Layered Ham and Potato Casserole

With layers of thinly-sliced potatoes, diced ham, peas and a made-from-scratch sauce, this Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole with Corn Flakes on top is an easy dinner that the whole family will love! Use up your leftover ham from a recent holiday, or purchase cubed ham at the grocery store — either way, it’s a simple, affordable, one dish meal!

Ham and Cheese Potato Casserole

This classic ham and scalloped potato casserole has all of the components that you know and love — a creamy sauce, flavorful meat, veggies, cheese and a buttery Corn Flakes crumb topping. It’s a casserole that you will return to again and again to get a cozy meal on the table for your family with just 20 minutes of prep.

Ingredients – Here’s What You’ll Need

• Corn Flakes cereal
• Butter
• Onion
• Garlic
• All-purpose flour
• Milk
• Chicken broth
• Thyme
• Ham
• Frozen peas
• Russet potatoes
• Cheddar cheese

Which ham to use for an easy ham casserole?

You can use leftover ham from a holiday, such as Virginia Brown Sugar Baked Ham or a Pineapple Glazed Ham, or you can purchase ham at the grocery store just for this recipe. Look for a relatively thick ham steak that you can dice yourself, or purchase a 16-ounce package of cubed ham. You’ll need a total of about 3 cups of ham, but you can certainly use more than that if you’ve got it!

How to Cut Potatoes for Casserole

You do not need to boil these potatoes before you layer them in the dish. Instead, peel the potatoes and then slice them very thin (less than ¼-inch thick). You can do this carefully by hand with a sharp knife, or use a mandoline slicer to quickly and easily get the job done. Just remember to keep the potato slices very thin and even in width so that they cook through and become tender by the time the casserole comes out of the oven.

How to Make Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole

This particular layered ham and potato casserole can be tweaked in a variety of ways to suit your family’s taste preferences and schedule. Prep it ahead for your craziest evenings, or toss in whatever veggies, cheese or meat you have on hand. The kids will go crazy for the creamy combination of sliced potatoes, sweet peas, and smoky ham that’s finished with a cheesy, buttery, crunchy Corn Flake topping!

1. Prepare the cheesy cream sauce in a large skillet.
2. Layer half of the potatoes in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and top with half of the ham and half of the peas. Pour half of the sauce over top.
3. Repeat layers once more.
4. Bake (covered) in a 350 degree F oven for 1 hour.
5. Top with grated cheese and sprinkle with buttered Corn Flakes crumbs.
6. Bake (uncovered) for about 10-15 more minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the potatoes are fork-tender.

What to Serve with Easy Ham and Potato Casserole

These cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham go well with just about any of your favorite sides. Here are a few easy options to try:

• A simple green salad dressed with Buttermilk Dressing or Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette
• Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon
• Roasted Broccoli
• Roasted Asparagus
• Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
• Three Bean Salad
• Southern Collard Greens
• Amish Green Beans with Brown Butter
• Sauteed Spinach with Garlic
• Southern Fried Apples
• Southern Pineapple Casserole
• Pink Ambrosia Salad

And don’t forget the bread basket! My family loves a side of cornbread, corn muffins, pumpkin bread, pumpkin muffins, dinner rolls, biscuits, or homemade crescent rolls with just about any meal.

Make Ahead

This is a great make-ahead dinner. You can assemble the entire casserole up to 24 hours in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Before baking, allow the dish to sit on the counter and come to room temperature for at least 30 minutes.

To Freeze

Freeze the ham casserole before baking. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, cover with foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the refrigerator overnight, allow the dish to come to room temperature on the counter for at least 30 minutes, and then bake according to recipe instructions. The creamy sauce is less likely to “break” when thawed if you give it time to come to room temperature (don’t put the frozen or cold casserole directly in the oven), and if you use full-fat milk instead of skim milk.

Storage

The leftover baked casserole will last in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat the casserole in a 350 degree F oven, covered, just until warmed through (about 20-30 minutes). You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for about 1 minute.

