This Cheesy Ham and Potato Bake is the ultimate comfort food, layering tender potatoes and savory ham with a rich, creamy cheese sauce. It’s the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out, perfect for a cozy family dinner or a special weekend meal.
Get ready for a golden, bubbly casserole that’s packed with flavor and utterly irresistible.
Recipe Details
- Flavor Profile: Savory, cheesy, rich, with hints of onion and garlic.
- Texture: Creamy sauce, tender potatoes, with a slightly crisp topping.
- Total Active Time: Approximately 30 minutes
- Total Cook Time: Approximately 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes
- Difficulty Level: Easy, requiring basic stovetop and oven skills.
What You’ll Need
This delightful bake brings together thinly sliced potatoes, savory diced ham, a luscious homemade cheese sauce made with butter, flour, milk, and cream, all seasoned with garlic powder, salt, and pepper, and topped with plenty of sharp cheddar cheese.
Ingredient Notes
- Potatoes – Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes work beautifully here. Their texture becomes wonderfully tender when baked. Slicing them thinly ensures they cook through evenly.
- Ham – Cooked turkey ham or beef bacon adds a wonderful savory depth. Ensure it’s diced into bite-sized pieces so each forkful gets a taste of this delicious protein.
- Dairy – Whole milk and heavy cream are key to achieving that luxuriously smooth and rich cheese sauce that coats every bite.
- Cheese – Sharp cheddar cheese brings a delightful tang and melts into a gooey, golden topping that’s simply divine.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Vary the Cheese: Feel free to experiment with different cheese combinations! A bit of Gruyère, Colby Jack, or Monterey Jack would also be delicious alongside or instead of cheddar.
- Add Veggies: For a touch of green, you could stir in some cooked broccoli florets or peas with the ham layers.
- Spice It Up: A pinch of cayenne pepper or a dash of your favorite hot sauce can add a gentle warmth to the sauce.
How to Make Cheesy Ham and Potato Bake
Get ready to assemble this heartwarming casserole. It’s a straightforward process that yields incredibly rewarding results.
- Prep Your Oven and Dish: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a 9×13 inch baking dish.
- Start the Sauce Base: Melt the unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the finely diced yellow onion and cook until it becomes tender and translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Build the Roux: Stir in the all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper. Cook for about one minute, stirring constantly, to toast the flour slightly.
- Create the Creamy Sauce: Gradually whisk in the whole milk and heavy cream. Continue to whisk and simmer until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This usually takes about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Begin Layering: Arrange half of the thinly sliced potatoes and diced ham in an even layer in your prepared baking dish.
- Sauce and Cheese It Up: Pour about half of the thickened cheese sauce over the potato and ham layer. Sprinkle half of the shredded sharp cheddar cheese over the sauce.
- Second Layer: Add the remaining half of the potatoes and ham on top of the cheese.
- Top It Off: Pour the rest of the creamy cheese sauce evenly over the entire dish, ensuring all the potatoes and ham are covered.
- First Bake: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes.
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Golden Brown Finish: Remove the foil from the baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining sharp cheddar cheese evenly over the top. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top is beautifully golden brown and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork.
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Pro Tip: Slicing your potatoes uniformly ensures they cook at the same rate, leading to a more evenly textured bake. Aim for about 1/8-inch thickness.
Recipe Tips
- Slice with Care: For the best results, try to slice your potatoes to a consistent thickness. This helps them cook evenly and absorb the sauce beautifully.
- Sauce Consistency: Don’t worry if the sauce seems a little thin at first; it will continue to thicken as it simmers and will further set as the bake rests after coming out of the oven.
- Check for Tenderness: The best way to know when your bake is ready is to gently pierce the potatoes with a fork. They should be easily pierced and tender throughout.
- Resting is Key: Allow the Cheesy Ham and Potato Bake to rest for about 10 to 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows the sauce to settle and makes it easier to serve.
FAQs
- Can I use pre-shredded cheese? Yes, you can, but shredding your own cheese from a block often results in a smoother, meltier sauce as pre-shredded cheeses can contain anti-caking agents.
- What kind of ham is best? Any fully cooked ham will work. Diced leftover ham or even good quality diced turkey ham are excellent choices.
- How do I know if the potatoes are cooked? You can test the potatoes by gently inserting a fork or the tip of a knife into the thickest part of the bake. It should slide in easily without resistance.
Serving Suggestions
This Cheesy Ham and Potato Bake is hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but it also pairs wonderfully with a crisp green salad tossed with a light vinaigrette to balance the richness. A side of steamed green beans or a simple crusty bread for soaking up any extra sauce would also be delightful.
Make This Recipe in Advance
You can assemble the Cheesy Ham and Potato Bake a day in advance. Prepare through step 8 (pouring the sauce and covering). Cover it tightly with plastic wrap and then foil, and refrigerate. When ready to bake, remove it from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before baking to allow it to come closer to room temperature, then proceed with the baking instructions, adding a few extra minutes to the covered baking time if needed to ensure it’s heated through before uncovering for the final browning.
Cheesy Ham and Potato Bake
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
Description
This Cheesy Ham and Potato Bake is the ultimate comfort food, layering tender potatoes and savory ham with a rich, creamy cheese sauce. It’s the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out, perfect for a cozy family dinner or a special weekend meal. Get ready for a golden, bubbly casserole that’s packed with flavor and utterly irresistible.
Ingredients
3 lbs Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (1/8-inch thick)
2 cups cooked turkey ham or beef bacon, diced
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Salt and black pepper to taste
Fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
Prepare your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and ready a 9×13 inch baking dish.
Melt butter in a pot over medium heat, then add onion and cook until tender.
Stir in flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, cooking for one minute.
Slowly whisk in milk and cream, simmering until the sauce thickens.
Arrange half the potatoes and ham in the dish, top with cheese and sauce.
Add the rest of the potatoes and ham, then pour the remaining sauce over all.
Cover and bake for 50 minutes, then uncover, add the rest of the cheese, and bake for another 20 to 25 minutes until golden and tender.
Notes
For the best results, try to slice your potatoes to a consistent thickness. This helps them cook evenly and absorb the sauce beautifully.
Don’t worry if the sauce seems a little thin at first; it will continue to thicken as it simmers and will further set as the bake rests after coming out of the oven.
The best way to know when your bake is ready is to gently pierce the potatoes with a fork. They should be easily pierced and tender throughout.
Allow the Cheesy Ham and Potato Bake to rest for about 10 to 15 minutes after it comes out of the oven. This allows the sauce to settle and makes it easier to serve.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: American
