I love this recipe because it’s super easy and tastes better than any cheesy potato casserole I’ve ever had. That could be due to the massive amounts of fresh Cheddar cheese in the rich, creamy sauce, but who knows? Most potato casserole recipes I’ve seen (au gratin or scalloped) use raw potatoes and bake the casserole for over an hour, up to an hour and a half or more! The potatoes take quite a while to cook so that lengthy time was necessary. But since we ain’t got time for that, my grandma boiled the potatoes whole and unpeeled first, for about 25 minutes, to cook them most of the way through.
This Ham and Potato Casserole is a delicious and very simple dinner! Ham and potatoes smothered in a homemade cheesy sauce! It makes a big meal and it’s not expensive to make!
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
3 ½ tablespoons flour
1 small onion
¾ cup milk
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
salt to taste
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar shredded
Other
3 pounds potatoes peeled and diced
2 cups ham diced
2 cups frozen peas defrosted
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese or to taste
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Over medium heat, melt butter in a saucepan. Add onion and stir until softened, about 4 minutes. Add flour and cook an additional 2 while stirring.
Pour in pour in chicken broth and milk all at once. Whisk over medium heat until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in cheese.
Place ½ of the potatoes in a 9×13 pan. Sprinkle with ham and peas. Top with remaining potatoes. Pour sauce over top.
Cover with foil and bake 45-50 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Remove foil (carefully, it will steam), top with remaining cheese and bake an additional 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are soft and cheese is lightly browned.
