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This baked ham and cheese omelet is a simple egg casserole that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. With just 10 minutes of prep, the ham and cheese omelette is an easy way to use up leftover ham, or you can substitute with sausage or bacon instead. It’s flavorful, nutritious, and delicious alongside a loaf of crusty bread, blueberry muffins, and a fresh fruit salad.
Ham and Cheese Omelette
A traditional omelette or omelet is a dish made from beaten eggs, which are fried with butter or oil in a frying pan (without stirring the eggs as they cook). The omelet is typically folded around fillings such as chives, vegetables, mushrooms, meat (often ham or bacon), cheese, or a combination of these. With this recipe, however, you get all of the classic flavors and ingredients of a ham and cheese omelette, but the dish is baked in the oven rather than fried in a skillet. That means that it’s easier to prepare, completely hands-off, and a simple way to serve a family without slaving over a hot stove.
Ingredients
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a baked ham and cheese omelet. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Eggs: you can’t beat farm-fresh eggs! If you prefer to use fewer eggs and substitute with extra egg whites, see my note in the recipe below.
- Milk: use whole milk, 2% milk, or even half-and-half or heavy cream. You need some fat in the liquid to make an egg custard with the best texture and flavor.
- Seasoned salt: such as Lawry’s brand, for seasoning the egg casserole.
- Ham: use leftover ham from a previous meal, or purchase a ham steak, diced ham, or even deli ham at the grocery store.
- Cheese: we love the classic combination of ham with sharp cheddar cheese, but you can substitute with just about any good melting cheese. Other nice options include Swiss, Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, and Gouda.
- Onion: for a touch of sweet and savory flavor.
How to Make an Omelette with Cheese and Ham
The puffy, cheesy, golden brown breakfast casserole could not be easier to prepare!
- Whisk eggs, milk, and seasoned salt in a large bowl.
- Sprinkle ham, cheese, and onion into the uncooked egg mixture; stir to combine.
- Pour the egg mixture into a greased 8-inch square dish.
- Bake the omelet in a 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes, or until the eggs are set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Slice into squares, transfer to a serving plate, and garnish with fresh herbs.
What to Serve with a Ham and Cheese Omelet
This versatile dish works well for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. It tastes special enough for holidays and celebrations (such as baby showers, bridal showers, and Easter), but it’s also simple enough for a quick weeknight dinner. Here are some easy sides that go well with the ham and cheese omelet:
- Fruit Salad
- House Salad with Candied Pecans, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, a Classic Caesar Salad, or a Wedge Salad
- Blueberry Streusel Muffins, Morning Glory Muffins, Orange Muffins, Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, Apple Muffins with Cinnamon Sugar, Old-Fashioned Cranberry Muffins, Apple Cider Donut Muffins, Farmhouse Blackberry Muffins, One-Bowl Zucchini Muffins, or Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- No-Knead English Muffin Bread, Baguette, No-Knead Dutch Oven Bread, Cheddar Chive Beer Bread
- Southern Buttermilk Biscuits, Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits or Drop Biscuits
- Blueberry Scones or Cranberry Orange Scones
- Sour Cream Coffee Cake, French Farmhouse Breakfast Cake, or Easy Cinnamon Coffee Cake with Cake Mix
- Farmhouse Cinnamon Rolls
- Hash Brown Casserole, Party Potatoes, Au Gratin Potatoes, 3-Ingredient Cheesy Potato Casserole
- Amish Baked Oatmeal with Apples and Cinnamon
- Banana Nut Bread, Lemon Blueberry Bread, Strawberry Bread, Amish Friendship Bread, Cranberry Bread, Cinnamon Swirl Bread, or Persimmon Bread
- Pancakes, Baked Pancakes with Pancake Mix, or Waffles
- Southern Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
Storage
Unlike a quiche, there’s no crust to get soggy, so a leftover baked omelet keeps very well in the fridge. Store the ham and cheese omelet in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It’s a nice way to prep ahead for busy weekday breakfasts!
How to Freeze
Let the omelet cool to room temperature. Slice into squares, wrap each individual square in plastic wrap, and then again in foil. The tightly wrapped squares will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
How to Reheat
To reheat the entire casserole, let the dish sit on the counter for at least 30-60 minutes to come to room temperature. Warm in a 350°F oven just until heated through, about 20 minutes. You can also reheat individual slices in the microwave for about 1 minute, or until warmed through.
Recipe Variations
- To serve a larger group, double all of the ingredients and bake the omelet in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. You will likely need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes to account for the larger casserole.
