Easy Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
This easy cheesy ham and potato casserole turns leftover ham into a creamy, comforting family dinner. Frozen diced potatoes keep the prep to just 10 minutes, while sour cream, cheddar cheese and cream of chicken soup make the casserole rich and cheesy without a lot of extra work.
Need something quicker than a casserole? Eat one of these easy 30 minute meals instead!
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This cheesy ham and potato casserole is one of those dinners I like to make ridiculously easy on myself.
Instead of waiting until we have leftover ham from a holiday dinner, I buy a package of ham at Costco, dice it, and freeze it in 1-1.5-pound portions specifically for this casserole. When it’s on our meal plan, I pull out a package of ham along with the frozen diced potatoes, and most of the prep is already done.
The casserole itself only takes about 10 minutes to put together. Frozen diced potatoes save me from peeling and chopping potatoes, while sour cream, cheddar cheese, and cream of chicken soup make everything creamy and cheesy without making a separate sauce.
It’s exactly the kind of dinner shortcut I love: a little prep ahead of time makes an easy dinner even easier later.
It fills a 13″ x 9″ baking dish, so there’s plenty for dinner with leftovers for lunch the next day.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe:
Ingredients for Ham and Potato Casserole
How To Make Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
Prep Your Ingredients
When you make this, melt the butter in the largest bowl you have so that you have space when adding the ingredients! It took me a few tries to figure out that the bowl I kept using was never going to be large enough. Now, I automatically go for the largest bowl tucked away on the shelf.
Assemble Your Casserole
Layer on half of the potato casserole mixture and then top it with the ham. You could mix the ham into the casserole bowl, however, you run the risk of mashing the potatoes too much.
All ready to go for the second half of the potatoes and cheese!
Bake Your Casserole
Bake at 350 degrees for approximately one hour until its hot throughout, bubbly around the edges and golden on top.
Serve immediately.
Tips for the Best Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
- Thaw the potatoes first. Your recipe already calls for thawed, diced hash browns.
- Grab your biggest mixing bowl.
- Don’t overmix the potatoes. Fold everything together gently so the diced potatoes hold their shape.
- Layer the ham. It distributes the ham throughout the casserole without requiring more stirring.
- Let it rest for 5 minutes.
For even more delicious casseroles, you will like these:
Can I Make Ham and Potato Casserole Ahead of Time?
Yes. I’ve assembled this casserole in the morning, covered it and refrigerated it until dinner. When you’re ready to eat, bake it as directed. Because the casserole is starting cold, it may need an additional 10–15 minutes in the oven.
Can I Use Shredded Hash Browns?
Yes! We often do this at home. You can substitute a bag of thawed shredded hash browns and follow the same directions.
Can I Make this Without Ham?
Yes. Leave out the ham and serve the cheesy potato casserole as a side dish for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a potluck.
What to Serve With Ham and Potato Casserole
This casserole already gives you ham, potatoes, and plenty of cheese, so I usually pair it with something simple like green beans, roasted broccoli, or a basic side salad.
If you’re serving it after a holiday, leftover roasted vegetables work well too.
This is one of those recipes that reminds me how much a little prep ahead can help on a busy night. Having the ham already diced and portioned in the freezer means there is one less thing to think about when it’s time to make dinner.
And if you do have leftover ham after Easter, Christmas, or another family dinner, this cheesy ham and potato casserole is an easy way to turn it into another meal instead of serving leftovers again.
Serve it with a simple vegetable or side salad, and dinner is done.
Easy Cheesy Ham and Potato Casserole
This easy cheesy ham and potato casserole combines leftover ham with diced hash brown potatoes, sour cream and cheddar cheese for a creamy, comforting family dinner with just 10 minutes of prep.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 1 (32-ounce) bag frozen diced hash brown potatoes, thawed
- 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 16 oz sour cream
- 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 pound or about 2 cups cooked ham, diced
- Optional: diced onion, mushrooms or sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Melt the butter in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the thawed diced potatoes and gently toss to coat with the butter.
- Fold in the cream of chicken soup, sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese.
- Spread half of the potato mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Add the diced ham in an even layer.
- Spread the remaining potato mixture over the ham.
- Bake uncovered for 50–60 minutes, until hot and bubbly and lightly golden on top.
- Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 451Total Fat: 38gSaturated Fat: 20gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 133mgSodium: 1006mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 21g
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This looks delicious! Perfect for using up those ham leftovers!
Thank you, Cara! It’s great for cooler spring days!
