This ham and egg casserole is a simple baked omelet that’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. With just 10 minutes of prep, the ham and cheese egg bake is an easy way to use up leftover ham, or you can substitute with sausage or bacon.
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If you’re looking for even more egg bake recipes, try this maple sausage and apple breakfast bake, a tater tot breakfast casserole, and a baked western omelet, too!
It was absolutely delish!
– Gwen
The Easiest Ham Egg Cheese Casserole!
This is what I like to call a dump-and-bake meal! Just whisk everything together and pop it in the oven! You get all of the classic flavors and ingredients of a ham and cheese omelet, but the casserole is baked in the oven rather than fried in a skillet. That means that it’s easier to prepare, completely hands-off, and healthier (thanks to less oil and butter, no bread, and plenty of protein). The egg bake is also very versatile, as you can use just about any veggies, meat, and cheeses that you have on hand. It works well for holidays, brunches, and even weeknight dinners.
How to Make this Ham Egg and Cheese Casserole
The puffy, cheesy, golden brown ham and egg casserole could not be easier to prepare! You’ll find detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s the quick overview:
- Whisk together the eggs, milk, and seasoned salt. 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.
- Sprinkle the 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 ham and egg casserole in a 350°F oven for 40-45 minutes, until the eggs are set.
- Slice into squares, transfer to a serving plate, and garnish with fresh herbs.
What Goes Well with Ham and Eggs for Dinner
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.
Serve the ham and cheese egg bake with an easy fruit salad with vanilla pudding, Southern fried apples, a house salad with candied pecans, roasted gold potatoes, or Arkansas green beans. To make the meal more filling, we love to offer a basket of Morning Glory muffins, cranberry muffins, cranberry bread, sour cream blueberry muffins, zucchini bread muffins, or a slice of Amish friendship bread without starter. It’s also great with baked pancakes with pancake mix, healthy banana pancakes, toasted Dutch oven bread, banana nut bread, whole wheat banana bread, lemon poppy seed loaf, an easy cinnamon coffee cake with cake mix, French toast casserole, or cinnamon roll casserole.
Preparation and Storage Tips
- 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 egg bake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. It’s a nice way to prep ahead for easy breakfasts during the week!
- Make Ahead: Readers have tried assembling the dish the night before and then waiting to bake the casserole in the morning. Unfortunately, the texture is not quite as good. Your best bet is to wait until just before baking to whisk everything together.
- How to Freeze: Let the casserole 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.
Tips for the Best Ham and Cheese Egg Bake 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!
I didn’t expect this to be as good as it was because it was so simple. Had company for breakfast and I had everything on hand. The texture was wonderful–light and fluffy. I used freeze dried red onion from Lighthouse and I added dried chives into the mix rather than on top. This was a truly delicious success!
– T. Orr
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Ham and Egg Casserole
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)
- 8 ounces diced cooked ham
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons very finely diced sweet onion
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh chives or parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease or spray an 8-inch square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. Beat the eggs, milk, and seasoned salt together with a whisk in a large bowl.
- Stir in the ham, cheese, and onion.
- Pour the egg mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Bake 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
Nutrition
Ham and Cheese Egg Bake Recipe Variations
- We love the classic combination of ham with sharp cheddar cheese in this easy breakfast casserole, but you can substitute with just about any good melting cheese. Other nice options include Swiss, Pepper Jack, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack, Gouda, and mozzarella cheese.
- 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. Sliced green onions are also a nice addition.
- Whisk some Dijon mustard or dry mustard into the egg mixture for a little bit of a zesty bite. Garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and/or ground black pepper are also great options.
- Instead of the diced ham, use an equal amount of cooked bacon or cooked, crumbled sausage.
More Breakfast Casserole Recipes
Sausage Egg and Cheese Casserole
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Overnight Bisquick Breakfast Casserole
9 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Crescent Roll Breakfast Casserole
1 hour hr
This recipe was originally published in July, 2014. It was updated in December, 2024.
Nice, simple casserole-esque recipe. The cheese of an actual omelette is better though. This doesn’t have cheese oozing out like a real omelette, and for a cheese lover (aren’t we all?), that aspect leaves a little to be desired. Still appreciate you sharing this recipe!
Can I prepare this the night before and then bake it in the morning?
Hi, Nicole! Yes, you can — but I have two suggestions. Either (1) bake the entire casserole in advance and then just reheat it in the morning (that’s what I’ve done in the past); or (2) prep the ingredients the night before (dice the ham, measure everything out), but wait until the morning to whisk it all together and pour it in the dish. I just worry that if it sits all night in the fridge the eggs might settle in a weird way. I would want to be able to give it a good stir right before baking. Enjoy!
Hi, can you prep this the night before?
These were Blair’s suggestions, Either (1) bake the entire casserole in advance and then just reheat it in the morning (that’s what I’ve done in the past); or (2) prep the ingredients the night before (dice the ham, measure everything out), but wait until the morning to whisk it all together and pour it in the dish. I just worry that if it sits all night in the fridge the eggs might settle in a weird way. I would want to be able to give it a good stir right before baking. Enjoy!
Exactly! Thanks, Nicole! 🙂
Found your recipe this morning, and it looked like a really good way to use some of the ham I received from my employer. Followed the recipe to a T, and included tomatoes, spinach, bell pepper, and also red pepper flakes for a kick! Turned out extremely well, and was devoured by the family. Couldn’t ask for a more straightforward recipe, with excellent results. Thanks
Awesome! Thanks, Steve!
I made this and added the bell peppers and fresh tomatoes and this was absolutely delicious! Will definitely make again. Such an easy recipe!
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!