Scalloped Potatoes and Ham is a classic Southern dish that requires just 10 minutes of prep and only a handful of simple ingredients. Thinly-sliced potatoes cook in a rich and creamy garlic sauce with leftover ham and plenty of sharp cheddar cheese. Serve the cheesy scalloped potatoes for an easy dinner alongside a simple green salad, collard greens, or flaky buttermilk biscuits!
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
I was born and raised in Virginia, which means that a classic Southern ham is a staple on our Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas tables. Whether we're enjoying a casual brunch with relatives or a more formal dinner later in the day, I can guarantee that the smoky meat will be involved. And you know what that means? My mom's leftover 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 leftovers from 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. These terms are used interchangeably, to describe similar dishes that include layers of potatoes that are baked with a cream sauce.
We stir in flavorful cooked ham and finished with sharp cheddar cheese on top, creating a more satisfying main dish casserole. With a salad or green vegetable on the side, it's an easy meal that's cozy, warm, and incredibly decadent!
Ingredients
This is a quick overview of the ingredients that you'll need for a dish of scalloped potatoes and ham. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Salted butter: adds flavor and richness to the cream sauce.
- Heavy cream: the base of the sauce. You can use whole milk or half-and-half instead, but I find the heavy cream yields the best mouthfeel and thick texture. Heavy cream is also less likely to curdle or separate when cooked.
- Garlic: infuses the cream sauce and potatoes with flavor as they simmer together in the pot.
- Salt: to enhance the other flavors in the dish and give the potatoes a more complex flavor.
- Yukon Gold or russet potatoes: peeled and thinly sliced to about ⅛-inch thick.
- Sharp cheddar cheese: for that rich, flavorful, cheesy topping.
- Ham: use leftover ham from a previous meal, or buy diced, smoked ham from the meat department at your local grocery store.
The Potatoes
Yukon Gold potatoes or russet potatoes both work well in this recipe. Russet potatoes have the most starch, and therefore yield the creamiest sauce. By contrast, Yukon Gold (shown here) hold their shape the best and have a nice buttery texture, but the sauce will be slightly thinner.
You will need to peel the potatoes, and thinly-slice them to about ⅛-inch thick. I like to use a mandoline slicer to make this task quick and easy, but a sharp knife will also do the trick. Just make sure that you keep all of the slices a uniform thickness so that they cook in the same amount of time.
The Cheese
I love the classic combination of a sharp cheddar cheese paired with smoky ham, but you can substitute with just about any good melting cheese that you like. Gruyere cheese, Gouda, and Swiss cheese are great options as well, or try a combination of cheddar and Gruyere or Swiss. A sprinkling of Parmesan cheese or feta cheese would be another great way to incorporate even more flavor in the dish.
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
I first discovered this technique for cooking the potatoes with the butter, cream, and garlic on the stovetop from a Southern Living recipe. The potato slices are tender and infused with all of the great flavor before they even go into the baking dish, and the cream reduces and thickens as it simmers. Plus, the recipe is so easy! There's no need to make a roux with flour or to spend any extra time carefully layering the potatoes in the dish.
- Cook the peeled, sliced potatoes in the butter, cream, garlic, and salt until tender.
- Stir in the ham.
- Transfer to a baking dish, and sprinkle cheese over top.
- Bake the potatoes in a 400°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the cheese on top is golden brown.
- Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving, then garnish with fresh parsley, chives, or other herbs, if desired.
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:
- Aunt Bee’s 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, or Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits
- Southern Collard Greens
- Carrot Salad
- Easy Creamed Spinach Casserole
- Creamed Peas
- Green Bean Casserole
- Skillet Cornbread, Honey Cornbread, Corn Muffins, Old-Fashioned Corn Sticks, or Sweet Cornbread Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
- Dutch Oven No-Knead Bread or Easy Baguette
- Wedge Salad, Classic Caesar Salad, House Salad with Candied Pecans, or a Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette
- Roasted Cabbage
- Homemade Applesauce
- Roasted Broccoli
- Southern Style Green Beans or Arkansas Green Beans
- Tomato Salad
- Okra and Tomatoes
- Fruit Salad
- Cucumber Dill Salad
- Vinegar Coleslaw or Creamy Coleslaw
- Roasted Asparagus
- Creamed Spinach
- Southern Fried Apples
- Three Bean Salad
Preparation and Storage Tips
This is a great dish to prepare in advance. You can assemble the scalloped potatoes 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 30-60 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°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" or separate.
Recipe Variations
- Try different types of cheese in lieu of the cheddar. For instance, Gruyere, Gouda, and Swiss are also great, too.
- Add herbs, such as fresh thyme, to the cream mixture.
- A dash of grated nutmeg is a classic addition to a cream sauce, or spice it up with cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or just a bit of ground black pepper.
- 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 casserole dish.
Tips for the Best Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
- Slice the potatoes to about ⅛-inch thick, keeping them all uniform so that they cook in the same amount of time. A hand-held mandolin slicer makes this task very quick and easy, but a sharp knife will also work!
- 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.
- Yukon Gold potatoes or russet potatoes work best for these scalloped potatoes, since they are high in starch and therefore yield a creamy sauce.
