Ham And Potato Casserole

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword ham casserole recipes, potato casserole recipes

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 45

Total Time 2 15

Servings servings

Calories 439kcal

Author Kathleen

Ingredients

1/4 cup, plus more for butter the baking dish unsalted butter
1 cup yellow onion, diced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided, or to taste
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
4 1/2 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 pound ham, cut into bite size pieces

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Arrange the oven rack to the middle position in the oven. Preheat oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Butter a 10x15-inch baking dish or spray with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.
In a large skillet, set over medium heat, melt butter (1/4 cup). Add onions (1 cup) and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle flour (1/4 cup) over butter and whisk until it forms a paste. Continue to whisk constantly, cooking for 1-2 minutes, until lightly golden and flour taste has been removed.
Slowly whisk in heavy cream (2 cups) until your mixture is smooth. Whisk in milk (2 cups). Continue to cook, whisking so the mixture doesn't burn until it begins to simmer and thicken.
Stir in salt (1 teaspoon), Cajun seasoning (1 teaspoon), black pepper (1/4 teaspoon), and nutmeg (1/8 teaspoon).
Remove from heat and stir in Worcestershire (1/4 teaspoon) and fresh thyme leaves (2 teaspoons).
Pour about 1/4 of the sauce into the baking dish. Swirl it around to cover the bottom.
Arrange a layer of sliced potatoes on the bottom, sprinkle with salt, pour 1/4 of the remaining sauce, then sprinkle 1/3 of the grated Cheddar cheese. Arrange 1/2 of the sliced ham over the cheese.
Repeat with a second layer of potatoes and sprinkle again with salt. Ladle the remaining 1/4 of the sauce and sprinkle 1/3 cheddar cheese and the remaining 1/2 of the ham.
Arrange the remaining potatoes on top of the casserole. Ladle the remaining 1/4 of the sauce over the potatoes and spread it out evenly with an offset spatula. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top.
Bake the potatoes, uncovered in the preheated oven, until the top is golden brown, and the casserole is bubbling, and the potatoes are very tender, about 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Let cool for 20 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme and serve.

Notes

No Leftover Ham? No problem! You can substitute the leftover ham with thick sliced deli ham.
No Browning: When peeling and slicing the potatoes, I cover the peeled potatoes in water in a large bowl. Once sliced, put the potatoes back in the water to prevent browning. Slice the potatoes as evenly are possible to ensure even cooking.
Slicing: You can use a food processor or mandolin to slice the potatoes but use a tool that gets you closest to ¼ inch thick. Anything thinner will result in a texture that is mushy or just not hearty enough. I hand slice them.
Pan Size: This recipe calls for a 10×15-inch casserole dish. That’s one size larger than a 9X13-inch baking dish. The volume of 10×15-inch baking dish is 4.8 quarts. Here’s the Pyrex baking dish I use.
No Fresh Thyme? No problem! Sub the fresh thyme with 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme.
Quick Assembly: Once the sauce is made, make sure all your ingredients are ready to be layered in the casserole dish. Peel and slice the potatoes, dice the ham, and grate the cheese. Once prepped, building the casserole will go fast and you can pop the dish in the oven in no time!

Nutrition