These cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham are a rich, creamy, cheesy comfort food great for a filling meal or a sturdy side dish. I love making these post holidays with leftovers, but it can also be made any time you’re craving a great potato dish.
This potato dish is hearty and comforting, with a creamy and savory flavor. Potatoes are thinly sliced and shingled into a baking dish, then layered with ham and a bechamel sauce and finished with a cheesy crusted top.
I love making these cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham after holidays like Christmas and Easter as a way to use up leftovers. In this version I used some of my maple bourbon glazed ham and even added some homemade ham stock to reinforce the flavor, but that part is optional.
After the holidays I almost always have extra produce and herbs I didn’t go through, and extra whole milk from baking. If you’re not making this from leftovers though, just grab a ham steak or thick sliced deli ham (or even bacon) and watch for potatoes to go on sale.
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🥘 Ingredients for Scalloped Potatoes & Ham
As mentioned, I typically make this dish with leftovers I already have on hand. If you’re making it outside the holidays though, most of the ingredients are fairly inexpensive and easy to find.
Ham – A great way to use left over ham or grab a ham steak or some bacon or just omit the protein altogether for a vegetarian version. Chop the ham into small cubes or a medium dice.
Potatoes – You can use almost any potato for this dish and peeling is optional. Considering the long baking time though, I recommend Yukon gold or similar potatoes because they’ll hold their shape best.
Onions & Garlic – Optional, but I like the added flavor from actual onion and garlic instead of using powder. A small to medium yellow or sweet onion and a few cloves of garlic work well here.
Bechamel – Use butter to cook the onions, then add flour and whole milk to create a thickened bechamel sauce that the potatoes will cook in. You could use heavy cream for an even richer flavor, or 2% if that’s all you have, but I don’t recommend milk with less fat than that, or non-dairy milks.
Stock – Also optional, but I add a bit of stock for a subtle savory kick to the flavor. I used homemade ham stock made from a leftover ham bone, but low-sodium chicken stock/broth works as well. Use vegetable broth and omit the ham for a vegetarian version.
Seasoning – I keep things simple here with kosher salt, black pepper, and fresh thyme. Other good options include garlic and/or onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, and mustard powder.
Cheese – Not a traditional ingredient, but one you can almost never go wrong with. I don’t use a lot of cheese, nor do I layer it in, but I love finishing the dish by melting cheese on top. I used sharp cheddar here, but any good melty cheese or combination you prefer is fine.
🥔 Tip on Handling Sliced Potatoes
One thing many recipes don’t talk about is what to do with the potatoes you slice while making the bechamel. Once sliced, the potatoes will begin to oxidize. While the discoloration won’t change the taste, it can become off-putting the more they color. You have two options here: water bath or wrangle up a helper.
If someone can help you make the dish, have them start slicing the potatoes after the onions are cooked and you’re ready to add flour and start on the bechamel. This part isn’t kid-friendly, especially if using a mandolin, so grab another adult for this part.
The other option is to slice the potatoes and place them in a large bowl of cold water with a splash of white vinegar or lemon juice as you work. This helps to keep them from oxidizing, but can increase their water content, so you’ll need to remove the slices and pat them dry before using them.
🔪 How to Make Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
Prep and Make the Bechamel
Slice the potatoes thin and even, about ⅛-inch thick. If you have a mandolin, this makes it much easier. Transfer the sliced potatoes to a large bowl of cold water and add a splash of white vinegar to keep them from oxidizing.
Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C and butter or use nonstick spray on a 13x9 baking dish and set aside.
On the stove, over medium heat, melt the butter and add the diced onion, seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook until softened and translucent, for about 6-8 minutes. Add the minced garlic and flour and continue to sauté until the flour has cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
Slowly begin adding the milk, whisking constantly as you pour it. Continue adding the milk a little at a time and whisk until you use it all. Add the stock/broth, half the salt and pepper, and the fresh thyme. Lower the heat to medium-low if it simmers too strongly but continue to whisk or stir until thickened and can coat the back of a spoon.
Assemble and Bake
Once the bechamel has thickened, remove it from the heat and set it aside for a moment. Begin removing the potato slices from the water bath (if used) and pat them completely dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
Begin adding ⅓ of the potato slices to the bottom of the baking dish. Place them in a layer, shingling them so they overlap slightly and season them with a bit of salt and pepper. Add ⅓ of the chopped ham and spoon in ⅓ of the bechamel sauce over top.
Continue this process with two more layers of potatoes, ham, and bechamel sauce. Now cover the baking dish with foil and place in the center of the oven. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
After 45 minutes to an hour, pull the baking dish out of the oven and remove the foil. Add the shredded cheese evenly over the top of the potatoes. Return it to the oven and continue baking, uncovered, for another 20-25 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and lightly browned and the edges look crispy.
Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool and finish setting for 20-25 minutes. Top with chopped fresh parsley if desired and serve.
📖 Difference Between Scalloped and Au Gratin Potatoes
While these names are often used interchangeably these days, they are uniquely different dishes. There are several other similar dishes that often get confused for each other as well. Most of these potato dishes are traditionally different but often get lumped together because we all keep adding cheese to them.
