This recipe for Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes incorporates tender, cooked ham, and broccoli florets for a comforting casserole. Serve it as the main course or a show-stealing side dish. If we had you at “Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes” then scroll on down to the recipe and get this dish cooking asap. If you’re curious how to also make these Scalloped Potatoes with Ham gluten free, dairy free, or even more veggie loaded, then read through the post for our simple suggestions.
Recipe Highlights
This Cheesy Scalloped Potato Casserole has comfort written all over it (just like our Chicken Pot Pie Casserole recipe). Here’s why we love it:
- We use frozen hash browns, so you don’t have to peel, slice, and layer thin slices of potatoes like in other scalloped potato recipes
- The frozen hash brown potatoes cook tenderly and evenly, even when you add them directly to the cream sauce while still frozen
- It’s a well-rounded dish includes multiple food groups for more essential nutrients, including protein, carbs, healthy fats, calcium, potassium, vitamin A, and vitamin C
- Can be served as a main dish or side dish, and can feed a family for multiple meals
- It’s great for many occasions, from holidays to make-ahead weeknights, and leftovers reheat well
- With a prep time of 20 minutes and a cook time of just 35 minutes, this recipe has a total time of less than 1 hour, start to finish
- Can be made gluten free and/or dairy free with some simple swaps
Ingredients to make cheesy scalloped potatoes & Ham Casserole
Gather these ingredients from the fridge, freezer, and pantry to make this delicious ham and broccoli casserole come together with ease:
- butter or coconut oil
- onion – use a yellow or white onion
- frozen broccoli florets – save time by using a bag of frozen broccoli florets; cut any larger florets into small pieces so they will be evenly distributed through the casserole; can also use fresh, small broccoli florets
- frozen shredded potatoes – grab a bag of frozen hash brown potatoes to make this recipe quick and for tender potatoes throughout
- cooked, diced ham – a perfect use for leftover cooked ham, or buy a bag of diced ham from the deli
- flour – use all-purpose flour or a gluten-free flour blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill One-to-One Gluten-Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour
- milk – use your favorite dairy or unsweetened non-dairy milk
- dried thyme – can also use double the amount of fresh thyme, if desired
- garlic powder
- fine salt and black pepper
- sharp cheddar cheese – can sub in Gruyere, Colby, Cheddar, or any shredded cheese of choice
- sliced green onions, chives, or fresh parsley – optional, for garnish
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
How To Make Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
This Best Scalloped Potatoes and Ham recipe breaks down into a few simple steps:
- Make the veggie-cream sauce: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook the onion and broccoli florets in the melted butter over medium heat until softened. Then add the flour, tossing to coat the ingredients. Reduce the heat and slowly add the 3 cups milk, whisking to create a roux. Stir in the seasonings, then bring the mixture to a boil for 1 minute to thicken.
- Stir in the potatoes and ham: Add the frozen shredded potatoes, diced ham, and half of the cheese, stirring until well incorporated.
- Bake the casserole: Transfer the mixture to a 9×13-inch (or other 3-quart) baking dish and spread into an even layer. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, turn the oven broiler to High and broil until the topping is golden brown.
- Garnish and serve: Top the casserole with sliced green onions, chives, or parsley. Serve while still hot.
For serving size and the complete directions and ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card below. All of our recipes include the nutrition analysis, listing calories (kcals), total fat, saturated fat, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, sugar, sodium, cholesterol, and more per serving.
Make Ahead + Bake Later
Dietitian Jessie developed this recipe and says it makes a great make-ahead casserole that you can prep or even freezer to bake later.
To make this casserole ahead: follow the recipe directions as written below through Step 7. Before baking it, cover the casserole dish with a lid or foil. Then refrigerate or freeze until you’re ready to bake.
The unbaked casserole can stay in your fridge for up to 3 days before baking or can be frozen for longer storage.
To bake, preheat the oven to 400 and bake for 35-40 minutes before putting under the broiler (see Step 9 in the recipe below).
To bake the casserole from frozen, place the casserole in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to baking. Then, preheat the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, then Broil as directed.
Make It Gluten Free
You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by using a gluten-free flour blend, such as Bob’s Red Mill One-to-One Gluten-Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour, as the thickener for the creamy sauce.
Make It Dairy Free
To make this recipe dairy-free, use coconut oil in place of the butter. Then, use a non-dairy unsweetened milk (such as almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk). And use dairy-free shreds, such as Daiya, So Delicious, or Follow Your Heart brands instead of Cheddar cheese. For more, we have a full selection of dairy-free recipes.
How To Store
Store leftovers in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Enjoy leftovers chilled, at room temperature, or reheated in the stove, microwave, toaster oven, or in a skillet.
