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Quick & Easy Family-Friendly Recipes

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

Lasted edited . Originally published by Blair

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Overhead shot of a dish of scalloped potatoes and ham surrounded by fresh parsley

These Scalloped Potatoes and Ham are a classic Southern dish with only 10 minutes of prep!

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
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These Scalloped Potatoes and Ham are a classic Southern dish with only 10 minutes of prep! The simple casserole is a great way to enjoy leftover ham (or store-bought diced ham) in a family-friendly easy dinner recipe.

Overhead shot of a dish of scalloped potatoes and ham surrounded by fresh parsley

I was born and raised in Virginia, which means that a classic Southern ham is a staple on our Easter table. Whether we’re enjoying a casual brunch with relatives or a more formal dinner later in the day, I can guarantee that ham will be involved. And you know what that means? Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham to follow!

What are Scalloped Potatoes?

Whenever I think of leftover ham, I immediately imagine my mom’s scalloped potatoes. Without fail, this was the dish that she prepared for us after Christmas and Easter to enjoy the remaining bits of the holiday meal.

This dish comes from the French “gratin,” which is a culinary technique in which an ingredient is topped with a browned crust, often using breadcrumbs, grated cheese, egg or butter. In North America, Potatoes gratiné is often referred to as scalloped potatoes, potatoes au gratin, or au gratin potatoes.

In short, the sliced potatoes are baked in a creamy, garlic-infused sauce and finished with cheese on top. We’re adding smoky, flavorful cooked ham to the classic dish for a more satisfying main dish casserole!

How to make Scalloped Potatoes and Ham:

I first discovered this technique for cooking the potatoes with the butter, milk and garlic on the stovetop from a Southern Living recipe. The potatoes are tender and infused with all of the great flavor before they even go into the baking dish — and it couldn’t be easier! Let’s get started…

Ingredients:

  • Butter
  • Whole milk or cream
  • Garlic and salt
  • Potatoes
  • Cheddar cheese
  • Cooked, diced ham

Package of Smithfield cubed ham on a wooden surface

What are the best potatoes to use for Scalloped Potatoes?

I recommend using either Yukon Gold potatoes (shown here) or russet potatoes for this recipe. Russet potatoes have the most starch, and therefore yield the creamiest sauce. By contrast, Yukon Gold hold their shape the best, but the sauce will be slightly more milky.

Sliced Yukon Gold potatoes on a cutting board

First, cook the peeled, sliced potatoes in the butter, milk, garlic and salt until tender.

Pot of potatoes cooking in cream sauce

Stir in the ham, transfer to a baking dish, and sprinkle cheese over top.

Adding cheese to top of scalloped potatoes and ham casserole

Bake the potatoes in a 400 degree F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown.

Overhead shot of a dish of potatoes au gratin with ham on a wooden surface

What to serve with Scalloped Potatoes and Ham:

While scalloped potatoes are often served as a side dish, the addition of ham makes them a perfect main dish casserole. Here are a few great sides that go well with the cheesy potatoes and ham:

Preparation and Storage Tips:

This is a great dish to prepare in advance. You can assemble the scalloped potatoes with ham a day or two in advance (but don’t bake), allow the potatoes to cool to room temperature, and then cover and refrigerate overnight. When ready to bake, allow the dish to sit on the counter at room temperature for about 30 minutes and then bake according to recipe instructions.

Leftover scalloped potatoes will keep in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

To reheat scalloped potatoes, allow the dish to come to room temperature. Bake in a 325 degree F oven just until warmed through (about 20-30 minutes). You can cover the dish loosely with foil to prevent excessive browning, if necessary.

I do not recommend freezing the scalloped potatoes, since the texture of the potatoes will be mushy when thawed and the cream sauce may “break.”

