Ham and Potato Casserole

5 from 2 ratings

This ham and potato casserole checks all the critical comfort food boxes. Carbs? Yes! Cheese? Of course! Savory, salty ham? You bet! This cheesy ham and potato bake will be in frequent rotation in your home.

Prep Time15

Cook Time1 15

Total Time1 30

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cheesy ham and potato casserole, ham and cheese potato casserole, potato and ham casserole

Servings:

Author: Sarah Cook

Equipment

Ingredients

2 tbsp unsalted butter (for sauce){plus more for the pan}
1 tbsp cornstarch
3 cloves garlic {finely minced}
1.5 cups evaporated milk {1, 12oz can}
5 cups Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed {~2.5 lbs}{~5 medium potatoes}
2 cups ham {diced}
1/2 cup white onion {diced}
1 1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar, shredded
1.5 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1.5 tsp fresh thyme {roughly chopped} {or 1/2 tsp dried}

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350˚F.
Butter a 9x13 baking dish.
In a medium saucepan melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in garlic and whisk for ~2 minutes.
2 tbsp unsalted butter , 3 cloves garlic
Sprinkle the cornstarch over the butter, and whisk to form a paste. Cook down for 3 minutes, whisking often.
1 tbsp cornstarch
Slowly and gradually pour in the evaporated milk, whisking constantly to incorporate.
1.5 cups evaporated milk
Increase the temperature to medium and bring the milk mixture to a near boil for 2 minutes, whisking constantly.
In a large mixing bowl combine the potatoes, ham, onions, cheddar, kosher salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and thyme. Pro tip: if your casserole dish is deep enough, you can do this directly in the dish.
5 cups Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed, 2 cups ham, 1/2 cup white onion, 1.5 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/4 tsp smoked paprika, 1.5 tsp fresh thyme, 1 1/2 cups extra sharp cheddar, shredded
Add the potato mixture to the buttered baking dish and pour the milk mixture evenly over the ingredients. Pro tip: the liquid will not fully cover the potatoes and ham.
Cover tightly with foil and bake covered at 350˚F for 45 minutes. Pro tip: spray the underside of the foil with cooking spray to prevent any potatoes from sticking to it)
Uncover and bake until the potatoes are soft, the top is browned, and the liquid is solid in the middle (~15-30 minutes depending on the size of your potatoes).

Notes

Potatoes can be peeled or unpeeled.
If you can’t tolerate corn, you can sub in arrowroot powder or all-purpose flour for the cornstarch. If using flour, you’ll want to cook it down with the butter for a few extra minutes.
You can use whole milk or half-and-half in place of evaporated milk, but warm it before adding it to the butter/cornstarch mixture to prevent it from curdling.
If you need to make this plant-based, use your favorite dairy-free butter and dairy-free milk. I prefer cashew milk for this kind of dish.

Nutrition