By Becky Hardin
Updated Sep 22, 2025
When I need to use leftover ham, this Ham and Potato Casserole recipe is cheesy, creamy, and super delicious! I make this dish throughout the year, from weeknight dinners to holiday feasts, or even for a hearty breakfast. My kids gobble this up every time it hits the table.
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5-Star Review
“Wow, first one of your recipes I’ve tried. Both of my picky eaters loved it. The only change was to par boil my diced potatoes for a few minutes. I did add bacon bits before pouring the sauce over, I was hoping to have enough leftover for work lunches, but the family polished it off that night.” -Peggy
Easy Ham and Potato Casserole Recipe
I can’t think of a better recipe than this casserole that repurposes leftovers into a meal that everyone will love. Leftover ham and potatoes are smothered in a bechamel sauce and then covered in a layer of melted cheese for a hearty and comforting casserole that disappears in minutes. I love it when a recipe helps me reuse leftovers, so less food goes to waste. If you don’t have leftover ham, you can easily pick up a precooked ham or make your own.
Creamy, cheesy, and a cinch to pull together, this recipe can easily be customized based on what I’ve got in the fridge. Sometimes I mix in chili powder and/or red pepper flakes to give it a kick, or I’ll sprinkle pepper jack cheese on top. I’ve even mixed in green chiles to really spice things up.
The kids love it when I mix in bacon crumbles , sliced jalapeños, broccoli bits, and peppers. Topped with a dollop of sour cream on top, it’s absolutely delish!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 2 tbsp unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- ▢ 1 yellow onion finely diced
- ▢ 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- ▢ 1¼ cups whole milk or half-and-half
- ▢ ½ cup chicken stock or chicken broth
- ▢ ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ▢ ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ▢ ½ tsp garlic powder
- ▢ 2 lbs. russet potatoes peeled and diced small
- ▢ 2½ cups diced cooked ham precooked chicken or turkey also works
- ▢ 4 oz. freshly shredded white cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)
Video
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan melt the butter. Add the diced onion and cook over medium heat until translucent. 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 yellow onion
- Sprinkle the flour over the cooked onion and stir to combine. Add in the milk, chicken stock, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Continue to heat, stirring often, until warmed through and slightly thickened. 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1¼ cups whole milk, ½ cup chicken stock, ½ tsp fine sea salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder
- Spread the potatoes evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish and top with the diced ham. Pour the milk mixture over the ham and potatoes. 2 lbs. russet potatoes, 2½ cups diced cooked ham
- Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and top with shredded cheese. Continue to bake, uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and potatoes are tender. 4 oz. freshly shredded white cheddar cheese
Equipment
- 9×13 Baking Pan
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Ham and Potato Casserole Step-by-Step
Gather your ingredients and prepare a baking dish: Preheat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish. Use butter or nonstick spray and then set the dish aside.
Sauté the onions: Melt 2 tbsp of butter in a medium saucepan and cook one onion over medium heat until it’s translucent.
Make the sauce: Sprinkle 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour over the cooked onion and stir to combine. Pour in 1¼ cups of whole milk, ½ cup of chicken stock, ½ tsp of fine sea salt, ½ tsp of ground black pepper, and ½ tsp of garlic powder. Stir often over medium heat, until warmed through and slightly thickened.
Assemble and bake: Spread 2 lbs. of peeled and diced russet potatoes evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish and top with 2½ cups of diced ham. Pour the milk mixture over the ham and potatoes. Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes.
Melt the cheese: Remove from the oven and sprinkle with 4 oz. of shredded white cheddar cheese. Continue baking, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and the potatoes are tender.
Serve : Serve the casserole warm and enjoy.
How to Store
To prepare ahead of time, I follow the recipe through step 4, then cover and refrigerate overnight. The next day, I let the casserole warm up to room temperature while the oven preheats, then proceed with the recipe as written from step 5. I sometimes need to add a few extra minutes to the final bake time if the casserole is still cold when it goes into the oven.
Store leftover ham and potato casserole in an airtight container, or cover the casserole dish with plastic wrap. Keep in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
To reheat any leftovers, place an individual portion in a microwave-safe dish. Heat on 50% power for 1-2 minutes at a time until heated through. Stir well at least once during heating.
To reheat a larger portion, warm the casserole in the oven at 350°F for about 20 minutes or until warmed through.
Let the casserole cool to room temperature, then cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and/or aluminum foil. You can also scoop it into a freezer-safe bag. Freeze up to 3 months, then thaw in the fridge before reheating.
Serving Suggestions
This dish can be served as a simple dinner, a side dish, or even for breakfast or brunch. It’s truly one of the most versatile recipes. For dinner, I usually add dinner rolls or cornbread . As a side dish , I’ll serve anything from air-fried chicken to breaded pork chops . And, for breakfast, I like to cook up some oven-baked bacon , a batch of home fries , or eggs in any style.
More Casserole Recipes to try!
Chicken Noodle Casserole
Sausage and Potato Casserole
Hamburger Casserole Recipe
Mac and Cheese Casserole
Ham and Potato Casserole Recipe
Equipment
- 9x13 Baking Pan
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (¼ stick)
- 1 yellow onion finely diced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups whole milk or half-and-half
- ½ cup chicken stock or chicken broth
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 2 lbs. russet potatoes peeled and diced small
- 2½ cups diced cooked ham precooked chicken or turkey also works
- 4 oz. freshly shredded white cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a medium saucepan melt the butter. Add the diced onion and cook over medium heat until translucent. 2 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 yellow onion
- Sprinkle the flour over the cooked onion and stir to combine. Add in the milk, chicken stock, sea salt, black pepper, and garlic powder. Continue to heat, stirring often, until warmed through and slightly thickened. 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, 1¼ cups whole milk, ½ cup chicken stock, ½ tsp fine sea salt, ½ tsp ground black pepper, ½ tsp garlic powder
- Spread the potatoes evenly in the bottom of the prepared baking dish and top with the diced ham. Pour the milk mixture over the ham and potatoes. 2 lbs. russet potatoes, 2½ cups diced cooked ham
- Cover and bake for 40-45 minutes.
- Remove from oven and top with shredded cheese. Continue to bake, uncovered for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the cheese is completely melted and potatoes are tender. 4 oz. freshly shredded white cheddar cheese
Video
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
