Scalloped potatoes and ham is classic old-fashioned comfort food with creamy sauce, melted cheese, and thin slices of tender ham and potatoes. This hearty dinner is the perfect use for leftover ham.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Homemade scalloped potatoes with ham are one of our favorite comfort foods. With these easy step-by-step photo instructions, you get perfect results the first time and every time.
As usual, I read way too many recipes, but most were very similar. The inspiration piece will be a Pioneer Woman recipe on Food Network. But I could use several others as inspiration also.
A few changes to simplify the instructions, add step-by-step pictures, decrease the fat some, and, most importantly, change the cooking time.
I know this is cooking for two, and I have included instructions for a half recipe. But this full-size recipe fits our lifestyle. Since it is the whole meal for us, we will eat a double serving, plus we love leftovers.
My Rating
I had initially rated this a solid four, but the evolution of the recipe with 25+ repeat cookings has made it to the five range. Low 5 but still a 5 for me—excellent comfort food.
Scalloped vs. Au Gratin Potatoes
Scalloped is anything baked in a casserole with a sauce that could be cheese or any other sauce. Au Gratin means “with cheese.” So this recipe could be called Scalloped or Au Gratin or Scalloped Au Gratin.
Take the cheese out and just use a white sauce and you have Scalloped but not Au Gratin. Now you know.
So, this could also be called Au Gratin potatoes and ham. I was brought up calling this scalloped, so I'm using that, but Au Gratin may be more correct.
🥔Ingredients
The Potatoes
All potatoes will cook about the same, so use what you want and have available, but usually, Russet potatoes are used. Russets have thick skin and are generally peeled.
This recipe needs about 1 ½ to 2 pounds of sliced potatoes. A medium Russet potato is 6-8 oz.
Other potatoes, like Yukon Gold potatoes, are commonly used, and since they have thinner skin, I like to leave the skin on but remove it if you want.
The Ham
Any ham that is "bit size" will work well. The amount of ham you use is flexible. For this full-size recipe, about ¾ pounds which will be approximately 3 cups of sliced ham, is suggested but a bit more or less is acceptable.
Dice ham will also work, but I find sliced ham more traditional.
The Cheese
Mild cheddar cheese is excellent in this recipe, but Monterey Jack or Gruyere are also commonly used. But use the cheese you like or love.
👨🍳How to Make Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Scrub and peel the potatoes if using Russets. Slice the potatoes thin—I prefer about ⅜ inch thick but no thicker than ¼ inch thick.
I always use a mandolin and suggest you use one too if you have one—it is tough to cut this amount of potatoes consistently. If you use a mandolin, please follow the manufactures safety instructions to prevent an unscheduled trip to the emergency room.
Make a roux with butter and flour, then slowly add milk while whisking. Use the same butter for cooking the onion before making the roux, and you can leave the cooked onion while making the roux.
For more details on roux, see How to Make Gravy from Scratch.
Make three layers of first potato slices, then cheese and ham, then sauce. On the top layer, double the cheese, and place on top of the casserole.
⏰How Long to Cook Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Most reference recipes suggest total cooking times of 60-70 minutes. While it is "done," there is still a little firmness in the potatoes that my wife and I don't like.
I have done this 20 plus times, and I now do about 2 hours of total cooking time. So I have changed the instructions, but feel free to cook for the original recommended 40 minutes covered and 25 minutes uncovered if you want firmer potatoes.
Your casserole is done when the potatoes are "fork tender" to your liking.
👨🍳How to Make a Scalloped Potatoes and Ham for Two
Make a smaller version of scalloped potatoes and ham for two or one. This is an easy recipe to cut in half, but the work doesn't decrease that much. With the decrease in size, the serving number decreased from eight to four. Leftovers are good refrigerated for four days or frozen for 3-4 months.
- Use a 6X9 or 8X8 pan for a half recipe.
- In the recipe card, adjust the number of servings to 4. That will do the math an change the ingredient amounts displayed. WARNING- this does not adjust the instructions, so you will need to follow the amounts in the ingredients and not the instructions.
- Cooking time will be a little shorter, so check a bit early for fork tender.
🔪How to Making Ahead
Assemble completely and seal airtight. Refrigerate for 2-3 days. Or freeze for 2-3 months.
If frozen, thaw completely in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
❄️How to Store Leftovers
For short-term storage of leftovers, seal well and refrigerate for 3-4 days. For longer-term storage, freeze for 3-4 months.
Reheating in the oven is preferred. If frozen, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.
📖Scalloped Potato Recipes
Old Fashion Scalloped Potatoes
Also, see What to Do With Leftover Ham for ham ideas.
This recipe is listed in these categories. See them for more similar recipes.
🖼️Step-by-Step Photo Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
Scrub, peel, and slice 4 medium russet potatoes— 1 ½ to 2 pounds. Slice thin—about ⅜ inch thick. A mandolin is recommended if you have one. If you use a mandolin, please follow the manufactures safety instructions.
Chop 1 small onion. Chop or slice your ham into bite-size pieces.