Have you made this smaller? Sounds so good but to much for 1 or 2 people. I’m going to try and see what happens. Also a good way to get veggies down kids by adding some.
This looks delish! And a great way to use up leftovers without my family even knowing they’re eating leftovers! 😉 Thanks!!
Thanks, Sarah!!
What a great casserole it looks delicious, thanks so much for sharing with us at Full Plate Thursday!
Miz Helen
Love a good casserole for the family dinner and this sounds perfect for a happy dinner. 😉 Thanks for linking up to Share With Me #sharewithme
Thank you for hosting, Jenny!
Congratulations!
Your recipe is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week. Hope you have a great weekend and enjoy your new Red Plate!
Miz Helen
I was so excited to see this! Thank you again, Miz Helen!
Can you make this a day or two ahead and bake when needed?
That is the only way I make it! I make it ahead of time and store it covered in the fridge. Once it’s time to bake, I place it uncovered in the oven and allow it to warm up as the oven preheats. I usually check it after 50 minutes, but know that it may take an extra 10 minutes since it started so cold. -Brit
I have been making the “cheesy potatoes” for years. They are great even if you skip the ham! I do top them with Kellogg corn flake crumbs just melt butter and add the Kellogg corn flake crumbs to the melted butter and spread over the top
That sounds really good!! Thank you for stopping by, Joy!
Second time making. Great with leftover ham and a hearty meal for a cool day. Thanks for sharing. A family favorite.
That is so great to hear April! I am happy that you enjoyed it 🙂
Can this be made with out the cream of chicken soup?
Hi Amy! I’ve never made it without the cream of chicken soup so I can’t confidently tell you ‘yes’ or ‘no!’
I used golden mushroom (Campbells) soup and loved it !
Love the recipes I try on here ! Linda P
Sounds delicious, Linda! Thank you!
Can you use fresh potatoes cut up small instead of the frozen ones?
Hi Faye! I’ve never used fresh potatoes in lieu of frozen, so I cannot advise how to bake them. I’d keep an eye on the texture of those fresh ones when you are baking.
This is my second time to make it. Today is my husband’s birthday and this is his favorite casserole. I used onion tater tots instead of hash browns and they worked great. I pulled them apart and did everything else as per the recipe. Thanks for a great recipe!
Happy Birthday to your husband!! That sounds like an excellent use of tots! Take Care!
Hi Brittany! I have made this recipe numerous times, so many that I have the recipe burned into my brain! Since the second time I made it, I have tried diff add-ins, taking out some, and just really being silly with it sometimes. It has never failed to please my husband, who is really, I mean, REALLY, critical of food. Thanks for a great, easy, and FUN, recipe!!! Here are just a cpl of adds, and a cpl of subs, that we thought worked really well…
Substitute crm of chicken with crm of celery, or beef broth. Vegetable soup also works well. Grab some French’s fried onions and spread on top for a little extra crunch.
Thanks again!!
Such wonderful ideas, Judy! Thank you for sharing with us!! –Brittany
I made this last night and it is a winner! Very simple using the frozen hash browns. I make a similar casserole minus the ham that I serve with ham. It has grated onion and the ingredients are layered. My husband loved it and said to make it any time. Thank you for sharing. This is a great pot-luck recipe too which I will be making next month 🙂
Hi
Can you leave out the sour cream?
Hi Lana! I haven’t made it without sour cream yet so I cannot say “Yes” or “No.” If you do, let us know how it goes and what you substituted on behalf of the sour cream!
This was a great surprise by using diced frozen potatoes. It’s a tasty change-up from the many, many similar hash brown potato recipes. While the ingredients are pretty much the same in making with shredded, I found the diced potato texture amped up this casserole to a better taste level, if that makes sense? Since making your recipe, I haven’t made the shredded one. This is just that good! About the amount of sour cream, I goofed one time and made it with one cup. Don’t do that. It needs the full amount for flavor and for moisture so the potatoes won’t dry out or taste blah. Thanks for letting me ramble but that’s how much of a favorite recipe this is in my home.
What is the calorie count breakdown…We are watching our weight!
Can this be frozen once prepared?
Hi Ester! I’ve never frozen this dish after prepping it. If you do freeze it, please let us know how it turns out!
I need to know how many calories before I can use this recipe!
It looks easy , adaptable and delicious!!!
Bonnie
What size can of cream of chicken soup do you use?
Can you use O’Brian diced hash browns in stead of plain. That is all I have. The casserole sounds really amazing. I’m making it for a car club.picnic we are having.