Easy Scalloped Potatoes And Ham
A comfort food classic, our recipe for Easy Scalloped Potatoes And Ham has layers of potatoes, onions, and ham with a from scratch creamy sauce made with milk and half & half then topped with lots of melty cheese. We love how easy it is to put together and it’s a great recipe to use up leftover holiday or Easter ham.
Easy Scalloped Potatoes And Ham
A comfort food classic, our recipe for Easy Scalloped Potatoes And Ham has layers of potatoes, onions, and ham with a from scratch creamy sauce.
Ingredients
- 8 Medium Potatoes (any variety), peeled & sliced 1/4" thick*
- 1 Large Yellow Onion, sliced thin
- 2 Cups Ham, diced
- 1 1/2 Cups Milk
- 1 1/2 Cups Half & Half*
- 4 Tbsp. Butter + 1 Tbsp. for greasing pan
- 1/4 Cup Flour (Unbleached or Fresh Milled)
- 1 tsp. Real Salt
- 1/4 tsp. Ground Black Pepper
- 2 Cloves Garlic, minced
- 2 Cups Shredded Cheese (We used Gouda & White Cheddar)
Instructions
- Begin by greasing a 9x13 baking pan with 1 Tablespoon of butter. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a medium sized saucepan on medium/medium high heat, melt 4 Tablespoons of butter. While the butter is melting, add 2 minced garlic cloves.
- Once butter is melted, whisk in 1/4 cup flour a little at a time, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Once whisked together, slowly whisk in 1 1/2 cups of milk and 1 1/2 cups of half & half. Add liquid slowly so that sauce does not get lumpy. Heat mixture on medium/medium high heat and continue whisking until the mixture begins to thicken. Once mixture has just begun to thicken, remove from heat and set aside.
- Peel the potatoes and slice into 1/4" rounds. Some have chosen not to peel the potatoes however we enjoy this recipe with peeled potatoes. Slice onion into thin 1/4" slices as well.
- In the buttered 9x13 baking pan, layer ingredients in two layers; potatoes, onions, ham, half of the creamy sauce, and then do another round of potatoes, onions, ham, and the remainder of the creamy sauce.
- Cover the pan with foil and bake the scalloped potatoes and ham for 60-75 minutes, checking at the 60 minute mark. We want our ingredients to be hot and bubbly and the potatoes to be fork tender. The time will vary depending on what type of potato you use.
- Once the potatoes are fork tender, uncover the pan and top with 2 cups shredded cheese. Return the pan to the oven, uncovered, and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
- Allow the Scalloped Potatoes and Ham to sit for 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
Can I replace milk for the half and half in this recipe? Yes, while we enjoy the richness the half & half gives this recipe, we are all about making things simple. You can use 1 1/2 cups of milk (plus the 1 1/2 cups of milk already called for) to replace the half and half in this recipe.
What potatoes work well in this recipe? We prefer a smooth and creamy (and less starchy) potato in this recipe like a Yukon Gold, Kennebec, or Red. However any potato variety will work. If using a starchy potato, you may notice it will soak up more of the sauce.
A Comfort Food Classic!
To be classified as a comfort food the recipe must first be homemade, filled with some sort of creamy sauce, and finally it must make your house smell divine while baking. Our recipes for Creamy Macaroni & Cheese and Chicken Soup With Homemade Dumplings check those boxes, but there is just something special about Scalloped Potatoes And Ham. It just hits the spot.
Layers of potatoes, onions, ham (bonus points if it’s leftover ham!) a homemade sauce, and bubbly cheese on top make this a standout easy casserole for any time of the year.
Key Features that make Easy Scalloped Potatoes And Ham a great recipe:
- SO EASY! Just a few simple ingredients with a short prep time and you have an easy casserole the whole family loves.
- A great way to use up leftover ham from the holidays or Easter. If you’re like us, you like to stick any leftover ham in the freezer for easy meals later on. This recipe puts that freezer ham to good use.
- A from scratch creamy sauce made with milk and half & half. You just can’t beat the buttery flavor of a homemade creamy sauce. We love adding fresh, minced garlic, salt, and pepper to our recipe for outstanding flavor.
- Can easily be reheated! We love having leftovers on hand for easy and hearty lunches as well as when we need quick suppers. This casserole reheats very well in a baking dish placed in a 350 degree oven.
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Ingredients needed to make Scalloped Potatoes And Ham:
- 8 Medium Potatoes- Any potato variety will work. We like the creaminess of Yukon Gold, Kennebec, or Red Potatoes.
- 1 Yellow Onion- Slice it 1/4″ think like the potatoes.
- 2 Cups Ham- This is a great way to use up leftover ham from Christmas or Easter.
- Milk and Half & Half- We love the additional creaminess the half & half adds in this dish. Feel free to substitute it out with more milk if you don’t have any on hand.
- Butter- Butter adds such rich flavor to our creamy, homemade sauce.
- Flour- Thickens this sauce. Feel free to use unbleached flour or fresh milled flour.
- Garlic- We love adding garlic to our homemade sauce. It adds an extra, elevated flavor.
- Salt & Pepper- Two simple seasonings are all you need.
- Shredded Cheese- We used Gouda and White Cheddar in this recipe.
Step-by-Step instructions to make Scalloped Potatoes And Ham From Scratch
Grease a 9×13 baking dish with 1 Tablespoon of Butter and preheat your oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium saucepan on medium heat melt 4 Tablespoons of butter with 2 cloves of minced garlic. Once the butter is melted, slowly whisk in the salt, ground black pepper, and the flour a little at a time. Then, slowly whisk in the milk and half & half. Do this slowly, pouring a little at a time, so that mixture does not get lumpy. Continue to whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from heat and set aside.
Slice the potatoes and onions 1/4″ thick. Layer ingredients in two layers beginning with potatoes, onions, ham, and then half of the cream sauce. Add the final layer of potatoes, onions, ham, and the remaining cream sauce. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 60-75 minutes checking at the 60 minute mark to see if the potatoes are fork tender and the casserole is bubbly.
Once the Scalloped Potatoes And Ham is bubbly and the potatoes are fork tender, uncover the casserole and top with 2 cups of shredded cheese. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the Scalloped Potatoes And Ham is golden and bubbly.
Allow the casserole to rest 10-15 minutes so that sauce can thicken and then serve hot.