Cook’s Tips and Recipe Variations:

  • I like to use my hand-held mandolin slicer to quickly and easily cut the potatoes. A sharp knife will also work!
  • You can use leftover baked ham from a previous meal, or purchase a package of diced ham from the grocery store. I do not recommend using thinly sliced deli ham.
  • Pick your favorite cheese for this recipe. I use cheddar, but you can switch it up with Swiss, gruyere, gouda or mozzarella.
  • Yukon Gold potatoes or russet potatoes work best for these scalloped potatoes.
  • Make sure to use either whole milk or cream — not a lower fat milk. Lower fat milks have a tendency to curdle.
  • This recipe is great because the potatoes will be tender after simmering in the pot — you don’t have to worry about hard potatoes in the oven!
  • All of the ingredients in these scalloped potatoes are naturally gluten-free — just double-check the brands of ham, cheese, and butter that you’re using to make sure that there’s no sneaky gluten in there.
  • These two pounds of scalloped potatoes with ham will serve about 4 people as a main dish. To feed a larger family, double all of the ingredients (for example, use 4 pounds of potatoes and a pound of ham, etc.) and bake the potatoes in a 9 x 13-inch dish.

Side shot of a blue casserole dish full of scalloped potatoes with ham

More easy recipes that use leftover ham:

Did you try this recipe? Don’t forget to rate it and leave me a comment below! You can follow me on Facebook, on Instagram, on Pinterest, and on Twitter!
Overhead shot of a dish of scalloped potatoes and ham surrounded by fresh parsley
5 from 25 votes
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Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

These Scalloped Potatoes and Ham are a classic Southern dish with only 10 minutes of prep!

Course Dinner
Cuisine American
Keyword leftover ham, Scalloped Potatoes, scalloped potatoes and ham
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings 4 - 6 servings
Calories 359 kcal
Author Blair

Ingredients

  • ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) butter
  • 2 cups whole milk or cream
  • 2 teaspoons minced garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 lbs. Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 cup (4 ounces) grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 ½ cups (about 8 ounces) cooked, diced ham
  • Garnish: fresh chopped chives, green onions, or parsley

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Spray an 11 x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.

  2. In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in milk, garlic, and salt. Add sliced potatoes.
  3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook (uncovered) for about 15 minutes (or until potatoes are tender). Gently stir the potatoes periodically as they cook.
  4. Add the ham to the potato mixture.
  5. Spoon into prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
  6. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Recipe Notes

Recipe adapted from Southern Living.

  • I like to use my hand-held mandolin slicer to quickly and easily cut the potatoes. A sharp knife will also work!
  • You can use leftover baked ham from a previous meal, or purchase a package of diced ham from the grocery store. I do not recommend using thinly sliced deli ham.
  • Pick your favorite cheese for this recipe. I use cheddar, but you can switch it up with Swiss, gruyere, gouda or mozzarella.
  • Yukon Gold potatoes or russet potatoes work best for these scalloped potatoes.
  • Make sure to use either whole milk or cream -- not a lower fat milk. Lower fat milks have a tendency to curdle.
  • All of the ingredients in these scalloped potatoes are naturally gluten-free -- just double-check the brands of ham, cheese, and butter that you're using to make sure that there's no sneaky gluten in there.
  • These two pounds of scalloped potatoes with ham will serve about 4-6 people as a main dish. To feed a larger family, double all of the ingredients (for example, use 4 pounds of potatoes and a pound of ham, etc.) and bake the potatoes in a 9 x 13-inch dish.
Nutrition Facts
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Amount Per Serving (1 /6 of the recipe)
Calories 359 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 11g69%
Cholesterol 72mg24%
Sodium 1025.7mg45%
Carbohydrates 34g11%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 16.7g33%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe was originally published in April, 2017. The photos were updated in February, 2020.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a small commission for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial, and/or link to any products or services from this website.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Gayle @ Pumpkin 'N Spice says

    Now this is my kind of leftover casserole! I know that we’ll be taking home some leftover ham on Sunday, so this looks like such a great idea. Two classics piled into one is the best! What a perfect dish for the season!

