Ham and Potato Au Gratin is a cheese lovers’ dream. Soft scalloped potato covered with rich and creamy herb infused cheesy sauce, layered with slices of ham….and I want to swim in that cheese sauce.
This layered potato and ham casserole makes the perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas potato side dish. With ham in there, we also enjoy potato and ham au gratin by itself as a main dish for dinner as well. It is cozy, cheesy and always loved by many.
Preparing for your holiday dinner? We got you covered! Here are some of our favorites to round up your menu: Dutch Oven Herb Butter Turkey Breast, Gravy From Scratch, Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes, Cinnamon Brown Sugar Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Apple Stuffing, Honey Butter Rolls, Garlic Honey Roasted Carrots, Cranberry Baked Brie, and Easy Pumpkin Pie.
What is Au Gratin
Au Gratin is a French method of cooking, and it typically involves cheese or breadcrumbs.
It usually consist of layers of sliced potatoes (or other veggies), cream, butter and cheese. It is then baked in the oven until the topped is crusty and golden brown. It is very similar to scalloped potatoes – truly luxurious and an indulgence.
There are many variations and modifications of the classic potato au gratin recipe, and here is one of them!
I love making this potato and ham gratin recipe, especially when I have leftover ham at hand. Ham provides amazing flavor and texture to this dish, and makes it very yummy.
It alternates between layers of soft potatoes and ham, coated in creamy and rich cheese sauce, then topped with more cheese that is golden brown and crusty after baking in the oven.
I did not incorporate breadcrumbs into my ham and potato au gratin, but if you want to you can definitely add it to the top for that extra texture.
Potato au gratin with ham
There are so many reasons why this potato and ham au gratin recipe is awesome and you should totally make it!
- Delicious, melt-in-your-mouth, indulgent and luxurious. Need I say more? I love the layers of potato and ham in a bubbly casserole dish.
- I like that I can make this ham and potato au gratin into a one-pan meal, instead of just serving potatoes as a side. Ham also provide another layer of flavor to the sauce and the dish.
- Potato and ham au gratin is perfect for feeding a lot of people at dinner parties, holidays, or family gatherings.
- It keeps and reheats incredibly well and is easy to make ahead.
There is a Cheesy Scalloped Potato recipe on the blog which is very similar to this, but I would say this potato and ham au gratin is a slightly cheesy, creamier and richer version of that scalloped potato recipe.
Ingredients
The beauty of ham and potato au gratin is that it actually is way simpler than it looks. It takes some time to bake for the potatoes to turn soft and tender, but with a little patience, it is totally worth it.
To make this easy potato and ham au gratin, we start with pretty simple, pantry staple ingredients:
- Russet potatoes: Other potatoes can be used as well. Sliced into thin 1/8-inch slices to create ‘scalloped’ potatoes. If the potatoes are too thick, it will take longer to bake and soften.
- Onion: White, yellow, or sweet onions all work.
- Salted butter
- Garlic: Use fresh, not garlic powder.
- All-purpose flour
- Half and half
- Milk: 2% milk or whole milk…because we want to make this creamy!
- Chicken broth: Adds savory depth to the cheese sauce alongside the dairy.
- Shredded cheese: I use mozzarella and cheddar, but feel free to use other cheeses that melt easily, such as Colby jack, Swiss, etc.
- Cooked ham: Adds smoky, savory flavor and is the perfect use for leftover ham! If you’re looking for a ham recipe, check out Pineapple Baked Ham.
- Salt: Important seasoning to open up the flavors in the cheese sauce.
- Fresh thyme: I love using fresh thyme when I have it on hand, but dried thyme works well too.
How to Make Ham and Potato au Gratin
To make ham and potato au gratin, you will need a 12″ oval casserole dish. That is the smallest dish that would comfortably fit all the ham, potatoes and cheese sauce.
Whenever I use the 12″ oval baking dish, it is filled to the brim which yields a nice and thick Potato and Ham au Gratin. That also means this is the smallest dish I would use. If you go any smaller, the potatoes and ham would just spill over.
You can go as large as a 9″x13″ rectangular baking dish. If you use this size, you’ll get a thinner layer and you can also reduce the cook time slightly.
(All the details on how to bake it using different size casserole dishes are captured in the recipe card below.)
