Creamy scalloped potatoes from the BEST base recipe for a classic, homemade scalloped potato casserole plus leftover ham and swiss cheese.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
- JUMP TO THE RECIPE
- HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL SCALLOPED POTATOES FROM THIS RECIPE
- CAN SCALLOPED POTATOES BE FROZEN?
- SCALLOPED POTATOES VS. POTATOES AU GRATIN
It is a rare occasion that I have leftover ham because of all the recipes I like to make with it. When I’m done with a baked ham, the bone is bare and there isn’t a speck of ham left. That bone will look like something Mad Max found in the dust outside the Thunderdome.
After I’ve made Ham Salad and a pot of Ham & Beans or, my favorite, Cajun Ham & Beans, there’s nothing left. And, Lord, I look forward to all of it!
But when I do have an abundance or stumble upon a good deal for cubed ham pieces at the grocery store, I love to make these Scalloped Potatoes with ham!!
And yes, Brenda, I do know traditional Scalloped Potatoes doesn’t have cheese. I wrote a whole ditty about it a few paragraphs down below.
This recipe doesn’t have much cheese but I sprinkle a little on top because it goes so perfectly with the ham and sauce!
I like to use swiss cheese with this because I think it's perfect with ham but you can use any cheese. Provolone, cheddar, white cheddar, colby, muenster and monterrey jack would all be great options too!
HOW TO MAKE TRADITIONAL, CLASSIC SCALLOPED POTATOES FROM THIS RECIPE
This recipe starts from my base recipe for classic Scalloped Potatoes. To make the traditional version follow these steps:
- Omit the ham and prep 2-3 more small potatoes (to replace the volume loss).
- Instead of pouring on all of the sauce at the end, pour 1/3 on the bottom, 1/3 somewhere near the middle and the final 1/3 over the top. Because we won’t have the cubes of ham that create space for the sauce to spread evenly throughout the dish, we’ll need to layer the sauce with the potatoes and onions.
- Leave the spice lineup as-is or omit the dry mustard and add a hefty pinch of nutmeg.
- Omit the cheese on top. Or don’t. It’s up to you. Purists will say there is NEVER cheese in Scalloped Potatoes but most folks I know enjoy a little cheese on top.
CAN SCALLOPED POTATOES BE FROZEN?
LEFTOVERS – Leftover scalloped potatoes freeze very well. Reheat single portions in a microwave. To reheat an entire pan from frozen, cover with foil then bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until heated through.
FREEZER MEALS – To freeze an entire pan for meal-prepping or to give away, you will need to partially cook first so that the potatoes don’t discolor and take on a punky texture. Cover and bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Cool to room temperature then freeze up to 2 months. To prepare, bake at 350 degrees, covered, for 45 minutes then remove foil and continue baking until cheese browned and bubbly (approximately 30 minutes)
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SCALLOPED POTATOES AND POTATOES AU GRATIN?
Both dishes consist of thinly sliced potatoes, layered and baked with a creamy sauce in a large baking pan or casserole dish. The biggest difference is cheese. Scalloped Potatoes do not typically have cheese and Potatoes Au Gratin do.
Scalloped Potatoes will sometimes have a little cheese baked on top, though it isn’t traditional or in keeping with the classic recipe. Potatoes Au Gratin will always have cheese on top as well as cooked into the casserole – either in the sauce or layered with the potatoes.
Over the years – especially in the US – the two recipes have overlapped one another and the names have gotten somewhat confused but the key defining difference in the two is cheese.
Recipe for How to Cook Ham Cheese Scalloped Potatoes
Ham & Cheese Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 lbs potatoes, peeled
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 3 cups chopped ham
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 8 oz swiss cheese, shredded
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan then whisk in flour. Cook and whisk flour and butter for 2 minutes.
- Add salt, pepper, thyme and mustard powder then whisk in milk. Cook and whisk approximately 3-5 minutes or until smooth and thickened. Aim for the thickness of a sauce, not a thick gravy. Remove from heat.
- Slice potatoes very thinly (no thicker than 1/8 inch) then add a single layer of potatoes to the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
- Layer on 1/3 of the ham and 1/3 of the onions.
- Add another single layer of potatoes then repeat the layers twice more, ending with potatoes on top.
- Whisk the sauce once again. If it has thickened too much, add a little milk. Again, we’re looking for a sauce, not thick gravy.
- Pour sauce evenly over layered ingredients then sprinkle cheese on top.
- Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes, covering loosely with foil when cheese starts to brown.
- Remove foil then continue baking for 15-20 minutes longer or until cheese is golden brown and potatoes are tender.
Notes
- You must slice the potatoes THIN and place them in a SINGLE layer to ensure they cook properly.
- The longer the sauce cooks, the thicker it will become. If it thickens too much (can’t be easily poured), whisk in more milk to thin it out some.
- I typically use small russet potatoes but any variety works.
- Substitute your favorite cheese for swiss if desired.
- 8-oz cheese yields about 2 cups shredded.
- If allowed to cool to room temperature before baking, cooking time may need to be increased.
- Mustard powder and thyme are optional BUT I think they pair perfectly with the ham and cheese. If omitting mustard powder, consider adding a pinch of nutmeg.
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Hi there! While I’m not able to respond to every comment, I try hard to answer any questions that haven’t been addressed in the post, recipe or in other comments.
I can tell you now 1) I have no idea if you can substitute Minute Rice or brown rice in my recipes because I’ve never used them and 2) If I know how to convert a recipe to a Crock Pot version, I will make a note about it (otherwise, I don’t know).
And though I may not respond to them all, I do read each and every comment and I LOVE to hear from you guys! Thanks, y’all! - Mandy