Discover Your Creative Kitchen AI Companion
Let our assistant inspire your next meal!
Simply provide a recipe idea or the ingredients you have, and ScrummyChef will instantly come up with a new recipe just for you.

Ham and Potato Holiday Casserole

4.8
Save
Rate
Tap to rate
PREP TIME
20 min
COOKING TIME
105 min
TOTAL TIME
140 min
SERVINGS
8 servings
Dinner
Ham and Potato Holiday Casserole
Ingredients
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup diced yellow onion
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 4 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
  • 8 ounces grated sharp white Cheddar cheese
  • 1 pound thinly sliced ham
Instructions
1
Gather all the necessary items and prepare your baking space. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (or 175 degrees Celsius).
2
Heat a generous amount of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook with a small pinch of salt until they become translucent, approximately 5 minutes.
3
Add a moderate amount of flour to the saucepan and continue cooking, stirring constantly, until it loses its raw, starchy quality, roughly 2 minutes.
4
Slowly pour in a substantial amount of heavy cream and whisk to combine the ingredients. Whisk in milk as well, ensuring a smooth mixture.
5
Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce just begins to simmer and thicken. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a pinch of cayenne for added flavor. Grate in some nutmeg to enhance the aroma.
6
Immediately turn off the heat source and stir in a dash of Worcestershire sauce and some fresh thyme leaves. Reserve the mixture for later use.
7
Cover the base of a 10x15-inch deep casserole dish with approximately one-quarter of the reserved sauce.
8
Add a layer of sliced potatoes, seasoning the tops with some of the remaining salt as desired. Ladle over one-third of the sauce and sprinkle over one-third of the grated Cheddar cheese. Layer in half of the sliced ham.
9
Place another layer of sliced potatoes on top and season with salt. Ladle over half of the remaining sauce; repeat layering with Cheddar cheese and ham.
10
Finish by placing a final layer of potatoes on top. Ladle over the remaining sauce and spread it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle over the remaining Cheddar cheese.
11
Bake the dish uncovered in the preheated oven until it is nicely browned, bubbly, and the potatoes are extremely tender, approximately 1 ½ hours. Let it cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.