Looking for an easy dish for brunch or dinner that everyone will love? This easy, Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole with Ham is the answer. It has just the right amount of creaminess and cheesiness, and is simple to prepare. It can even be made ahead of time, which is always a win. And it’s a great way to use up your leftover ham. When this dish appears on our table, there are rarely leftovers, so I’m sure your family will enjoy it, too!
I made this most recently with leftover Honey Baked Ham from our Easter brunch, and it was delicious. The sweetness of the ham complemented the saltiness of the cheese and created a nicely balanced dish. Most often, I would use regular baked ham, but feel free to use whichever type you have on hand.
Hashbrown Casserole with Ham and Cheese For Holidays
One of the best ways to stretch your grocery budget is to utilize leftovers. We often have leftovers from holiday gatherings in our family because everyone enjoys cooking and sharing dishes. Around Easter, we often have leftover ham from our brunch, so this recipe has become one of our favorites.
Our Ham and Egg Casserole is a similar recipe, and also a reader favorite. The cheesy taste makes everyone ask for seconds and the simplicity of the preparation process makes it perfect for those hectic weekends or last minute pot lucks.
Preparing Hashbrown Casserole with Ham
It is almost a tradition that on holidays people cook too many festive dishes and a lot of food usually goes to waste. That’s such a tragic fact for all our work and also for the planet. So, why not make use of those leftovers? This recipe is exactly what you need to reinvent your holiday leftovers. So take a peek in the freezer and pull out that bag of hash browns; it’s time to make them disappear.
Hashbrown Casserole with Ham Is Inspired By Breakfast Pie with Hashbrown Crust
How did we discover this recipe? It was inspired by our Breakfast Pie with Hashbrown Crust. We changed the bacon to ham and instead of a crust, we simply tossed it together with hash browns and some cheese. Pouring it into a 13×9 baking dish allows the poured eggs and milk to make a special crust on top. The result – the Hashbrown Casserole with Ham. And we all loved it!
Substitutions
This recipe works really well with browned sausage, if that’s what you have on hand. You can use crumbled breakfast sausage or chop up links or patties to include. I like the added spiciness and savory notes the sausage add.
For a vegetarian version, I always opt for adding in additional vegetables rather than meat substitutes. This recipe is awesome with chopped mushrooms and bell peppers substituted for the ham. If you use sautéed veggies first to caramelize them, the flavor is even better! I have never used vegan ham, which uses seitan for the protein, but I’ve been told that it creates a surprisingly similar texture and taste to ham.
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Delicious Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole with Ham Recipe
Ingredients
30 oz package shredded Hashbrowns (thawed and drained)
1 cup diced ham, thick cut
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (reserve ½ cup for last step)
8 oz sour cream
½ cup diced onion
½ cup butter melted
½ teaspoon white pepper
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ cup milk
4 eggs
½ cup sliced green onions for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease 9×13” pan.
- Whisk eggs and milk together in large bowl
- Add all ingredients except for reserved cheese and combine.
- Spread in the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese and cover with foil.
- Bake for 45 minutes until bubbly.
- Remove foil and bake 10-15 minutes more to brown the cheese on top.
- Sprinkle with green onions and serve.
Frequently Asked Questions Hashbrown Casserole
Hashbrown casseroles can be healthy if you don’t add too many extra fats to them. That is because the dish is filled with many nutrients and vitamins that will keep you full and healthy.
Yes, there are eggs in the Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole. It contains eggs, cheese, tomatoes, bacon, onions, and much more. The dish is hearty and will keep you full for a long time.
Yes, you can freeze a hashbrown casserole that contains sour cream. The cream will not go bad and taste fresh when you reheat it. Be sure to cover it and then store it in an airtight container so that the casserole’s quality can remain intact.
You can make the hashbrown casserole ahead of time and freeze it for use later on and it actually works very well. Seal it with foil or an airtight container before freezing and allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight before baking.
The sky is the limit when it comes to making hashbrown casseroles. For the ham in this recipe, you can use substitute ingredients such as sausage, bacon, mushrooms, bell peppers. Some people like to sprinkle cornflakes, or crushed potato chips on top for added crunch. Instead of sour cream, you could use Greek yogurt in this recipe. You can also use Cream of Chicken or Cream of Mushroom soup in place of the eggs and milk in this recipe.
The hashbrown casserole originated in America. It began in the Midwest and made its way across the country. It was a great way for people to share meals and create something easy for the family.
You can create the hashbrown casserole using any protein option that you like. This includes ham, sausage, bacon, chorizo, and seitan.
Yes, there are many brands that sell frozen hashbrown casserole that you can purchase. You can visit the nearest store in your region and check the selection that they have to offer. Be sure to follow instructions for the best outcome.
You can reheat the hashbrown casserole by covering the pan with some foil and placing it in an oven of 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake it for fifteen to twenty minutes until it is completely heated through.