Here’s a quick overview on how you make this delicious cheesy ham and potato au gratin recipe:
Step 1: Prepare Potatoes
Wash and slice potato. I highly recommend using a mandolin – it makes slicing the potatoes a whole lot easier.
Potatoes should be ~ 1/8 inch thick. If it’s sliced too thick, potatoes will take longer to cook and soften.
We are not peeling the potatoes which makes this process go a lot faster!
Step 2: Make the cheese sauce
In a pot on the stove top, combine cheese sauce ingredients together to make that velvety and creamy cheese sauce found in the potato and ham au gratin (a.k.a my favorite part of the dish).
Make sure to use a whisk to stir the sauce continuously so that the clumps are removed and nothing gets burned or stuck to the bottom of the pot.
Step 3: Layer ham and potatoes
Grease your baking dish, then add a thin layer of cheese sauce to the bottom. Next, layer with potato, cheese sauce, ham, and then repeat.
I do a total of two sets of potato/cheese sauce/ham layers, then top it with a final layer of potato and cheese sauce, then sprinkle with shredded cheese on top.
When layering the potatoes, make sure to do a thin layer of potatoes so that most of the potatoes are in contact with the cheese sauce. This is important because this will ensure potatoes cook through and are soft.
If potatoes don’t have liquid coated around them, it will take a lot longer to soften.
Making sure your potatoes are softened in your ham and potato au gratin is SUPER important!
If you have excess potatoes, don’t worry about it. Do not pile on the potatoes in your potato and ham au gratin just for the sake of using up all the sliced potatoes.
Step 4: Bake
Last and definitely not least, it’s time to cook our ham and potato au gratin.
It takes a little while to bake because potatoes take some time to become soft and tender. But trust me, it is worth every minute of waiting! 🙂
When you remove your ham and potato au gratin from the oven, it should be bubbly and making that glorious bubbling sound.
It is a dreamy, cheesy dish of tender, fork-tender scalloped potatoes, juicy ham, smothered with the best cheese sauce. The layers of ham and potatoes are simply divine. And I especially love the crusty brown cheese top.
So delicious your knees will weaken just a little at the taste of it.
Variations And Substitutions
- Cheese swap: Cheddar and mozzarella are my go-tos, but this recipe is very forgiving. Gruyere cheese melts beautifully and adds a nutty, slightly sweet flavor, while fontina brings extra creaminess. Swiss and Colby jack both work well too.
- Extra-rich version: For an even more indulgent sauce, swap half of the half and half for heavy cream. It makes the whole dish taste more decadent, but it’s completely optional.
- No ham: Leave the ham out entirely and add a little extra potato in its place (about a quarter to half a pound more) for a vegetarian side dish.
- Different protein: Cooked bacon, diced ham steak, or leftover turkey all work in place of the sliced ham if that’s what you have on hand.
- Add breadcrumbs: For extra crunch on top, sprinkle buttered panko or breadcrumbs over the cheese in the last 15-20 minutes of baking.
- Sweet potato twist: Swap half the russet potatoes for thinly sliced sweet potatoes for a slightly sweeter, more colorful bake.
- Dietary swaps: To make this gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour in the cheese sauce.
Tips and Tricks
- Slice potatoes evenly: Potatoes should be sliced into about the same size so they cook evenly.
- Use a mandolin: A mandolin makes it much easier to get consistent, thin 1/8-inch slices, which is key for even cooking.
- Coat every layer: Make sure each layer of potatoes is covered well with cheese sauce. Keep each potato layer fairly thin so most of the potatoes are in contact with the sauce and can bake through and soften. It’s okay to have a few leftover potato slices at the end – better to not layer them too thick.
- Check for doneness: This dish might need slightly more or less than 1 hour 45 minutes depending on the thickness of the potatoes and how evenly they’re coated in sauce. Check for doneness by piercing a knife into the middle – potatoes should be fork-tender all the way through, not just soft on the edges.
- Pick the right dish: You can use anywhere between a 12″ oval dish and a 9″x13″ rectangular pan. I fill my 12″ oval dish to the brim, so I don’t think anything smaller will work. The 9″x13″ pan yields a thinner bake, and you likely won’t need the full amount of time, so check around the 1 hour 15 minute mark.
- Cover with foil if needed: If it needs more time after 1 hour 45 minutes, loosely cover with foil so the top doesn’t burn. If at any point the top looks like it’s browning too fast, go ahead and cover it.
