, Cholula or Sriracha
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Few grinds fresh nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Colman’s dry mustard
8 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1 pound Black Forest or Virginia ham, sliced thin
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese (not fresh mozzarella)
Instructions
- Using a mandolin or sharp knife, peel and slice the potatoes to 1/8 inch thick. Hold in a bowl of cold water but pat dry when ready to use.
- In a medium pot over medium heat, melt butter and add onions, parsley and thyme. Sauté for about three minutes or until onions are starting to become translucent. Lower heat to medium, add flour and stir. Cook for about three more minutes or until raw flour smell is gone.
- Add cream, salt, pepper, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, mustard powder and 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheddar cheese. Stir over medium heat until cheese melts into sauce then remove from heat.
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a two to three quart pan or casserole dish spray with pan spray. (Our casserole dish was an oval 12x9x3-inches.)
- Start by ladling a small amount of sauce into the bottom of the pan. Shingle one quarter of the potatoes over the sauce, covering the bottom. Cover that with one third of the ham. Next cover with one third of the remaining sauce and another quarter of potatoes and half of the shredded mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers by next adding another third of ham, another third of the sauce, another quarter of the potato, the final third of ham, the final half of the mozzarella, the final quarter of potatoes and the last of the sauce. Sprinkle the top with the remaining shredded cheddar.**
- Bake uncovered for one hour and 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender when poked with a fork or skewer. Let the casserole sit for 30 minutes to set up.
- Spoon into portions and serve.***
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Notes
*Russet are low moisture, high starch potatoes and should not be substituted.
**We found it easier to divide the ingredients into piles before layering so we could get even amounts. For example, we divided the ham into three piles, the potatoes into four and so on.
***There will be some liquid after baking and resting. This gets absorbed into the casserole as it cools so no need to remove.
Dawn says
Has anyone tried to sub. gruyere cheese?
Martha says
You can definitely do that Dawn!
Betty says
This is one of the best dishes I’ve ever made. I sliced the potatoes just a little thicker and boiled them until they were about halfway done. I drained them and made the casserole when they were cool enough to handle. They didn’t fall apart and it cut the baking time by about half. I used diced spiral sliced ham, and it worked fine. I froze some just to test, and had no problems with separation. I’ve added this recipe to my Favorites Folder. I’ll be making it often.
Martha says
Great suggestion Betty – so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Candace L Caldwell says
This looks just like my gram used to make. Cant wait to try it! Can you make this in a crock pot? If so are any adjustments needed? Thanks
Martha says
Hi Candance – We’ve never tried this recipe in a stock pot. Sorry I can’t help with more advice on that.
Linda Gang says
Can this recipe (Scalloped Ham & Potato) be frozen? If yes, would you freeze before or after baking it?
Martha says
Hi Linda – we replied to your earlier comment. We typically shy away from freezing recipes with cream sauces because they break/separate when frozen and thawed. Also potatoes tend to get mushy after being frozen and thawed. For best results, we think this recipe is best freshly made. Sorry.
Linda Gang says
Can this recipe be frozen? If yes, would you freeze before or after baking it?
Martha says
Hi Linda – We typically shy away from freezing recipes with cream sauces because they break/separate when frozen and thawed. Also potatoes tend to get mushy after being frozen and thawed. For best results, we think this recipe is best freshly made. Sorry.
Fi says
The recipes look great! But can you please publish metric equivalents so the rest of the world can use them more easily?
Martha says
Hi Fi – Thanks for your feedback. We write recipes based on how we cook and measure ingredients here in the US. We’ve explored using a recipe converter similar to the one that some other US-based blogs use, but we’ve found it to be inaccurate, so we feel most comfortable sharing the recipes as we make them. Thanks for taking the time to write to us today.
Cynthia Diltz says
I made this recipe last night. It was amazing. Probably the best scalloped potatoes and ham we have ever had. I also used the white sauce recipe to make creamed peas to go with it.
Martha says
Wow Cynthia – thank you so much! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Stephanie Saunders says
I used ham chunks, heavy cream and half and half with a mixture of gouda and mild cheddar cheese. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Martha says
Thanks Stephanie!
LeAnn says
I’ve made this several times, it’s my husband’s favorite! I add 1/4 tsp. of ground cayenne powder for a little kick, but no sirracha. This a really amazing recipe. Thank you!
Martha says
Thanks LeAnn! So glad you are enjoying the recipe!
Diane R says
I just tried the Ham and Scalloped potatoes. It took longer to cook than the recipe called for, but it was worth the wait. We ate it with a side of fresh broccoli and even my fussy girls ate it. Perfect recipe for leftover ham.
Martha says
Thanks Diane!