- Add vegetables: stir in just about any sauteed vegetables that you like. Good options include sweet bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli. Spinach is also a nice addition to the egg bake, and you don’t need to cook it first.
- Try herbs: mix fresh herbs right into the eggs for even more flavor. Good options include chopped fresh parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary, and basil.
- Almost any good melting cheese will work in this omelette. Instead of the sharp cheddar, try Swiss, Colby, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or Gouda.
- Instead of the diced ham, use an equal amount of cooked bacon or cooked, crumbled sausage.
Tips for the Best Ham and Cheese Omelet Recipe
- Use leftover ham (such as holiday extras from Easter or Christmas), or just purchase ham at the grocery store to use in this recipe. You can buy a ham steak and dice it yourself at home, or pick up a package of pre-diced ham and avoid the extra prep. Even sliced ham from the deli counter will work!
- Dice the onion into very fine pieces so that it softens in the oven. Larger chunks of onion may still be crisp at the end of baking, and nobody wants to bite into a crunchy onion!
- Use whole milk or at least 2% milk for the best texture. You need some fat to make a good egg custard, so even half-and-half or heavy cream will work for a richer, more decadent dish.
- Don’t skip the Lawry’s seasoned salt. This single ingredient is an easy way to add tons of flavor to the omelet, since it includes a blend of seasonings like paprika, onion, and garlic. The omelet just doesn’t taste quite as good without it!
More Egg Casserole Recipes to Try
- Baked Western Omelet
- Sausage Breakfast Casserole
- Croissant Breakfast Casserole with Berries
- Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
- Crustless Quiche with Spinach
- Overnight Breakfast Casserole
Baked Ham and Cheese Omelet
Ingredients
- 8 large eggs (or use 4 whole eggs and 6 egg whites)
- 1 cup whole or 2% milk
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt (such as Lawry's brand)
- 8 ounces diced cooked ham (or substitute with cooked bacon or sausage)
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons very finely diced sweet onion
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh chives or parsley
Instructions
- Beat eggs, milk, and seasoned salt together in a large bowl.
- Stir in ham, cheese, and onion.
- Pour egg mixture into a greased 8-inch-square baking dish.
- Bake at 350°F for 40-45 minutes, or until the eggs are set and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cut into squares and garnish with fresh herbs, if desired.
Notes
- To serve a larger group, double all of the ingredients and bake the omelet in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. You will likely need to increase the baking time by 5-10 minutes to account for the larger casserole.
- Add vegetables: stir in just about any sauteed vegetables that you like. Good options include sweet bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, and broccoli. Spinach is also a nice addition to the egg bake, and you don’t need to cook it first.
- Try herbs: mix fresh herbs right into the eggs for even more flavor. Good options include chopped fresh parsley, chives, thyme, rosemary, and basil.
- Almost any good melting cheese will work in this omelette. Instead of the sharp cheddar, try Swiss, Colby, Colby Jack, Monterey Jack, Pepper Jack, or Gouda.
- Instead of the diced ham, use an equal amount of cooked bacon or cooked, crumbled sausage.
- Use leftover ham (such as holiday extras from Easter or Christmas), or just purchase ham at the grocery store to use in this recipe. You can buy a ham steak and dice it yourself at home, or pick up a package of pre-diced ham and avoid the extra prep. Even sliced ham from the deli counter will work!
- Dice the onion into very fine pieces so that they soften in the oven. Larger chunks of onion may still be crisp at the end of baking, and nobody wants to bite into crunchy onion in an omelet!
- Use whole milk or at least 2% milk for the best texture. You need some fat to make a good egg custard, so even half-and-half or heavy cream will work for a richer, more decadent flavor and texture!
- Don’t skip the Lawry’s seasoned salt. This single ingredient is an easy way to add tons of flavor to the dish, since it includes a blend of seasonings like paprika, onion, and garlic. The omelet just doesn’t taste quite as good without it!
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in July, 2014. The photos were updated in February, 2022.
I made this and added the bell peppers and fr3sh fresh tomatoes and this was simply delicious! Such an easy recipe. Will definitely make again and again!
Awesome! Thanks, Sharon!
I know this is a simple and fast recipe but any tips on making it the day before?
Hi, Denise! Yes! I’ve made this in advance many times. My suggestion is to bake the whole recipe as instructed, and then just reheat it in the morning (in a 325 degree F oven until warmed through). If you want it to be freshly-baked in the morning, you can also just prep all of the ingredients the night before and then mix them together and pour them in the pan at the last minute. For instance, beat the eggs, milk and seasoned salt in one bowl. Cover it and refrigerate it. Then dice the ham, shred the cheese, and chop the onion. Keep those ingredients separate in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to bake it in the morning, add the ham and other ingredients to the egg mixture, give it all a good whisk, and pour it into your dish to bake as instructed. Hope that helps, and enjoy!