You can also freeze your hashbrown casserole to make it last longer. As a rule of thumb, the frozen hashbrown casserole will last between two and three months in the freezer. Be sure to allow the casserole to cool at room temperature before you freeze it and wrap tightly in foil or another airtight container.
If your hashbrown casserole is soggy, then it probably contains excess moisture. You have to drain the thawed hashbrowns of any moisture before you can use them for the casserole. We recommend that you dry them well to avoid this issue.
After storing the leftover hashbrown casserole in the fridge, you can ensure that the storage method is airtight. If that is the case, then the casserole will last for three days.
Yes, you can use fresh potatoes when creating a hashbrown casserole at home. However, you will have to shred the potatoes and turn them into hashbrowns before you can use them in the dish. Doing this will increase the time and effort you need to put in when creating the dish.
You will know that a hashbrown casserole is done when the edges are crisp, and it is brown from the top. This process will take at least forty-five minutes once you put the dish in the oven for baking. You can also put a knife, and if it comes out clean, then it means the casserole is done.
Yes, we recommend that you thaw the hashbrowns before you proceed to cook them in the casserole. If you cook them frozen, they might cook unevenly.
It will take you an hour to cook this hashbrown casserole dish. Even if you are having a busy day, you can easily cook this dish without any issues. You can also create it, refrigerate it, and then use the dish throughout the day.
The carbohydrate content depends on the type of hashbrown casserole you make at home. However, you can expect to have anywhere between 24 and 30 grams of carbohydrates in one serving. Homemade hashbrown casseroles will be healthier with a lower-carb serving.
Happy Holidays!
Finally, we wish you wonderful and also delicious holidays with all your loved ones! Keep in mind to ask all your further questions in the comments section. We are here for you! Also, don’t hesitate to share your tasty experiences with us.
30 Comments
I had to much mixture left over, could I freeze the rest for later.
Yes Michelle, you can freeze the casserole.
~Liz
If you add onion do you salute them first?
I add half of a large sweet onion. I’ve sauteed it and I’ve added it raw. Both ways are fine so I just add it raw now. I do mince it so if you’re adding larger pieces, I’d probably saute it.
I’ve also swapped out browned and drained ground breakfast sausage for the ham. A little greasier, but still delicious.
I am always looking for breakfast ideas! Thanks!!
This is SO very good! Thank you for this! No “cream of something” soup and no sour cream! Those are fine but sometimes simplicity tastes better. You truly taste the potatoes and ham in this dish, not just the “stuff” holding it together. KEEPER!!!
Great way to use up leftover ham from Easter! Thank you for sharing at The Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop! A definite PIN!
Thanks so much!
My family likes spicier dishes. When the melted butter was in the mixing dish, I added dried onion, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and Cajun spice then added hash browns. I then followed bother rest of the recipe exactly. It was good and my kids want it again.
Made this last night and cooked it up this morning for a baby shower. It was a big hit! I didn’t have quite 3 cups of ham, but just threw in what I had. I also added some chopped onions. Delicious! Thanks for posting!
So glad you hear you all liked it! Congrats on the baby!
~Liz
Love this recipe. I’ve modified it with breakfast meat. I divide the recipe in two and make one with sausage and bacon for my husband and then one with fake sausage for me (I’m vegetarian). Tastes great and I love the leftovers.
Made this for dinner tonight and it was fantastic! Even my picky eater husband loved it. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Yay! Glad everyone liked it!
This was an and very tasty recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I question the instructions to bake it for 45 min then cover it with foil? By then the pan is extremely hot and you have an excellent recipe for serious burn.
Do I freeze it before or after I bake it?
Can you make two and freeze one for a later date?
Do the hashbrowns have to be shredded?
I See you said we can freeze it. Do we bake it first then freeze it. Or just freeze after prepared? Then what do we cook it for? Thanks.
This took longer than 60 minutes to cook. At 60 minutes the test knife came out fully wet. The eggs hadn’t cook through and to hash browns were mushy. I would suggest either a higher oven temperature, perhaps 400*, or at least 75 minutes cooking at 350*. that should give the casserole a nice toasty look and be fully cooked.
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Excellent recipe! I made this Christmas morning and it was a huge hit! Added sautéed onions and bell peppers! DELISH!
I was wondering instead if milk could you use heavy whipping cream?
Hi Ken,
You could use the heavy whipping cream as a substituent but keep in mind that the result will be a bit more …heavy 🙂 it will be more dense
Has anyone used bacon instead of ham? If so, approximately how much bacon.
Can this be made in a crock pot?
Hi, Christine
For sure you can try to make it in a crockpot! Make sure to let us know how it went afterward! We`d be very happy to hear back from you.
I scrolled through this post several times and there is no recipe. Am i missing something?
Thank you
Hi Laura,
Hmm…when we updated the theme recently, the recipe card did not transfer. Sorry about that! The recipe is posted now. I hope you enjoy it!
Colleen