    Reply

  3. Ariel Wilstead says

    Love this recipe! It’s the perfect way to use leftover ham at Easter or even Christmas.
    In my house we are big fans of scalloped potatoes. We can’t get enough of them and love eating them every chance we get. Leftover ham has traditionally been used in sandwiches or mixed in with scrambled eggs. I never thought of how perfect it would be to combined them!
    I do have a few questions for you though, what would you suggest for those who have dairy aversions? Also have you ever added veggies to the mix?

    Reply

    • Blair says

      I love the idea of using it in scrambled eggs, too! That’s not something that I usually think about, but it’s definitely delicious! Thanks so much for stopping by, Ariel!

      To be honest, I don’t think that this recipe would lend itself well to a dairy-free version. There’s just too much cream and cheese to omit it. 🙂

      Reply

      • Katy says

        Hi! I actually did a dairy free version with dairy free cheeses and cream/butter and it worked perfectly. Keep in mind that their is every possible option with vegan/dairy free diets as well. And a vegan ham! Your options with vegan dairy free foods are limitless.

        Reply

  4. Teri Giese says

    Doing ham as well.Was our tradition in Wisconsin also.Tradition for scalloped potatoes and ham the day after also.????Live in Arizona now,So Am cooking the ham in the crockpot;and roasting potatoes and carrots in the grill.Going to be too hot to have the oven on here,lol.Thanks for a new spin on using those leftovers!Have a wonderful weekend!☺️

    Reply

    • Blair says

      Hi, Teri! I’m glad to know that this was a tradition in Wisconsin as well! 🙂 And yes — I can imagine that if you live in AZ, your menu will have to change slightly to accommodate the heat! Have a great weekend!

      Reply

  8. Lisa Schaller says

    Was going to make this for tomorrows dinner, have you ever made it ahead of time and refrigerated before baking? I’m sure I will need to add like more bake time.

    Reply

    • Blair says

      Hi, Lisa! I haven’t made this dish the day before, but I think it will work fine! You’ll definitely want to add a bit of time to the cooking time if you put it in the oven cold. You can also just let the dish sit out on the counter for 30-60 minutes before baking tomorrow if you have time. 🙂

      Reply

      • Lisa says

        OMG this was so good, one thing I did instead of baking it right away was put it in frig over night and had it the next day for dinner. We ate it as the main meal and could not stop eating it. almost 30 and it was done

        Reply

        • Blair says

          That’s great, Lisa! Thanks so much for letting me know! I’m glad that it worked when you made it a day ahead. That’s a huge help for meal prep and busy weeknights! 🙂

          Reply

  9. Lisa says

    OMG this was so good, one thing I did instead of baking it right away was put it in frig over night and had it the next day for dinner. We ate it as the main meal and could not stop eating it.

    Reply

  13. Nancy Vega says

    Thank you so much for this recipe. I made it last night and the Grandkids loved it as well as myself. I didn’t change anything about it. I can guarantee that this will be a traditional meal after Easter and Christmas . Happy Holidays to you and your family.

    Reply

  15. Dianne from Atlanta says

    Was very excited to find your recipe, thanks so much for sharing. I have made something similar many times before but…….I have always sliced and layered the potatoes raw into a casserole and then baked for a very long time in the sauce in order to get them tender – your method is genius and a huge time saver! Thanks for sharing, my family is going to enjoy scalloped potatoes and ham much more often. P.S. I use my food processor to thick slice the potatoes, speeding up the process even further 🙂

    Reply

  16. Elizabeth Archer says

    Oh my goodness, this was delicious!! I am trying to come up with new things to cook & this has definitely made it into my go-to unique sides. I cook every night from scratch, I don’t like making anything out of a box. & I don’t like throwing food away, so this afternoon I googled recipes to use leftover ham & was lucky enough to stumble across this recipe. I will be making it for years to come, thank you!!

