Making scalloped potatoes and ham from scratch recipe is easier to make than you may think. Freshly sliced potatoes, cooked ham, cheese, and spices create a comforting meal or hearty side dish!
I’m going to be blunt and honest right upfront. This is not a fast-cooking recipe. It takes over an hour to cook, but it is WORTH THE WAIT! This is one of my go-to holiday side dishes because it works for both Christmas dinner and as an easy leftover ham recipe.
Homemade Ham and Scalloped Potatoes
You can make homemade scalloped potatoes with ham as a side dish or enjoy them as a meal all on their own. Just bake in a casserole dish with lid and you can bring to share at a potluck dinner or Friendsgiving!
I love the flavor of ham, especially when paired with potatoes! It's a great comfort food meal, just like our easy chicken pot pie and pumpkin chili.
Ham, green beans and potatoes is my usual go-to entree when using ham but I really enjoy this warm, cozy dish with holiday ham leftovers. So rich and creamy and very filling too!
More Holiday Recipes
Related recipes: Sausage, sweet potato kale soup, Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip, Crock Pot Mac n Cheese, Vegetable Quiche, Oven Roasted Shrimp, Crockpot Eye Round Roast
Easy Holiday Side Dish Scalloped Potatoes and Ham Recipe
Holiday dinners with the family gathered around the table are one of my most favorite events. Thanksgiving and Christmas usually have turkey as the star of the meal, however, Easter is reserved for the best deviled eggs ever and juicy Easter ham!
The other thing I love about big meals? All the leftovers to use in extra recipes like turkey pot pie, potato pancakes, or sweet potato pancakes.
So, with the holidays comes the perfect pairing of ham and potatoes to create one outrageous leftover casserole!
Tools needed to make this recipe
Some of the kitchen tools out there will make your cooking and baking life so much easier. When making scalloped potatoes, you want to make sure your slices are thin and this can be hard to do with a chef's knife
.
Not impossible, but challenging and time-consuming.
- A table-top mandoline cutter: Slice potatoes with uniform slices and in mere seconds with this OXO Good Grips Chef’s Mandoline. It sits square on the counter and has more than enough cut/slice thickness options to choose from and also has a guard to help keep fingers away from the sharp blades.
- **NOTE** Please, please, please pay attention when using a mandoline. For added protection, I highly recommend using a cut-proof glove!
- Cut proof gloves come in small, medium, and large and will fit pretty true to size.
- Medium Saucepan: to cook your onions, butter, and milk before adding to your sliced potatoes.
- Measuring cups
& whisk ensure you have all your ingredients ready, and the whisk will help break up the flour so your sauce is smooth.
& 
ensure you have all your ingredients ready, and the whisk
will help break up the flour so your sauce is smooth. 
What goes well with Scalloped potatoes and ham
Make as a hearty side to a main meal, or serve as the main meal!
Dress this ham and potato dish up with broccoli, green beans, or just a simple green salad. I want to try topping it with Adventure of Mel’s homemade ham gravy because it just sounds delicious, doesn’t it?
INGREDIENTS
To make this hearty ham casserole, you will need:
- butter
- 1 small onion
- thyme
- parsley
- flour
- heavy cream
- half-and-half, or 2 cups milk
- chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- potatoes
- cooked ham, (perfect for Easter ham leftovers!)
- cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)
- Monterey jack cheese, or your favorite cheese (optional)
Instructions
Before starting your recipe, make sure to preheat your oven and grease a 13×9 baking dish
with butter
.
On a cutting board
, slice your potatoes into thin slices with a chef knife,
or mandolin cutter. Remember to use a cut-proof glove!
In a medium saucepan
cook onions and butter over medium heat until onions are soft and translucent.
Add in thyme, parsley, and flour; cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn heat to low and add in heavy cream and milk a little at a time, whisking
between each addition.
Stir in chicken broth, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil and cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
Layer 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom of the prepared baking dish
topped with 2/3 cup of the ham and about 1 cup of the sauce. Repeat layers until the dish is full.
Cover and bake for 50 minutes.
Uncover the dish and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
If you desire, add cheese to the top during the last 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
How to Store Leftovers
This dish tastes amazing out of the oven, but even better the next day! Store leftovers in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
How to Make Scalloped Potatoes and Ham From Scratch
Equipment
- Pro Quality Nut Milk Bag – XL12″X12″ Bags – Commercial Grade Reusable All Purpose Food Strainer – Food Grade BPA-Free – Ultra Strong Fine Nylon Mesh – Nutmilk, Juices, Cold Brew – Recipes & Videos… (1)
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion 1 cup, diced
- ½ teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ¼ cup flour
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup half-and-half or 2 cups milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 pounds potatoes cleaned and thinly sliced
- 2 cups cooked ham diced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded (optional)
- 1 cup monterey jack cheese or your favorite cheese (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. and grease a 13×9 baking dish.
- In a medium saucepan cook onions and butter over medium heat until onions are soft and translucent.
- Add in thyme, parsley, and flour; cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn heat to low and add in heavy cream and milk a little at a time, whisking between each addition.
- Stir in chicken broth, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil and cook for about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Layer ? of the potatoes on the bottom of the prepared baking dish topped with ? cup of the ham and about 1 cup of the sauce. Repeat layers until the dish is full.
- Cover and bake for 50 minutes. Uncover the dish and bake for an additional 20-30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
- If you desire, add cheese to the top during the last 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Original: April 13, 2020
Updated: November 5, 2025, 12/3/25
Heavy Cream is listed in the ingredient list but it never says when to add it.
Step 3 in the recipe instructions shares when to add heavy cream and milk.
was delicious like my wife made.
So glad you enjoyed it!