When To Serve This Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
This easy, everyone-loves-it cheesy baked potato casserole is the perfect comfort food dish to serve or share at all these occasions and more:
- Easter brunch – the ham, potato, and cheese combo is a classic one for serving at Easter, and we think this version with added broccoli and fresh herbs makes it even more perfect for spring
- Baby and wedding showers – any mama- or bride-to-be would love the yummy flavors in this easy and comforting casserole
- For a new parent or sick friend – help loved ones feel better from the inside out with this easy casserole that provides warmth and nourishing calories
- At a wake or funeral potluck – recipes similar to this one are called “Funeral Potatoes” because the familiar flavors bring comfort and ease to even the most somber of gatherings
- Cozy weeknights – the convenient frozen hash browns and frozen broccoli make it so you can get this casserole in the oven quickly
- Holidays – this dish transports well and makes for a wonderful addition to holiday dinners and potlucks, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s and more
What Is The Origin of Scalloped Potatoes?
Most culinarians believe that scalloped potatoes (and closely related potatoes au gratin or au gratin potatoes) originated in England or France. While many people think these traditional dishes are about the potatoes, it’s really about the creamy sauce!
Gratin potatoes tend to have a browned cheesy topping, but scalloped potato recipes sometimes contain cheese or breadcrumbs or neither of those. What these recipes always contain is a cream sauce that the slices or shreds of potato get cooked into.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, this recipe works well when you add the still-frozen hash browns directly to the veggie-cream cheese sauce. No need to thaw them ahead of time.
You can use fresh broccoli florets – just cut them small so they distribute evenly throughout the casserole. Likewise, you can use fresh shredded potatoes or very small diced fresh russet potatoes or yukon gold potatoes.
This recipe uses sharp cheddar cheese melted into a cheesy cream sauce that gets mixed with the potatoes. Variations of cheddar are used most often in scalloped potato recipes, but some recipes call for a topping of Parmesan cheese or asiago.
You can easily make this a gluten-free casserole by using a gluten-free flour blend instead of all-purpose flour.
This cheesy scalloped potatoes casserole is a perfect platform for adding more veggies. Chopped red bell pepper, peas, sliced asparagus, leeks, or shallots are other delicious additions.
Many scalloped potato recipes require a mandolin slicer to make thin potato slices, but not this one. Instead of sliced potatoes, we call for frozen shredded hash browns to save you time.
Since this recipe includes a cream sauce, there’s a risk that it could curdle when cooked for a long time in a slow cooker, so we don’t recommend it. However, you can transfer the finished dish to a slow cooker on the Keep Warm setting to keep it warm for serving.
Yes, you can! Prepare the recipe up to the point of baking. Then, cover it with a freezer-safe lid or double layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to 3 months (you may want to use a disposable 9×13 pan or other 3-quart pan so your regular 9×13 won’t be stuck in the freezer for that long). To bake, place the casserole in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to baking. Then, preheat the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, then Broil as directed.
You could omit the ham for a vegetarian casserole, or use shredded chicken or turkey in place of the ham.
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Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes Recipe
A simple and fast method to make a delicious main-dish casserole or loaded cheesy scalloped potatoes side dish. No need to peel, slice, and layer potatoes when you use frozen shredded hash browns. Includes modifications to make gluten free or dairy free.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter or coconut oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cups frozen broccoli florets (cut into small pieces, if the florets are large)
- ⅓ cup gluten-free flour blend or all-purpose flour*
- 3 cups dairy or unsweetened non-dairy milk
- 1 teaspoon fine salt
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 cups (1 lb) frozen shredded potatoes (frozen hash browns)
- 2 cups cooked, diced ham
- 1½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
- Sliced green onions, chives, or fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Mist a 9×13-inch (or other 3-quart) baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a Dutch oven, large pot, or extra-large skillet over medium-high heat, heat the coconut oil or butter until melted.
- Add the onion and frozen broccoli florets and cook until the vegetables are softened and tender, 4-5 minutes.
- Add the flour, tossing to coat the ingredients, and cook 1 minute more.
- Reduce the heat to low and add the milk, ½ to 1 cup at a time, whisking after each addition. Be patient and whisk slowly as you continue adding the milk until all is added.
- Stir in the salt, thyme, garlic powder, and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and allow the mixture to come to a boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Add the frozen shredded potatoes, diced ham, and 1 cup of the cheese into the mixture, stirring until well incorporated.
- Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish and spread into an even layer. Top with the remaining ½ cup cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, turn the oven broiler to High and broil the casserole for 3-5 minutes, until the topping is browned, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn.
- Garnish with sliced green onions, chives, or parsley.
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Notes
For gluten-free flours, we recommend Bob’s Red Mill One-to-One Gluten-Free Baking Flour or King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1/8 of the recipe
- Calories: 294
- Fat: 16 g
- (Sat Fat: 9 g)
- Sodium: 709 mg
- Carbohydrate: 23 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 7 g)
- Protein: 16 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg
Dietary
Photo Credit: The photos in this blog post were taken by Rachel Cook of Half Acre House.
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Whole family asked for seconds! (I used diced hash browns instead of shredded.)
Excellent Cathryn!
Can the cheesy scalloped potatoes be frozen?
They are freezer friendly, enjoy!