Once the mistletoe is hung, you know it’s time to start brainstorming all the get-together menus for serving at your upcoming celebrations. Add the Best Holiday Casserole to that list and watch your guests beam with excitement. Their taste buds will pucker up to the layers of white sharp cheddar cheesy potatoes and salty ham, all baked to pure bliss. Kiss your menu worries goodbye and find comfort in adding the Best Holiday Casserole to your must-taste list! It’s a tender and cheery, sweetheart of a dish!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more, to taste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
- 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, chopped
- 4 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced to 1/4-inch thickness
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 pound ham, thinly sliced
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Step 2 –Grease a deep 10×15-inch baking dish.
Step 3 –In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter.
Step 4 –Add the onion and the extra salt to the melted butter and sauté until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Step 5 –Add the flour to the onion and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour is blended in, about 2 minutes.
Step 6 –Add the heavy cream to the onion mixture and whisk to combine.
Step 7 –Add the milk to the onion mixture and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is just starting to simmer and thicken.
Step 8 –Add 1 teaspoon of the salt, the black pepper, and the cayenne pepper to the sauce mixture and stir to combine.
Step 9 –Add the nutmeg to the sauce mixture, then turn the heat off.
Step 10 –Add the Worcestershire sauce and the thyme to the sauce mixture and stir to combine.
Step 11 –Evenly spread 1/4 of the sauce out into the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
Step 12 –Shingle 1/3 of the potatoes on top of the sauce layer and season with 1/3 of the remaining salt.
Step 13 –Drip 1/3 of the remaining sauce mixture over the seasoned potatoes and sprinkle with 1/3 of the cheese.
Step 14 –Top the cheese layer with 1/2 of the ham slices.
Step 15 –Shingle 1/2 of the remaining potatoes on top of the ham slices and season with 1/2 of the remaining salt.
Step 16 –Drip just less than 1/2 of the remaining sauce mixture over the potato layer and sprinkle the sauce with 1/2 of the remaining cheese.
Step 17 –Layer the remaining ham on top of the casserole.
Step 18 –Shingle the remaining potatoes on top of the ham layer and season with the remaining salt.
Step 19 –Spread the remaining sauce over the casserole using a spatula, then sprinkle the sauce with the remaining cheese.
Step 20 –Bake the casserole until it is browned, bubbling, and the potatoes are very tender, about 1 hour 30 minutes.
Step 21 –Transfer the baking dish to a wire rack and let the casserole cool, about 15-20 minutes.
Step 22 –Serve.