- Catch the drips: Place a large baking sheet on the rack below in case the cheese sauce bubbles over.
- Let ham come to room temperature: If you’re using cold leftover ham straight from the fridge, let it sit out for a few minutes before layering so it heats through more evenly.
- Prepping for guests: If you’re feeding a crowd, assemble everything earlier in the day and refrigerate, then bake right before serving so it’s hot and bubbly at the table.
Make Ahead, Storage, And Reheating
Make ahead: You can assemble this potato and ham au gratin ahead of time, cover, and refrigerate before baking. If it’s been in the fridge, let it sit out at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking so it’s less cold going into the oven.
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freezer: This dish freezes well, either baked or unbaked. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and then foil, or transfer to an airtight freezer-safe container, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. When you’re ready to eat it, thaw it completely in the refrigerator overnight before reheating or baking.
Reheating: Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350°F, or until completely warmed through.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can omit ham and add slightly more potatoes (additional 0.25-0.5 lbs), or just use the same amount of potatoes and it will be coated with plenty of cheese sauce! Cook time should be about the same.
Absolutely, any cheese that melts easily works well, such as Swiss, Colby Jack, gruyere, or fontina.
Yes! Absolutely. Make it ahead, refrigerate, and bring it out about 30 minutes before baking so it’s less cold. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour at 350°F, or until completely warm.
Yes! See the Freezer section above for the full details on freezing and thawing.
This usually means the potatoes were sliced too thick, or a layer wasn’t coated well enough with cheese sauce. Give it more time in the oven, checking every 15 minutes or so, and make sure a knife slides through easily before pulling it out.
Russet potatoes are my go-to because they’re starchy and hold their shape well, but Yukon gold potatoes work as a substitute too.
Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days in an airtight container.
It’s a natural fit for a holiday spread alongside turkey or ham, but it also makes a filling main dish on its own with a simple green salad or steamed vegetables on the side.
Yes, this recipe already serves a crowd, and it’s easy to prep ahead for guests. If you need even more, it doubles well in a larger 9″x13″ dish.
ENJOYED THIS RECIPE? Tell us what you think by leaving a rating and review below! 🤍
Other Potato Dishes
We love potatoes! Enjoy some of our favorites:
- Potato Casserole with Andouille Sausage
- Creamy Potato Bacon Soup
- Garlic Parmesan Hasselback Potatoes
- Mascarpone Mashed Potatoes
- Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes
- Easy 6-Ingredient Cheesy Potato Wedges
Potato and Ham Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 lbs russet potatoes sliced thinly, ~1/8 inch thick
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/2 white onion, or sweet or yellow onion diced
- 4-6 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cup half and half
- 1 cup 2% milk
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 2 sprig thyme
- 1 cup cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 cups ham sliced
Instructions
- Scrub and clean potatoes, then thinly slice potatoes into 1/8 inch thin slices. No need to peel potatoes. Set aside.
- Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium pot under medium heat, add butter. Once butter is melted, add diced onions and minced garlic. Sauté for 1-2 minute or until they are soft. Stir continuously. Avoid over-browning them.
- Add flour and stir to combine. Once combined, add half and half, milk, chicken broth, thyme (see Note 1) and salt. Stir and bring to a boil. Continue stirring and cook for a minute or two, or until sauce thickens.
- Turn off heat and add 1 cup of shredded cheddar and 1 cup of shredded mozzarella. Stir to combine. Remove thyme stems.
- Taste to see if sauce is to your liking. Add more salt if necessary to open up the flavors even more. Remove from heat.
- Grease a 12' oval dish or 9' x 13' rectangular dish. Add a very thin layer of cheese sauce to the bottom of the casserole dish.
- Add 1/3 of the potatoes to casserole, spread the remaining 1/3 of the cheese sauce onto potatoes, then spread 1/2 of the ham onto the top of the cheese sauce. Avoid overlapping ham. (See Note 2)
- Repeat Step 8 to create the second layer of potato/cheese sauce/ham. Then for the last layer, add the last 1/3 of the potatoes and the last 1/3 of cheese sauce. No ham in this last layer. Sprinkle the top with 1/2 cup of shredded mozzarella.