    Reply

  17. Lesley says

    Thanks for this! What a clever way to use up cooked leftover ham. It was delicious, I added some fried mushrooms to it!

    Reply

  18. Tom Hreno says

    I had lots of ham leftover from two Thanksgiving dinners my wife and I hosted, so I saw your leftover ham recipe and was so happy I tried it. Seeing how I like leftovers ,I doubled your recipe and also used fat-free evaporated milk with a little extra regular milk and it turned out very tasty. Thank you for your suggestion as I won’t stress over extra ham any more. Sincerely , Tom HrenoTim

    Reply

  19. Laura E Currey-Taseva says

    Made this tonight with leftover ham from Christmas dinner and it worked great. Kids loved it and husband was thrilled with it. Thanks for helping us get rid of some leftovers!

    Reply

  20. Andrew Pilon says

    I’m trying this recipe for the first time tonight. It smells great as it is baking right now.
    I want to know if the recipe will work with ground beef in place of the ham (I did not read all of the previous comments so I don’t know if this has been asked already).
    Andrew

    Reply

    • Blair says

      Hi, Andrew! Yes, you should be able to use ground beef in lieu of the ham. You’ll need to brown the ground beef in a skillet first, drain off the fat, and use about 1 1/2 cups of the cooked ground beef in the potato recipe. Enjoy!

      Reply

  21. Jennifer Pepler says

    This is certainly a 5 star recipe! Thanks so much for posting it.
    I followed directions completely and used 35% cream. I made this as a meal and added some peas. However, it didn’t thicken but was good as is. If I was making this with 35% cream again, I don’t think I would make this as a main meal again though. (I tried to rate this 5 star, however for some reason it won’t allow me to.)

    Reply

  22. Paula says

    I followed this recipe exactly and it failed miserably 🙁 The first problem was that there was no way all of that was going to fit in anything smaller than a 9×13 casserole dish. After taking out of the oven the potatoes were still hard. I’ve added more liquid and covered the dish with aluminum foil and have them back in the oven in hopes of salvaging them. Not sure what happened.

    Reply

  23. Rolf pedersen says

    I also doubled the recipe but added a cup of cheese to the mixture to thicken it up. Also added pepper. Made it for my newphew since I can’t eat dairy. Looked and smelled wonderful. Such a quick recipe.

    Reply

  25. Dee Walker says

    Excellent. My guests said they wanted me to make this every time I entertain. I used half and half and added onion, herbs, mustard and more cheese.

    Reply

  26. Charlene C Kittelson says

    I used half n half instead of regular milk
    Added cooked broccoli & cauliflower I had left over from the night before. Then I added a cup of cheese to the mix and sprinkled on top & cooked on 450 for about 10min
    It was delicious

    Reply

  27. Mo says

    5 stars.
    Delicious!! Had leftovers for lunch and even better.
    Didn’t change a thing. Sliced yukon potatoes thin and boiled in milk til tender so no issue with them not being done.
    Very good and a keeper.
    thx for sharing!

    Reply

  28. Edwina says

    I needed to use leftover ham and this recipe was perfect. My kids loved it and I thought it was delicious too. We always love recipes with potatoes but this really surpassed our expectations. I added some onion and herbs just because we like the extra flavor but I didn’t go overboard with these extra ingredients, just a little bit and your recipe was delicious. Instead of using chives as a garnish I added fresh chives into the cooking. This is a keeper. I’ll be making it again soon. Maybe next time I’ll double the recipe because we all loved it so much (everyone wanted more!)

    Reply

  29. Brenda Young says

    Do you put the milk and butter that you cooked the potatoes in, in the dish also before baking this. I love scalloped potatoes and ham too so this sounds delicious

    Reply

    • Blair says

      Hi, Brenda! Yes, I transfer most of the liquid to the dish along with the potatoes and ham. You might leave some of it in the pot, but in general I do use all of it. 🙂

      Reply

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