Parmesan Ham & Potato Casserole
Creamy and cheesy with a golden top, this Parmesan ham and potato casserole is made with thinly sliced potatoes that are layered with savory ham and Parmesan cheese. It’s a comforting dish that can be served as a dinner main or side plus it’s a great way to use leftover holiday ham!
Growing up ham was never a favorite of mine but tastes change especially when combined with tender potatoes! This Parmesan ham and potato casserole made with thinly sliced potatoes, freshly grated Parmesan cheese and cubed cooked ham is now a family favorite!
With creamy cheese, salty ham, hearty potatoes and savory thyme this dish is not only satisfying but pure comfort! It’s a bit lighter than my creamy cheesy scalloped potatoes which is just one more reason to make it more often.
Casseroles are the best cold weather food! They are easy to make from scratch, can utilize leftovers and are so satisfying. Other casserole recipes we love include leftover mashed potato casserole, easy leftover rice casserole and baked zucchini parmesan!
Why This Recipe Works
- Comfort food: Cheesy, savory and starchy, this potato and ham casserole is a classic combination for good reason, it is the ultimate comfort food for family dinners.
- Homemade: This cheese casserole is made from scratch! There is no canned cream of chicken soup or boxed dehydrated potatoes, just a handful of real ingredients including leftover holiday ham, cheese and potatoes.
- Fuss free: This cheese potato casserole is prepped and ready for the oven in only 20 minutes, then it’s hands-off cooking until it’s bubbly, melty and irresistible!
- Versatile: Serve this Parmesan scalloped potatoes and ham as a dinner main, a weeknight side dish or even at brunch!
Ham Potato Casserole Ingredients
- Butter and breadcrumbs: These are used to create a bottom layer to the casserole.
- Potatoes: Use 4 medium sized potatoes. My favorite type of potatoes are buttery Yukon Gold potatoes or russet potatoes.
- Milk: I love 2% milk for the best creaminess but any milk you have will work.
- Parmesan cheese: Freshly grated from a block of cheese will not only melt better but taste fresher, too!
- Fresh thyme: Adds a slightly earthy taste that pairs well with potatoes.
- Cooked ham: Pre-cooked, pre-cubed or leftover ham all work in this Parmesan potato casserole.
- Cheese: Freshly grated fontina, gruyere, Swiss or firm mozzarella cheese all work!
- Salt and black pepper: To enhance taste.
- Topping: For a crispy topping on the Parmesan ham and potato casserole, you will need a few Tablespoons of Parmesan and softened butter.
How To Make Parmesan Ham And Potato Casserole
To start, spread some butter on the baking dish and then the sprinkle bread crumbs on top.
In a small bowl combine milk, Parmesan cheese and chopped thyme.
Make 3 layers in the baking dish starting with the potatoes on top of the breadcrumbs. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, the milk and cheese mixture, and the shredded cheese and half of the ham.
Continue to make the layers.
Sprinkle top of the casserole with Parmesan cheese and then dot with butter.
Bake until the potatoes are tender. Let rest for a few minutes and then serve!
Variations
The best thing about this ham casserole recipe is that you can swap ingredients for what you have on hand for an easy weeknight dinner!
- Protein: Try leftover chicken or turkey instead of ham.
- Add-ins: It’s easy to add some vegetables to this casserole! Add broccoli bits, chopped bell peppers or even diced cauliflower.
- Seasonings: Instead of thyme, you can use fresh rosemary or if you like spice try chili powder or red pepper flakes.
- Garnish: Add some chopped green onion on top or serve with a dollop of sour cream!
Recipe Tips
- Make ahead: Assemble cheesy ham potato casserole up to 24 hours in advance and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Either bring to room temperature before baking or increase cooking time by a few minutes.
- Fork tender: When potatoes are done baking they should pierce easily with a fork. If not, continue to bake for a few more minutes.
- Thinly sliced potatoes: A mandoline slicer can help you easily slice the potatoes so they are all an even thickness.
- Don’t forget to soak potatoes in a bowl of cold water: Believe me this is key to the best potato casserole that cooks evenly and doesn’t have any gummy or sticky texture to them.
- Salt lightly: Parmesan cheese can be salty, so add salt sparingly to avoid an overly salty cheesy potatoes casserole.
- For a crispy top: Broil the last three minutes of baking!
How To Store And Reheat Potato And Ham Casserole
To store leftover ham and potato casserole, cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the oven at 350°F until warmed through or in the microwave until heated. Stir if needed while reheating.
You can also freeze leftovers. Cool completely then transfer to an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months, thaw in the refrigerator and then reheat. Texture may change slightly upon thawing but will still be delicious.
Recipe FAQs
You will want to use cooked ham in this ham and potato casserole recipe. Leftover holiday ham, pre-cooked ham or even cook a ham just to make this casserole!
There is no need to parboil the potatoes for this cheesy potato casserole. They will bake to fork tender in the oven.
This easy recipe will serve 6 people but you can half it if you need to and bake in a smaller dish.
This savory casserole is so versatile! At dinner, serve it with dinner rolls and a salad. For a side dish it goes well with just about anything from breaded pork chops to pan fried chicken. At brunch serve it as a breakfast casserole with some simple eggs or try this oven baked frittata!
Believe me this Ham and Potato Casserole is one side dish that will go quickly. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
More Comfort Food Recipes
- Creamy Mushroom and Ham Pasta
- Crepe Cannelloni with Cheese and White Sauce
- Classic Carbonara
- Italian Stuffed Meatloaf
- Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Parmesan Ham and Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter (softened)
- 3-4 tablespoons breadcrumbs
- 4 medium potatoes
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1-2 sprigs fresh thyme (chopped)
- ¾ – 1 cup cooked ham (cubed)
- 1 cup cheese (fontina, gruyere, Swiss or firm mozzarella) grated
- salt
- 1-2 dashes pepper (more or less)
TOPPING
- 2-4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1½ tablespoons butter (softened)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400F (200C), grease an 8 inch (20 cm) baking dish with 1 tablespoon of butter and sprinkle the bread crumbs on top.
- Wash, peel and thinly slice the potatoes, place the slices in a bowl of cold water and let sit 30 minutes, drain and towel dry before placing in baking dish.
- In a small bowl mix together the milk, Parmesan cheese and chopped thyme, set aside.
- On the bread crumbs, place a layer of ⅓ of the potatoes, sprinkle with a sprinkle of salt and a dash or two of pepper, drizzle with ⅓ of the milk parmesan mixture, ⅓ of the shredded cheese and ½ of the ham continue with the layers, the last layer add the remaining potato slices, salt and pepper, milk mixture, shredded cheese, sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and dot with the butter. Bake for approximately 30-45 minutes or until tender, broil for approximately 3 minutes to brown on top. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Updated from January 11, 2016.
I can’t wait to try this!
Hi Jackie, hope you enjoy it!
This looks like a dish I would definitely eat WAY too much of. Delicious!!
Thanks Olivia, haha me too. Have a great day.