- Place oven rack at the middle of the oven and place potato dish on the rack. For the second rack, place it at the bottom of the oven, and then place a cookie sheet on it to catch any drippings from the potato dish. Bake uncovered for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until potatoes are tender when you pierce the middle with a knife or fork. (See Note 3) If potatoes are still not tender, continue baking covered with aluminum foil until they are tender. At any point, even before the 1 hour 30 minute mark, if the top looks burned or over browned, cover with foil.
- Remove and let it rest for 15 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Note 1: If using dried thyme instead of fresh thyme, use 2 tsp of dried thyme.
- Note 2: When layering the potatoes, be sure that most potatoes are covered with cheese sauce. Even though recipe calls of layering 1/3 of the potatoes in each layer (that is a general guideline), avoid doing a very thick layer of potatoes and have lots of potato slices not covered in sauce. Sauce will help cook the potatoes and make it tender. So adjust the amount of potatoes in each layer accordingly. It is okay if there are leftover potatoes at the end. It’s better to not layer them too thick in each layer, and have some leftovers.
- Note 3: If using a rectangular 9′ x 13′ dish, Potato and Ham au Gratin will be thinner than using a 12′ oval dish, and thus may require less cook time. Check at the 1 hour 15 minute mark to see if it is cook.
I love this potato and ham gratin. I’ve made it on its own for a weeknight dinner with a side of green beans and as a side dish with our Sunday roast!
That’s fantastic, Jacqueline! Sounds sooo yummy! Thanks for sharing!
Cheesy casseroles are so comforting and this potato and ham gratin is just that and so delicious! Everyone loved it and there wasn’t much left.
That’s wonderful that’s everyone loved this cozy cheesy potato dish!
This is such a comforting gratin! It comes together easily and the potatoes come out perfectly tender and oh-so-cheesy! Loved it!
Thank you Marie! I’m so glad it turned out so well for you!
Excellent recipe! Everyone loved it and many got seconds. The potatoes are creamy but not overly cheesy, and the flavorful was fantastic.
That’s great, Maggie! Thanks so much for sharing!
This dish is perfect for a cheese lover like me. Everyone enjoyed it. Very delicious recipe.
Thank you so much!
There is some lovely detail in this Potato and Ham Au Gratin recipe. It has quickly become a family favorite. Mmmmmm.
Thank you Jenny! Happy to hear it’s a favorite!
I ,ove everything about this casserole! I used leftover Thanksgiving ham and made it in a rectangular casserole since I don’t have an oval one. Delicious! Will be making it again, maybe for Christmas
That’s wonderful! So glad you enjoyed it and I hope it goes just as well for Christmas!
Great idea for using left over ham and looks delicious too. I will be sure to make this after Christmas while the house is still full holiday guests. Thank you for the great idea.
I hope you all love it, Peter! Let us know how it goes!
This recipe is so cheesy and delicious. It was a big hit for dinner- even my kids who never eat potatoes asked for more.
That’s great!!! So glad even the kids love it!
I love making this for weekend lunch when I have family visiting! They are so delicious and everyone loves it. And they freeze amazingly well.
That’s wonderful! I’m so glad everyone loved it!
Is the recipe correct calling for only 1 lb of potatoes??
Yes! In my experience, if you use too much potatoes, it won’t be all coated in the sauce and thus making it harder to cook and potatoes come out a bit crunchy! We want to make sure potatoes are soft. Also, you’ll be surprised by how much potatoes you’ll have when you thinly sliced them! 🙂
I knew I had enough ingredients to make this, so it was perfect to whip up. However, my husband sent me the recipe and as I started cooking is when I noticed the cook time. So I improvised. Once I made the cheese sauce and sliced my potatoes, I added the potatoes to the sauce on the stove to simmer while I cubed my giant ham, added the ham a bit at a time along with a bag of peas. Stirred it altogether and I believe it will significantly cut down on cooking time. I did not layer it (as you can tell since everything is stirred together) but will top it with cheese when it gets closer to it being done. I put it in the oven for 45min so I will check at that point but I taste as I cook so Im stoked to see how it all turns out together!
I hope you love it Brooke! Thanks for sharing!!
What a delicious dish! I first made it at Christmas because we had leftover ham. It was such a hit with my family that they keep asking for it, and I keep making it because I love it as much as they do. It’s so creamy and comforting. The only downside is that there are never any leftovers – it just disappears.
That’s wonderful! So glad to hear that you and your family loved it!