Holiday Ham and Potato Casserole

Chef John layers ham, potatoes, Cheddar, and a homemade cream sauce together in this easy, holiday-ready casserole that feeds a crowd.

• Preparation Time: 20 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 45 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 765 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1 pound thinly sliced ham
• 8 ounces grated sharp white Cheddar cheese
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, or to taste
• 0.25 cup all-purpose flour
• 0.5 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 0.25 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 0.25 cup unsalted butter
• 0.25 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 0.125 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 4.5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Heat butter in a pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté with a pinch of salt until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, just to take off that starchy, raw edge, about 2 minutes. Pour in heavy cream and whisk to combine. Whisk in milk. Cook, stirring, over medium-high heat until it just starts to simmer and thicken up. Add 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and cayenne. Grate in nutmeg.

Step 3

Turn off heat. Stir in Worcestershire and fresh thyme leaves. Reserve until needed.

Step 4

Cover the bottom of a deep 10x15-inch casserole dish with about 25% of the reserved sauce. Add a layer of sliced potatoes, seasoning the tops with some of the remaining salt as desired; ladle over 1/3 of the sauce and sprinkle over 1/3 of the grated Cheddar cheese. Layer in ½ of the sliced ham.

Step 5

Place another layer of sliced potatoes on top and season with salt. Ladle over ½ of the remaining sauce; repeat layering with Cheddar cheese and ham.

Step 6

Place last layer of potatoes on top. Ladle over remaining sauce and spread out with a spatula. Sprinkle over remaining Cheddar cheese.

Step 7

Bake uncovered in the preheated oven until browned, bubbling, and potatoes are very tender, about 1 ½ hours. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.