Over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan, melt 4 tablespoons butter and add the onion. Cook until clearing—about 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle in 4 tablespoons flour and mix well. Continue to cook and whisk for about 2 minutes until browning some.
Add 3 cups of milk slowly while continuing to whisk. Whisk and cook until thickening well. About 3-4 minutes. During this part, add 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
Prep a 9 by 13 inch casserole dish with a coat of butter.
Add about ⅓ of the potatoes—top with ⅓ of the ham, ½ cup cheese of choice, and ⅓ of the sauce. Repeat two more times but use a full cup of cheese on the top layer over the ham.
Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 90 minutes, then uncover and cook another 20-25 minutes until nicely brown and bubbling.
Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
📖Recipe
Old Fashioned Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Ingredients
- 4 russet potatoes - medium cleaned and sliced thin. Peeling optional
- 1 onion - small chipped
- 4 tablespoon butter
- 4 tablespoon flour - ¼ cup
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded cheese of choice - Monterey Jack or cheddar are good choices
- ¾ pound ham - dice or cut into small bite size bites. About 3 cups. A bit more or less is fine.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° convection or 375° conventional.
- Scrub, peel, and slice 4 medium russet potatoes— 1 ½ to 2 pounds. Slice thin—about ⅜ inch thick. A mandolin is recommended if you have one. If you use a mandolin, please follow the manufactures safety instructions.
- Chop 1 small onion. Chop or slice your ham into bite-size pieces.
- Over medium-high heat in a medium saucepan melt 4 tablespoons butter and add the onion. Cook until clearing—about 3-4 minutes.
- Sprinkle in 4 tablespoons flour and mix well. Continue to cook and whisk for about 2 minutes until browning some.
- Add 3 cups of milk slowly while continuing to whisk. Whisk and cook until thickening well—about 3-4 minutes. During this part, add 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Prep a 9 by 13 baking dish by coating it with butter.
- Add about ⅓ of the potatoes. Top with ⅓ of the ham, ½ cup of cheese, and ⅓ of the sauce. Repeat two more times, but use a full cup of cheese on the top layer.
- Cover with aluminum foil.
- Bake for 90 minutes, then uncover and cook another 20-25 minutes until nicely brown and bubbling.
- Allow to sit for about 10 minutes before serving.
My Private Notes
Recipe Notes
Pro Tips:
- Easy to cut in half. See the instructions below.
- Use a mandolin to slice the potatoes to save your fingers and time. But be careful with the mandolin.
- Use potatoes of your choice, but I like Russets.
- Cheese of your choice. I use cheddar or Monterey Jack.
- The original recipes ( many of them) suggest total cooking times of 60-70 minutes. While it is done, there is still a little firmness in the potatoes which my wife and I don't like. I have cooked this 30+ times, and I now do a total of almost 2 hours total cooking time. So, I have changed the instructions but feel free to cook for the original recommended 40 minutes covered and 25 minutes uncovered if you want firmer potatoes.
- I scale this up or down depending on how much leftover ham I have.
- Good refrigerated for 3-4 days, and can be frozen for 3-4 months.
Instructions for half size:
- Use a 6X9 or 8X8 pan.
- In the recipe card, adjust the number of servings to 4. That will do the math and change the ingredient amounts displayed. WARNING- this does not adjust the instructions so you will need to use the amounts in the Ingredients, and not the Instructions.
- Cooking time does change a little, so check it a bit early.
To adjust the recipe size:
You may adjust the number of servings in this recipe card under servings. This does the math for the ingredients for you. BUT it does NOT adjust the text of the instructions. So you need to do that yourself.
Nutrition Estimate
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Editor's Note: This recipe was originally published on April 12, 2014. Updated with expanded options, refreshed photos, and a table of contents to help navigation.
Shelli
Holy crap! This recipe is delicious. I followed exactly and wouldn’t change a thing. Just like my mom used to make only better.
Helene
I have never made scalloped [au gratin] potatoes before and then came upon this recipe and used this as a starter. Things I changed: I cut the recipe in half for 4 servings (used 2 nice sized russet potatoes sliced using the food processor). Once the milk was incorporated with the onions and flour, I put in about 10 shakes of Worcestershire sauce and then I melted the cheese in the milk (instead of layering it). It was a little thick so I added a little less than a 1/4 cup chicken broth. I cooked the entire casserole for about 1-3/4 hours. We ate half the casserole the first night and then froze the second half. FREEZING/RECONSTITUTING: Once the leftovers were cooled, I put on a small plate covered with plastic wrap and put in freezer. When frozen, I vacuum sealed. We used the frozen leftovers tonight and THEY WERE GREAT. I took the frozen leftovers out in the morning, removed them from pouch and put on a plate covered with plastic wrap. To prepare, I sprayed 2 ramakins with PAM and filled with the thawed potatoes. I covered with foil and poked holes at top to let the steam escape. I baked at 350 for 30 minutes, removed foil and baked another 20 minutes. I sprinkled with cheese and put back in oven for another 5 minutes. I removed the ramakins and set on plates. Next time I will turn them out of the ramakins after they set out for a few minutes as they were still hot when we were eating 15 minutes later but they were excellent.