Recipe Variations

• Use frozen corn kernels in lieu of the frozen peas.
• Ham, Green Beans and Potatoes Casserole: Instead of peas, add canned green beans or frozen, cut green beans to the casserole.
• Ham Potato Broccoli Casserole: Swap out the peas for broccoli instead! Thawed frozen baby broccoli florets are the perfect bite-size pieces to throw directly into the casserole. If you can’t find the baby broccoli florets, use regular frozen broccoli florets and chop them into smaller pieces or quickly steam them in the microwave to soften them a bit before adding them to the dish.
• Pick your favorite cheese — Swiss, Gruyere, Pepper Jack and Colby will all work well.
• Don’t have Corn Flakes? You can substitute with Ritz cracker crumbs or even crushed potato chips. I don’t recommend using plain bread crumbs, since they’re lacking in flavor.

Tips for the Best Ham and Scalloped Potato Casserole

• Just about any ham will work in this recipe — from leftover honey baked ham or glazed ham to store-bought smoked, cubed ham. The more flavorful your meat, the better the casserole will taste!
• Total baking time may vary depending on the type of casserole dish that you’re using and on how thinly you slice your potatoes. I use a mandoline to quickly and easily slice the potatoes very thin. This ensures that the potatoes are tender and cooked evenly after about 70 minutes. If you slice your potatoes thicker, you can increase the baking time as necessary. Just tent the dish loosely with foil if the top starts to get too dark before the potatoes are done.
• Cooking for a Smaller Family? Cut all of the ingredients in half and bake the casserole in an 8-inch square dish. The baking instructions remain the same.
• Garnish the casserole with fresh herbs (such as parsley, thyme, basil or chives) for a bright, fresh touch. Sliced green onions would also be good.

More Ham Casserole Recipes You’ll Love

• Ham Casserole with Noodles and Broccoli
• Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
• 5-Ingredient Ham and Noodle Casserole
• Ham and Cheese Egg Casserole with Crescent Rolls

Ham and Potato Casserole

5 from 1 vote

Prep: 20 minutes minutes

Cook: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Resting Time 10 minutes minutes

Total: 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 – 8 people

Calories 497 kcal

An easy, cheesy, ham and potato casserole is made from scratch with just 20 minutes of prep!

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Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1 cup crushed Corn Flakes cereal (about 1 ¾ cups whole cereal before crushing)
• 6 tablespoons salted butter, divided
• ½ cup finely-diced onion
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (or ¼ teaspoon dried thyme)
• 3 cups diced ham (about 16 ounces total)
• 2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 2 lbs. (about 4 medium) russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (less than ¼-inch thick)
• 8 ounces (about 2 cups) grated cheddar cheese, divided
• Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish; set aside.
• Combine crushed Corn Flakes with 2 tablespoons melted butter in a small bowl; set aside.
• In a large skillet, saute onion in 1 tablespoon of butter until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 more minute. Add remaining 3 tablespoons of butter to the skillet and stir over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the flour and whisk until blended. Gradually add the milk and chicken broth, whisking constantly. Continue whisking and cooking until the sauce bubbles and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in the thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 cup of the grated cheese and stir until the cheese melts.
• In the prepared baking dish, spread half of the potatoes in an even layer. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with half of the ham and half of the peas. Pour half of the sauce over top. Repeat layers once more, ending with the remaining sauce on top.
• Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup of grated cheese, and top with the buttered Corn Flakes. Return to the oven (uncovered) for about 10-15 more minutes (or until the topping is golden brown and the potatoes are tender). Let the casserole rest for about 10 minutes before serving (the sauce will thicken as it cools). Garnish with fresh parsley just before serving.

Notes

• Use frozen corn kernels in lieu of the frozen peas.
• Ham, Green Beans and Potatoes Casserole: Instead of peas, add canned green beans or frozen, cut green beans to the casserole.
• Ham Potato Broccoli Casserole: Swap out the peas for broccoli instead! Frozen baby broccoli florets are the perfect bite-size pieces to throw directly into the casserole. If you can’t find the baby broccoli florets, use regular frozen broccoli florets and chop them into smaller pieces or quickly steam them in the microwave to soften them a bit before adding them to the dish.
• Pick your favorite cheese — Swiss, Gruyere, Pepper Jack and Colby will all work well.
• Don’t have Corn Flakes? You can substitute with Ritz cracker crumbs or even crushed potato chips. I don’t recommend using plain bread crumbs, since they’re lacking in flavor.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8 of the casseroleCalories: 497kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 23gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 1261mgPotassium: 742mgFiber: 5gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 1394IUVitamin C: 33mgCalcium: 274mgIron: 11mg

Keyword: ham and potato casserole, ham casserole

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Author: Blair Lonergan

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