- I recommend heavy cream for the best texture, and because it's less likely to curdle or separate when heated. Whole milk or half-and-half will also work, but they may have a grainier, less decadent texture in the sauce.
- 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.
More Leftover Ham Recipes to Try
- Layered Ham and Potato Casserole
- Ham Casserole
- 5-Ingredient Ham and Noodle Casserole
- Ham, Cheddar and Broccoli Quiche
- Ham, Brie and Apple Panini Sandwich
- Split Pea Soup
- Egg and Cheese Monkey Bread with Ham
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Ingredients
- ¼ cup (4 tablespoons) salted butter
- 2 cups (1 pint) heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 lbs. Yukon Gold or russet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cup (4 ounces) grated sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 ½ cups (about 8 ounces) cooked, diced ham
- Optional garnish: fresh chopped chives, green onions, or parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Grease an 11 x 7-inch baking dish; set aside.
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Whisk in cream, garlic, and salt. Add peeled, sliced potatoes.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer (uncovered) for about 15 minutes (or until potatoes are tender). Gently stir the potatoes periodically as they cook.
- Add the ham to the potato mixture.
- Transfer to prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle with grated cheese.
- Bake (uncovered) for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Slice the potatoes to about ⅛-inch thick, keeping them all uniform so that they cook in the same amount of time. A hand-held mandolin slicer makes this task very quick and easy, but a sharp knife will also work!
- 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.
- Yukon Gold potatoes or russet potatoes work best for these scalloped potatoes, since they are high in starch and therefore yield a creamy sauce.
- I recommend heavy cream for the best texture, and because it's less likely to curdle or separate when heated. Whole milk or half-and-half will also work, but they may have a grainier, less decadent texture in the sauce.
- 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.
- Recipe adapted from Southern Living.
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published in April, 2017. The photos were updated in December, 2021.
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.
Charlene C Kittelson
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
Blair
Wonderful! Thanks so much, Charlene!
Donna Ratliff
Very Good.
I diced my potatoes instead of slicing, used 1&1/2 cup half n half and 1& 1/2 cup of whole milk and topped it with crushed corn bread stuffing before baking.
Mo
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!
Blair
Thanks, Mo!
Dee
I was looking for an easy recipe for leftover Thanksgiving ham. This is the one I made. It's so easy to make and is delicious. I also used half and half and it came out perfect. Thank you for your website.
Blair Lonergan
That's wonderful, Dee! Thanks for taking the time to let me know. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!
Edwina
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!)
Blair
That's awesome, Edwina! Thank you for taking the time to leave me a note. So glad that you all enjoyed it! 🙂
Blair
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. 🙂
Tina Hagen
I loved how simple and easy this recipe is, and great for a beginner cook as well. I always use the recipe as written the first time and the next time around is to make adjustment and additions. However, I think this is perfect just the way it is. Thank you for sharing your fabulous recipe with me! This will be one I'll always return to
Blair
Thank you so much, Tina!
Mary Kay
I added 1/3 C flour to the butter before I put in the milk to make it thicker. I also layered the potatoes and ham and added cheese and repeated again and used 2 cups of cheese. I also added a little onion. We loved it I will always use this recipe. It is so yummy.
Blair
Your version sounds perfect, Mary Kay! Thanks for sharing your tips, and I'm so glad that you enjoy the dish!
Nick
Used leftover New Year's ham for this and followed the recipe as is, minus the salt. I hadn't had scalloped potatoes for twenty years, but this sounded good. They came out perfect! Thanks, Blair!
Blair Lonergan
Awesome! So glad to hear that, Nick. Happy New Year! 🙂
Heidi
just made this for my son, niece and nephew looks delish
Blair Lonergan
Awesome! Hope you all enjoyed it, Heidi! 🙂
Kara
These scalloped potatoes are amazing! I won’t ever need another recipe again.
Blair Lonergan
Yay! I'm so glad to hear that, Kara! 🙂
Andy
Best I've ever had. I used red potatoes and left the skins on and used a whole head of garlic and more ham obviously......I made it last week and I'm already making it again
Blair Lonergan
That's awesome, Andy! Thank you so much!
Leanne
I made this last night and cut the recipe by a 1/3. It was so simple to make and tasted like I had worked all day in the kitchen. Everyone really liked it and it will now go into my rotation of meals for the month. The only thing I did different because I didn’t want an extra frying pan to wash was to cook it an extra hour in the oven and I added about a tablespoon of flour to the cream sauce to help it thicken a bit. It was really good. Definitely a keeper and thank you for sharing.
Blair Lonergan
Sounds perfect, Leanne. Thank you!
michelle
Could this recipe be done in a crock pot?
Blair Lonergan
Hi, Michelle! I suppose you could use the slow cooker to warm the dish through, but you will not get the browning on top without the oven. The lid of the slow cooker will also add liquid to the dish, since it traps the condensation in the pot (rather than baking the dish uncovered).
Lynda
we had this for supper tonight with leftover ham and let me tell you, it was delicious and it "waited" on us while my husband mowed the grass, thanks for sharing
Blair Lonergan
I'm so glad to hear that, Lynda. Thank you! Grass-mowing season is definitely in full effect around here, too! 🙂