I had several lbs of Easter ham left & found this delicious recipe while looking for a breakfast casserole… this sure fit my needs & looked yummy. TY so much Blair. PS. added baby spinach. 🙂
The spinach sounds perfect! Enjoy, Frances!
Hi Blair,
Have you ever just made this with fresh veggies such as broccoli
Hi, Maureen! I’ve made similar recipes with fresh vegetables like bell pepper and onion, which works really well. If you want to use broccoli, I would suggest steaming it first so that it’s pretty tender before you add it to the dish. Otherwise it probably won’t cook through before the eggs are done. 🙂
Made this over the weekend and was delicious plus super easy. It was a bit watery so I’m thinking it might be the ham I used. Next time will sauté the ham cubes to remove some moisture. Will definitely make again. Great leftovers too!
Ours turned out kind of watery as well. Not sure if it’s from the ham or onions? I might try sauteeing them both before baking next time. It was still delicious and super easy! Yummy!
Hey! Should you cover this when baking or leave it uncovered?
Hi, Kristin! Leave it uncovered. 🙂
Everyone in my family loved this. I’m really impressed with how tasty this turned out for such a simple recipe with not many ingredients. Super easy to make, and will definitely be a keeper at our house! I’m always on the lookout for simple things to make for a family with 3 picky kiddos 🙂
That’s wonderful, Jen! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note. So glad that it was a hit! 🙂
Absolutely amazing! All 5 kiddos and hubby loved it. added some extra shredded cheese on top after baking. Served it with warm tortillas and salsa too as some like breakfast burritos so this was perfect. Thank you for the delicious but simple recipe. Keeper for sure. Blessings to you and yours!
Thanks, Debra! I’m so glad that the whole family enjoyed it. Love the breakfast burrito idea! 🙂
Just made this for Father’s Day it is my favorite eggs for brunch so easy to make and everyone loves it! Thanks for the receipe!
Thanks, Angela!
This was easy and good! I had some half and half I needed to use, so used that instead of milk. I also had some frozen kale I needed to use and threw that in. It was a real treat!
Sounds perfect, Debra! 🙂
I’m looking forward to trying this and I love that you gave the substitution with egg whites. Due to cholesterol I have to watch my yolks. As soon as I buy some ham I will be making this.
Excellent! Enjoy!
Recipes looks so easy. Can’t wait to try it.
Can I use a cup of heavy cream instead of milk?
Milk has a lot more carbs. Thanks.
Absolutely!! The cream will make it taste even better. 🙂
So easy; so delicious!
Thank you, Susan!
I add a bit of yellow mustard to the mix. Gives it a nice “zing/tang”
Sounds great, Robert!
Can you double recipe
Hi, Sandy! Absolutely! Just double all of the ingredients and bake the omelet in a 9 x 13-inch dish. You may need to increase the overall baking time by a few minutes, but otherwise the instructions remain the same. Enjoy!
Such a great low carb option! Love being able to have eggs in the morning without any fuss! I cut a ham steak in tiny pieces and saute with onion first. Really tasty!
Thank you, Bridget!
I made this for the first time tonight. It was incredibly delicious and so fluffy. I followed the recipe as written, just adding a little chopped bell pepper with the onion. My oven cooks fast so it was completely set at 40 minutes and cut so easily upon serving. Thanks for sharing this new favorite egg recipe, Blair! I will definitely be making it again very soon!
That’s so good to hear, Mary Catherine! Thank you for letting me know. I’m glad that it was a hit!
Great recipe! Easy and very tasty. The texture is almost like the old fashioned souffles–very light. I had some Kirkland bacon bits left to use up so sprinkled those on top which was very nice. Makes a great low carb meal for those of us watching carbs. I like that once it’s in the oven it gives me a pocket of time to clean up and prep the rest of the meal.
Thank you, Norma!!
Hi Blair,
I tried your Baked Ham and Cheese Omelet today. And per your suggestion, I added a few handfuls of fresh spinach & about 1/2 of a red pepper. I didn’t have any ham either, so I opted for your sausage substitution suggestion also. Was this ever yummy! Definitely a winner! And I can see where it can be extremely versatile.
Thank you for sharing your talents – the recipes, the photos, and your busy family life happenings!
Hi Kris,
Thank you so much for your kind words. We’re so glad you enjoy this recipe and greatly appreciate your support!