Joni Gonzales
I would love to make this recipe next week to take to my son and daughter-in-law when they have their second baby. Is there a way I can precook it partially so it still tastes freshly cooked but won't take them the full 2 hours of cooking time?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Joni,
Welcome to the blog.
The short answer is not that I know of that has been tested.
As I stated, most recipes and the model recipe for this recipe cooks for about 1 hour or a bit more. We prefer 2 hours for texture.
I would think cooking for an hour like the original recipe that that is linked in the post. Then cool and cover. Then to finish later (within 4 days). Cook again for an hour with uncovering for the last 10 minutes or so.
Mind you, this is a guess but my guesses are usually fairly good. I cooked this for many years using an hour or a bit more cooking time. It was always better when reheated for a "long time" which all lead to me experimenting and coming up with the current time suggests.
Hope that helps and please post back your results.
Dan
Karen
Dr. Dan,
I made this recipe yesterday. Delicious! I am gluten free and lactose free so I made the following changes to accommodate that. I used Earth Balance dairy free buttery sticks, Bobs Red Mill 1 to 1 baking flour, lactose free milk, and Cabots lactose free extra sharp cheddar cheese. I also added 1/4 teaspoon paprika (something we like). As mentioned above, turned out delicious!! Thanks so much for a recipe easily changed to accommodate food sensitivities.
Karen
Allyson
I plan on freezing this. Can I freeze it before baking? Or should I bake it first before freezing?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Allyson,
Welcome to the blog.
Either will be fine. Be sure to thaw before cooking or reheating.
Dan
Jena
Excellent recipe!! Family loved it and it reminded me of the scalloped potatoes we had when I was younger!!
ed c
can i put this together a few hours before it go;s into oven thanks
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Ed,
Welcome to the blog.
You can make up ahead and refrigerate for a few days covered or even freeze or 3-4 months before cooking.
Dan
Christine
Delicious! Just made tonight. Only change was I halved it (only two of us) and I only had Marble Jack cheese. Otherwise followed exactly. Thank you for this recipe. It’s being saved to my TRIED AND TRUE board!
Pam Rode
I loved this recipe. I did mix milk and heavy cream to make a bit richer. My son in law does not like ham so a quarter of the pan I left out the ham. This is what my mom did when she made fudge, I disliked nuts so she would split recipe and leave nuts out of mine. Yes my son in law is spoiled., but I love as my own.
Bonnie
How much is one serving for this recipe?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
About 1 1/2 cups. It varies a bit with size of potatoes and dice size of ham.
Peggy
I am making this recipe now can’t wait to see how good it is thank you for your recipe
Katherine Kelley
Making this now. Wanted to make your slow cooker version but it was too late in the day, so hoping to make that next time. Thank you for this site, have made quite a few of your recipes over the past few years. My new mandolin was given away as I came close to slicing off the top of a finger 1st time I used it, so will just slice the potatoes with a knife & extend cooking time if they're thicker.
Katherine Kelley
After tasting the sauce (it was great!) I thought I'd add a little ZING to it with several shakes of powdered ground mustard (maybe a teaspoon or so?). Wow!!! Next time will try a little dijon mustard. Recipe would have been fantastic without the mustard, but the add took it to 8 stars. Will make this again very soon!
Casey
This recipe was fantastic!
I added 1 bag (6oz) of crispy onions to it halfway through baking. Absolutely delicious! And easy!
Mindy
Can you make this in a crockpot? It’s sounds delicious
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Mindy,
Welcome to the blog.
While I have never done this particular recipe in a crock pot, you should be able to similar to https://www.101cookingfortwo.com/crock-pot-scalloped-potatoes/
Dan
Chelsee Lipiski
Question, I am looking to make a bunch of freeze ahead casseroles. Can I freeze this casserole before I bake it?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Chelsee,
Welcome to the blog.
This should freeze well for 3-4 months.
Dan
Dawn
I am making this right now & my sauce won’t thicken any suggestions?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Hi Dawn,
Welcome to the blog. You caught me online.
I made this yesterday again. A medium boil and continuous mixing after everything is combined for 3-5 minutes does it as long as you have everything right. The sauce is not all that thick, it combines with the cheese in the casserole as it bakes.
Dan
Linda L
Your website is just what I was looking for, since I'm cooking for one and love to have leftovers. This recipe will be the first that I will make. Believe that I will add asparagus to the casserole. Thanks for taking the time to do this.
Kathy
Linda, great idea. Did you try this yet? If so did you put the asparagus in raw or blanched?
MF Kean
Well, they are layered, so maybe the thickness won't be such a factor, and they are cooking in sauce with he moisture in the potato so they should be OK. I'll stick my Thermapen in it after a while.
Thanks much for the prompt reply!
MF Kean
Dan, I cut this recipe in half, and my mandoline cut the potatoes more like 1/16 than 1/8". Will this affect cooking time?
Dan Mikesell AKA DrDan
Cooking time is more a function of the thickness. Assuming a smaller pan, I would say it is never bad to check early so do a "fork tender" check about 75% in but you will probably need most of the time. Also, potatoes are done at 200 degrees or a bit more.
Dan