A cheesy ham and potato casserole is always welcome at any table!

Chase away the chills with this hearty casserole dinner that goes from the oven to the table in no time at all! Ham, potatoes, and peas are cooked in a creamy, cheesy sauce and then baked to bubbly perfection!

top view of cooked Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole in the dish

Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

  • Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole is a family favorite made with simple ingredients.
  • This meal is budget friendly and great for using up leftovers.
  • Prep in the morning and pop it in the oven for busy weeknights! Leftovers reheat well too!
  • Mix it up with extra veggies, perfect for picky eaters or for using up leftovers!
potatoes , broth , peas , milk , flour , butter , onion , cheddar , ham and seasonings with labels to make Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole

Ingredients for Ham & Potato Casserole

Ham – You can use pre-cooked or leftover ham, or even sausage links or bacon bits.

Potatoes – Cut the potatoes into bite sized pieces or use a half potato & half sweet potato blend. Even hashbrowns will work.

Vegetables – Sweet peas are a classic addition, but you can use other veggies too. Try green beans, carrots, or diced tomatoes. Fresh broccoli, cauliflower, or zucchini also work great.

Cheese Sauce – The sauce is delicious with butter, chicken broth, and whole milk. I love ham with cheddar cheese but Monterey jack, or a Mexican cheese blend work well too. If you prefer, heavy cream can replace the milk, or you can use a can of cream of mushroom soup instead.

How to Make Ham & Potato Casserole

  1. Make the sauce with broth and milk. Once thickened, stir in cheese.
  2. Layer ½ the potatoes, ham and peas in a casserole dish. Repeat the layers and pour the cheese sauce over the top.
  3. Bake (per recipe below) until potatoes are tender, top with more cheese, and baked until the cheese is lightly browned.
  4. Let the casserole set for about 5 minutes before serving. Garnish with sour cream, salsa, or ketchup, if desired.

What Goes with Ham & Potato Casserole?

All the meat, veggies, and starch are in this delish one-dish, so serve a simple salad like this bright and tangy beet salad, or a classic wedge salad. For breakfast, add a side of fluffy scrambled eggs, and homemade biscuits.

plated Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole

Storing Ham & Potato Casserole

  • Keep leftover ham and potato casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Portions can be frozen in freezer-safe containers for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight and reheat in the microwave.
  • Turn leftover cheesy ham and potato casserole into a hearty soup for the slow cooker by mixing it with extra broth and milk, just like this tasty ham & potato crockpot soup.

More Ham Casserole Recipes

Did you enjoy this ham and potato casserole? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!

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top view of cooked Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole in the dish
4.96 from 151 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

This ham and potato casserole is a delicious and very simple dinner! It will be hard to resist ham and potatoes smothered in a homemade cheesy sauce!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 8
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Ingredients  

Sauce

  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 3 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 small onion diced
  • ¾ cup milk
  • 1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
  • 1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Other

  • 3 pounds potatoes peeled and diced
  • 2 cups diced ham
  • 2 cups frozen peas defrosted
  • 1 ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese or to taste

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Over medium heat, melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion and stir until softened, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook an additional 2 while stirring.
  • Pour in chicken broth and milk gradually. Whisk over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Place ½ of the potatoes in a 3 qt pan. Sprinkle with ham and peas. Top with remaining potatoes. Pour sauce over top.
  • Cover with foil and bake 45-50 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Remove foil (carefully, it will steam), top with remaining cheese, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are soft and cheese is lightly browned.

Notes

This casserole will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and will keep in the freezer for 1 month. 
4.96 from 151 votes

Nutrition Information

Calories: 462 | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 999mg | Potassium: 1012mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 808IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 318mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Dinner
Cuisine American

bowl of Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole with a title
Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole in a bowl with a title
close up of plated Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole with writing
Cheesy Ham & Potato Casserole in the dish and plated with writing

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. With a passion for nostalgic flavors and simplified techniques, Holly helps busy home cooks create delicious meals that always work. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
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4.96 from 151 votes (120 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Tried this tonight. I didn’t peel the potatoes, diced them small like the recipe said. It was a huge hit. I was afraid there would not be enough sauce but it worked out just fine.
    This will be made often. I’m going to put it into smaller containers to share with my sister.5 stars

