Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Sage and Ham

by Nancy

These cheesy scalloped potatoes with sage and ham are made with an easy white sauce and it’s a crowd-pleaser every time.

Here’s a recipe for scalloped potatoes that’s great when having friends or family over for dinner.

It not only tastes wonderful, but it also smells so good when it’s cooking.

Just before my friends come over for dinner, I like to have food cooking in the oven or on the stove that smells especially appetizing.

This way, they’ll smell delicious food the minute they walk in the door.

And this recipe is definitely one that falls into that category.

ABOUT THIS RECIPE

This recipe is made with russet potatoes, ham, fresh sage, onion, garlic, a white sauce and cheese.

And it’s baked twice…the first time the scalloped potatoes are covered in foil, and the second time they’re baked uncovered.

In total, the potatoes take about 1 hour and 25 minutes to bake.

For the Cheese

Unlike au gratin potatoes, scalloped potatoes aren’t traditionally made with cheese.

But I just couldn’t help myself from putting not one, but two types of cheese in these scalloped potatoes…Swiss and cheddar cheese.

The cheese adds flavor, texture and pretty colors to the dish…especially on the top where the cheese forms a light golden crust.

For the White Sauce

An easy homemade white sauce is added in between each layer of the potatoes.

The sauce is made with butter, flour, half and half, milk and seasonings.

And the white sauce adds a light creaminess to the dish.

For the Ham

This scalloped potato recipe is made with sliced ham that’s cut into about 1-1/2-inch-long thin strips.

But feel free to use leftover cooked ham or other cooked meat such as turkey or chicken.

Just shred the turkey or chicken into small pieces and add it with or without the ham.

Let’s check out the ingredients.

White Sauce – butter, flour, half and half, milk, salt, pepper and fresh sage leaves

Scalloped Potatoes – russet potatoes, onion, garlic, fresh sage, salt, pepper, sliced ham, white sauce, Swiss cheese, and sharp cheddar cheese

Additional Ingredients – olive oil (to brush inside the baking dish), fresh parsley (for garnish)

Baking Dish – 1-3/4-quart baking dish

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE

A printable recipe with the measurements and instructions is located at the bottom of this post.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

PREPARATION

For the Baking Dish:

In a baking dish, drizzle olive oil.

Using a baking brush (or paper towel), spread the olive oil evenly around the inside of the baking dish.

Onion:

Chop the onions.

Set aside.

Herbs:

Chop the sage…

…and parsley.

Set aside.

Garlic:

Dice the garlic.

Set aside.

Ham:

Cut the ham evenly…

…into about 1-1/2-inch-long thin strips.

Cheese:

Shred the cheese.

Set aside.

FOR THE WHITE SAUCE

Roux:

Heat a medium size skillet on low heat and add butter.

Continuously stir the butter as it melts.

TIP – I like to use a wooden spoon for stirring the butter and flour (roux), and a whisk after adding the liquid.

This way my whisk doesn’t get flour stuck inside of it.

When the butter melts add flour to the pan.

Continuously stir…

…the flour and butter until…

…the…

…mixture is incorporated.

To the pan, slowly add half and half, and stir.

To the pan add milk and…

…continuously stir.

Add salt…

…pepper and…

…fresh sage leaves.

Continuously stir until the sauce starts to thicken to a consistency similar to “thin” gravy.

Turn the heat off under the pan.

Remove the pan from the heat and set it aside on an unused burner for just a few minutes.

Potatoes:

With the skin on, cut the potatoes into about 1/4-inch-thick slices.

TIP – It’s best to cut the potatoes just before putting them in the baking dish because they’ll turn a light orange color fairly quickly after cutting them.

LAYER INGREDIENTS

First Layer:

Potatoes

To the baking dish, add a double layer of sliced potatoes.

Lay the potatoes so they “overlap” on top of one another.

Onions

Then add a layer of half of the quantity of chopped onions.

Spices, Sage and Garlic

Add salt, pepper…

…and…

…half of the quantity of chopped sage, and diced garlic.

Ham

Next…

…add…

…a layer of half the quantity of the ham.

White Sauce

Stir the white sauce that’s in the pan and discard the sage leaves.

Spoon half of the amount of white sauce evenly on top of the first layer of ingredients.

Cheese

Top with half of the quantity of both types of shredded cheese.

Second Layer:

Repeat the same process for the second layer by starting with another layer of potatoes (laying the potatoes so that they overlap one another…similar to a double layer).

Add onions, salt, pepper, sage, garlic…

…ham, white sauce and…

…both types of shredded cheese.

Then top with any leftover onions and, or garlic you may have.

Bake

Cover with foil and bake in a preheated oven (at 350 degrees F.) for one hour.

Then using hot mitts, remove the potatoes from the oven onto a heat resistant surface.

Carefully remove the foil and bake for another 25 minutes or…

…until the potatoes are bubbling hot.

Serve

Serve warm…

…and…

…garnish…

…with…

…chopped parsley.

Thank you so much for stopping by CCC!

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