Learn how to make these delicious cheesy au gratin potatoes with ham!! Forget the boxed stuff and go for the homemade from scratch this Thanksgiving! I mean, cheesy sauce with ham and potatoes. What more can a person ask for in a side dish?! 😉
What you’ll need:
(4) 4″-5″ russet potatoes
2-1/4 cups milk
1-1/2 cups shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup diced ham
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
Wash and peel your potatoes and slice into 1/16″ slices or disks. If you have a mandoline, use it otherwise a knife works just as well. Put potato slices into a large bowl of cool water so they don’t oxidize on you. Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil on the stovetop. Drain the potatoes and add to boiling water and bring back to a bubble and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse to stop the cooking process.
For the sauce, in a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and add in the onion. Cook for 1-2 minutes and add in flour. Stir well and cook an additional 1 minute. Slowly add in the milk while whisking constantly until all the milk is added. Add in 1 tsp salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Turn off the heat and add in cheese and ham and stir to melt cheese and combine well.
Next, pour 1/4 sauce into the bottom of a 9″ x 9″ baking dish. Layer 1/3 of the potato slices in, top with 1/4 sauce and spread evenly across, followed by 1/3 potato slices, 1/4 sauce, 1/3 potato slices and finally top with remaining 1/4 sauce. Bake in a preheated 350*F oven for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let rest 15-20 minutes before serving to let sauce thicken and set up and enjoy!!
**you can make a double recipe in a 9″ x 13″ baking dish
***you can also assemble this the day before and bake the next day if you wish. Just let come to room temperature before baking or add an additional 10 minutes to the baking time.
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