  2. I made this for my family and they loved it. My son added cheese because he thought it needed more.
    The flavor combination of the ham and peas is just perfect. Great recipe, and I appreciated not having to precook the potatoes.5 stars

  3. I really enjoyed this recipe. I didn’t have peas so I just omitted them. I used half extra sharp cheddar and half Colby cheese. I served it as a main course with a salad 5 stars

  4. I made this recipe for dinner last night. The only thing I changed was adding cayenne powder to give it a kick. Oh my goodness, this is a delicious casserole! I couldn’t wait for tonight’s dinner to have leftovers. In fact, I’m finishing up my bowl right now. It’s even better the second time around.

  5. I’m planning to use diced, frozen potatoes with this recipe for dinner tonight. Any idea what the cook time would be? Thank you for sharing this. It looks great!

    1. We haven’t tried this recipe with frozen potatoes, but I would check it at the indicated cook time and go from there, possibly an extra 10 or so minutes until they are fork-tender. You could also defrost (or partially defrost) them before adding to the recipe to speed up the cook time.

    1. Hi Jon, this recipe should work well halved. Just check your potatoes a bit earlier to make sure they are not overcooked!

  6. Very good casserole. I did as two others have said. I divided it into two 8×8 dishes too freeze one for another meal as there is only the two of us. I par boiled the potatoes a bit and used a bag of mixed veggies as that is what I had and added french fried onions along with the cheese. A great filling dish along with homemade bread and applesauce. And I have another meal for another night. Thnk you for sharing.5 stars

  7. Took much longer to prep than 20 minutes. Maybe if you have a sous chef chopping for you. Otherwise, it seems yummy.

  8. This was very tasty; wonderful winter comfort food! My husband doesn’t like peas so I just eliminated them and served broccoli as a side vegetable. My only comment is that the listed total time of 45 minutes is deceptive, (the recipe says to bake 45-50 minutes with the foil covering, and then an additional 15-20 minutes). Also the prep work involved – chopping and sauteeing the onion; washing, peeling, and dicing the potatoes; dicing the ham; grating the cheese; making the sauce – certainly took me more than the 10 minutes suggested in the recipe. So it isn’t as quick a meal to prepare as a quick glance might suggest. (As my Home Economics teacher taught us, “Always read the recipe right through before beginning!” So my fault.) But it is delicious and I will make it again.

    1. Glad you enjoyed the recipe Christine. Thank you for pointing out the error in the time, it was not intended to be deceptive, simply human error. I’ve updated the cook time.

  9. This recipe is great, I made some changes that I feel may have improved the flavor. I used cream instead of milk, I used Parmesan, mozzarella, and cheddar in the bechamel sauce instead of just cheddar as well as added garlic (because it belongs in everything!) as well as parsley and Sour cream to the sauce and topped with French fried onions. Yum!4 stars

  10. Hello. Can I replace the potatoes with something different? Or maybe add some pasta? I feel like the dish was mostly tasting like potatoes. Really good recipe. My husband ate it with tortillas!

    1. While I have only made this as written, I have been thinking about cauliflower or zucchini in this casserole. If you ty either of them please let us know how it worked out for you.
      And I am thrilled your family liked the recipe!

  11. This is an amazing recipe. I’m not a huge fan of traditional scalloped potatoes, but wanted a recipe to use up the Easter ham. This is delicious and I love the cheesiness. Definitely a keeper!5 stars

  12. Yum! I made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it. I took the advice of some other reviewers and parcooked the potatoes while making the sauce (gluten free, with cornstarch). My gang wants me to put this on the regular meal rotation. Besides tasting good, it uses ingredients I usually have at home. Thanks for the recipe!5 stars

  13. This was awesome! My husband was in the mood for comfort food, so I put him on Pinterest to find a recipe. This is what he found, and I am really glad he did. Enough to be divided into two small casserole dishes, one for dinner and one for the freezer for another night! I’m going to put him in charge of finding a recipe more often!

  14. Thinking of making this tonight. But i dont have frozen peas …. anyone use can peas and it turn out ok? Also thinking of adding corn …