Traditionally, scalloped potatoes are thinly sliced raw potatoes layered with a bechamel sauce and no cheese that is baked until the potatoes are tender. Meanwhile, potatoes au gratin are traditionally boiled potatoes that are sliced thin and layered with cheese in a shallower dish. It is cooked in the oven and topped with more cheese and/or breadcrumbs that get toasted under a broiler until golden brown.
Another similar dish is the French gratin dauphinois, which uses thinly sliced, raw potatoes and cream. The slices are layered in a shallow dish with the cream and baked low and slow in the oven with the heat cranked up for the last few minutes. Some recipes add cheese and/or eggs, but traditionally it is made without cheese.
In the Midwest of the United States, another dish called funeral potatoes is also popular, especially in the Mormon communities in Utah. While similar to potatoes au gratin, it can use cubed potatoes or hashbrowns instead. Many recipes use cream soup (cream of chicken, cream of mushroom, etc.) instead of bechamel and include cheese and a crispy topping. The topping is typically made from crushed potato chips, crackers, or corn flakes.
🍽 Recommended Equipment
While you could make this entire cheesy scalloped potatoes and ham dish with a knife, cutting board, and baking pan, here are a few items I highly recommend for making things easier.
Mandolin – If you don’t have one, I recommend keeping a mandolin in your kitchen for any recipe that needs thin and even slices of various ingredients. While many people are intimidated by these tools, you just need to pay attention to what you’re doing and respect it as you would sharp knives. I also recommend cutting gloves when using one just to be safe.
Cheese Grater – While you can use a regular box grater to shred your own cheese, I love this rotary cheese grater. This makes shredding fast and easy and works great with frozen butter for things like pie crusts and biscuits as well.
Braiser – Like a shallow Dutch-oven, I love these enameled braising dishes and highly recommend having 1-2 in your arsenal. They’re like a deep walled, enameled skillet that is also oven safe. They make cooking a roux, bechamel, or mornay easier because it spreads things out instead of making them in a pot or saucepan.
Baking Dish – I absolutely love my Staub enameled baking dish. Some casserole dishes are a bit small in my opinion, but this baking dish is durable, easy to clean, and deeper than most other brands. This helps make dishes like these cheesy scalloped potatoes easier since the food actually fits inside.
❄️ How to Store Scalloped Potatoes
Once your cheesy scalloped potatoes have cooled completely, you can store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If you only have a little bit left, you can transfer portions to an airtight container and store in the fridge. Alternatively, if you have half or more of the dish left, simply cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
To reheat leftovers, you can microwave a portion or two until heated throughout. Add a splash of milk or water to prevent it from drying out. If you store the entire baking dish and are reheating the whole thing, remove the plastic wrap and replace it with foil. Allow it to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes or so, then bake it, covered, in a 350°F oven for 20-30 minutes until heated through.
For longer storage, you can also freeze the dish for 2-3 months, though I don’t recommend it. Thawed potatoes can form an off texture, and the sauce can break when thawed as well. If you do freeze it, thaw it overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above.
📋 Recipe
Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, sliced ⅛-inch thick
- 2 cups cooked, cubed ham
- ¼ cup butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, or sweet onion
- 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- ½ cup low-sodium chicken stock, see note
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme, or ¼ teaspoon dried
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, optional
Directions
Prep and Make the Bechamel:
- Slice 3-pounds of gold potatoes thin and even, about ⅛-inch thick. If you have a mandolin, this makes it much easier. Transfer the sliced potatoes to a large bowl of cold water and add a splash of white vinegar to keep them from oxidizing.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C and butter or use nonstick spray on a 13x9 baking dish and set aside.
- On the stove, over medium heat, melt ¼ cup butter and add 1 medium diced yellow onion, seasoning with a bit of salt and pepper. Cook until softened and translucent, for about 6-8 minutes. Add 3-4 cloves minced garlic and ¼ cup all-purpose flour and continue to sauté until the flour has cooked through, about 2 minutes longer.
- Slowly begin adding 3 cups whole milk, whisking constantly as you pour it. Continue adding the milk a little at a time and whisk until you use it all. Add ½ cup stock/broth, half the kosher salt and black pepper, and 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme. Lower the heat to medium-low if it simmers too strongly but continue to whisk or stir until thickened and can coat the back of a spoon.
Assemble and Bake:
- Once the bechamel has thickened, remove it from the heat and set it aside for a moment. Begin removing the potato slices from the water bath (if used) and pat them completely dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel.
- Begin adding ⅓ of the potato slices to the bottom of the baking dish. Place them in a layer, shingling them so they overlap slightly and season them with a bit of salt and pepper. Add ⅓ of the 2 cups chopped ham and spoon in ⅓ of the bechamel sauce over top.
- Continue this process with two more layers of potatoes, ham, and bechamel sauce. Now cover the baking dish with foil and place in the center of the oven. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- After 45 minutes to an hour, pull the baking dish out of the oven and remove the foil. Add 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese evenly over the top of the potatoes. Return it to the oven and continue baking, uncovered, for another 20-25 minutes until the cheese is fully melted and lightly browned and the edges look crispy.
- Remove the dish from the oven and allow it to cool and finish setting for 20-25 minutes. Top with chopped fresh parsley if desired and serve.
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