Whip up a hearty meal for your family for dinner tonight with this cheesy ham and potato casserole! It’s the perfect way to use leftover holiday ham.
And since it requires minimal prep work, this easy casserole recipe is a great option for a Sunday dinner. No matter when you plan to cook it, it’s sure to be a popular meal with everyone at the dinner table!
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email below, and we'll send it directly to you. Plus, you'll get amazing recipes sent to you daily.
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Recipes Simple.
This easy ham and potato casserole dinner might be packed with flavor, but that doesn’t mean you need a ton of ingredients to prepare it! This meal is made up of just three essential parts – ham, potatoes, and a homemade cheese sauce.
I love ham and always look for more ways to incorporate it into our meals. My Ham and Cheese Casserole is a favorite and very popular on Pinterest! And these Ham and Cheddar Crescent Roll-ups are another hit on Pinterest with over 543K shares.
Ingredient Notes
See the printable recipe card below for all ingredients, specific measurements, and complete instructions.
To make this easy ham and potato casserole, you’ll need:
- Butter - Use butter and not margarine for the best flavor.
- Onion - I like to use a small yellow onion, diced.
- Flour - All-purpose flour is used to help thicken the cheesy sauce.
- Chicken Broth - I used reduced-sodium chicken broth.
- Milk - I prefer to use whole milk when cooking, but you can use 2% if you prefer.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese - I like to use sharp cheddar cheese, but you can use mild, medium, or cheddar jack.
- Potatoes - Cut the potatoes as uniformly as possible so they cook evenly.
- Diced Ham - This casserole is a great way to use leftover holiday ham or purchase your favorite store-bought brand of diced ham.
- Salt and Pepper - Salt and pepper to taste.
How To Make Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
Since this easy recipe is made by layering potatoes, ham, and cheese in a baking dish, you only have to prepare the cheese sauce! To make your own ham and potato casserole for dinner tonight, just follow these quick instructions.
Start by prepping all the ingredients. First, clean, peel, and dice the potatoes and dice the ham if you’re using leftovers.
Once you have your potatoes and ham ready, layer them in the casserole dish, starting with half the potatoes and then half the ham. Season with salt and pepper, then add a second layer of potatoes and a second layer of ham. Season the top layer, then set the pan aside while you make the cheese sauce.
To prepare the cheese sauce for your dish, first melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Then, add the diced onions and cook over medium heat until they’re tender.
After that, add the flour to the pan and stir to mix. Give the flour a few minutes to simmer, allowing it to brown slightly.
When the flour begins to bubble, add the chicken broth and milk to the pot and use a whisk to mix the flour into the liquid. Continue whisking until no lumps are visible, then allow the sauce to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes until thickened. Whisk the sauce often to keep it from getting lumpy.
Remove the pan from heat after the sauce has thickened and season it with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in 1 ½ cups of the shredded cheese until all the cheese has melted.
Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the casserole and use the back of a spoon or spatula to smooth it over the top of all the potatoes. Make sure all the ham and potatoes are fully covered in sauce to ensure everything bakes evenly.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top of the casserole and cover the pan with foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes until the potatoes are tender.
Casserole Variations
- Use frozen potatoes. Skip the prep work and use frozen diced potatoes instead of peeling and chopping your own. Make sure the potatoes are thawed before placing them in the casserole dish, then bake uncovered for around 40 minutes.
- Boil the potatoes before baking. This casserole has a long baking time to ensure the potatoes are tender. If you prefer to shorten the bake time, you can always boil the potatoes until they’re fork-tender before mixing them with the rest of the ingredients. If you pre-cook the potatoes, you can cut the baking time to 30 minutes uncovered.
- Add some vegetables. Turn this casserole into a complete meal in one pan by mixing some veggies into the dish. Add some peas, green beans, corn, or broccoli to the pan with the potatoes and ham, then top all the ingredients with the cheese sauce and bake according to the recipe instructions.
How To Store and Reheat Casserole
This casserole makes six hearty servings, so you’ll probably have some leftovers when dinner is over! Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for best results. The casserole will stay good for up to four days.
You can reheat the leftovers in the oven at 350 degrees or in the microwave.
Here are a few more casserole recipes to try!
- Beef And Noodle Casserole
- Chicken Alfredo Casserole
- Stuffed Pepper Casserole
- Chicken Tortilla Casserole
This cheesy ham and potato casserole is the best comfort meal year-round. The classic flavor combination is one that the whole family will enjoy.
Cheesy Ham And Potato Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 small onion (finely chopped)
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 cups milk
- 2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese (divided)
- 3 pounds potatoes (peeled and diced)
- 12 ounces diced ham
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and grease a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- When the butter is melted, add the onion and sauté until tender, around 5 minutes.
- Add the flour and stir to mix. Continue simmering until the flour begins to brown.
- Add the chicken broth and milk and whisk to mix. Continue whisking while the sauce simmer.
- Cook until the sauce has thickened, around 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Then stir in 1½ cups of sharp cheddar cheese.
- Arrange half the potatoes in the prepared baking dish and top with half the ham. Add another layer of potatoes, then ham.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the casserole.
- Cover the pan with foil and place in the oven to bake for 45 minutes, then remove the foil and top with the remaining 1 cup of cheese.
- Return to the oven to bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the cheese on top is melted.