The Best Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes And Ham Recipe

What do you make for special occasions? Let me attempt to answer an age-old question with the comfort food everyone absolutely loves baked to perfection in a casserole dish.

The answer, of course, is the potato casserole known as au gratin potatoes. And it is the best cheesy au gratin potatoes and ham recipe.

An Easy Recipe

For this incredibly easy recipe, slices of tender potatoes are baked in a creamy sauce with plenty of cheese, and chunky delicious ham, ensuring clean plates all around.

This easy au gratin recipe is one I’ve been using for ages, a tried and true potato dish perfect for a holiday dinner or special occasions.

I add leftover ham to my recipe, but you can omit it to keep it vegetarian or if you simply just don’t have any ham on hand.

It doesn’t take much time to make it, so you could even make this splendid side dish any night of the week!

Cheesy Potato Goodness Everyone Will Love

This easy ham and potato dish could even be your main dish if you want. Everyone always loves the cheesy sauce, and it’s a great way to get them all to the table in a mere matter of seconds.

I’m often asked if the cheesy scalloped potato recipe is the same as au gratin potatoes.

That’s a great question, but the main difference is that au gratin potatoes have layers of cheese worked in there. So essentially, this potato dish is even cheesier.

Plus, it’s a great leftover ham recipe when everyone is sick of those ham sandwiches after Christmas or Easter. Serve it with green beans, and you’ll be all set!

Ingredients For Au Gratin Potatoes And Ham

• Smoked and diced ham (pre-cooked)
• Russet potatoes in thin slices
• Diced onions
• Butter
• All purpose flour
• Milk
• Shredded cheese
• Salt
• Black pepper

Full printable recipe with measurements and instructions listed at the bottom of the post in the recipe card.

How to Make Easy Au Gratin Potatoes

This au gratin dish couldn’t be easier to prepare. You will need sliced smoked pre-cooked ham (or leftover Easter ham from your holiday meal would work, too).

1. Slice the potatoes into thin slices and add to a large mixing bowl.
2. Next, add the ham, onions, salt, and pepper and toss to coat.
3. In a medium saucepan, add the butter and melt on medium heat.
4. Next, add the flour and whisk. It will be lumpy.
5. Pour the milk into the pan while whisking, getting out the lumps.
6. Bring to a boil. Add the cheese and mix until melted.
7. Add the potato and ham mixture to a 9-inch by 13-inch greased baking dish.
8. Pour the cheese mixture over the potato mixture. Take a spoon and move the potatoes around a little, helping the cheese to get down into the grooves.
9. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
10. Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes or so or until the cheese gets crusty on top.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Slice potatoes and add them to a large mixing bowl.

Russet potatoes tend to work best in my au gratin recipe, but Yukon gold or red potatoes will make a fine substitute if needed.

Next, add the onions.

For this recipe, I used white onions. But you can use your favorite type of onion.

Add the diced ham, salt, and pepper to the bowl. Toss the ingredients.

I bought some Smithfield smoked ham from the grocery store and used it in another recipe. I had some leftover ham, so this was the perfect addition to this recipe.

Pour the potatoes and ham into a greased baking dish and spread it out.

The idea is to place everything in the dish and then bake it. You can even add a top layer of bread crumbs to give it a nice crispy coating and a fancier appearance. 

Cheese Sauce

Add the butter to a medium saucepan and melt on medium heat.

Next, add the flour to the saucepan. I used a whisk to mix the two ingredients.

The flour will be very lumpy.

Pour the milk into the saucepan while whisking. Keep whisking until the lumps are gone.

Bring the liquid to a boil. It will thicken fast.

Once the sauce thickens, add the shredded cheddar cheese to the flour mixture and stir to melt.

You can use sharp cheddar cheese or go with a mixture of shredded cheeses like Monterey Jack and Gruyere, for example.

I recommend using whole milk for this to make the cream sauce nice and rich, though you can use heavy cream, too, if you have that.

Pour the cheese sauce over the top of the potatoes. Take a spoon and move the potatoes and ham around a little to help the sauce make it to the bottom of the pan.

Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees or until the potatoes are tender.

Remove the aluminum foil and bake for another 15-20 minutes. If you want the cheese to be a little crusty on top, you can set the oven to broil and cook another five minutes or so.

But keep an eye on it as it can burn fast.

The recipe makes the perfect ham casserole holiday side dish or as a main meal.

More Delicious Recipes

• Cheesy potatoes – if you love potatoes, you will love this great side dish.
• Green beans and ham – this is a great slow cooker recipe that is the perfect dish for any holiday.
• Mashed potato cakes – if you’re tired of your normal mashed potato recipe, turn them into fried cakes. They are so delicious.
• Easy old fashioned English pea salad – this is such an easy and delicious recipe that is perfect for any occasion.
• Sautéed spinach and tomatoes from Southern Home Express is a wonderful side dish to serve with au gratin potatoes and ham.

The Best Cheesy Au Gratin Potatoes And Ham Recipe

While the most important thing with holiday meals is spending time with the ones you love, potatoes au gratin will show your love for them without spending a huge amount of time in the kitchen.

Any holiday meal will instantly become better with this cheesy potato dish on the table. 

Add ham if you have it but don’t sweat it if you don’t.

It’s one of the dishes everyone always asks me to make for every holiday, and I’m sure your family is going to ask for it from now on too!