Creamy Scalloped Vegetables and Ham makes the most of holiday ham leftovers all in a single-dish dinner everyone wants to dive into!
We trim the carb load with a mix of tender veggies layered with ham in a cheesy sauce and dust it with a crispy shallot crumb topping.
Adding Vegetables Balances Carbs in Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Ham and potato casserole is a classic post-holiday dish for using up leftover ham, which we love, but I wanted to serve something a little lower in carbs.
We chose butternut squash and cauliflower for added fiber and flavor which also closely matches the texture of potatoes. It is like a big warm food hug you can feel good about down to the last crumb.
Oh yeah, the shallot crumb topping … you’re gonna love the bits of crisp edges too.
Best Vegetables for Making Casseroles with Leftover Ham
Ham can be salty and a little sweet so select vegetables that will complement the strongest flavor in the ham. Saltier ham will do best with a wider variety of vegetables as they all tend to need salt to bring out their best flavor. Sweeter vegetables like sweet potatoes, butternut squash, parsnips, sweet onions, and carrots will help balance saltier ham.
Sweeter hams, like those basted with a sweet glaze, will taste best when paired with slightly bitter-tasting vegetables like asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, celery root, regular potatoes, turnips, or rutabaga.
I like to use Yukon or red potatoes with their skin on as there are so many nutrients close to the skin. However, you can peel the potatoes if you would prefer.
Suggested Veggie Combos for Creamy Casseroles:
- Potato (Yukon, Russet or Red)
- Sweet Potato
- Butternut Squash
- Pumpkin
- Carrot
- Parsnip
- Zucchini (use sparingly to avoid adding too much moisture to the cheese sauce)
- Cauliflower
- Broccoli
- Rutabaga
- Turnip (mild, baby varieties work best)
TIP: If adding vegetables with higher water content, like zucchini, keep the amount to a minimum unless you want a thinner sauce.
Get Creative with the Cheese!
Gruyere cheese is a semi-firm cheese that is easy to grate and melts beautifully to create rich, flavorful sauces for casseroles like scalloped vegetables with ham.
Consider using any combination of the following cheeses for maxiumum flavor and meltability:
- Swiss
- Provolone
- Pepper Jack
- Soft Gouda
- Brie
- Sharp Cheddar
- Taleggio
- Parmesan
- Asiago
How To Make-Ahead
- Prepping and freezing meals ahead is a cooking method I teach in our Monthly Cooking Online Course. This is how we recommend prepping this scalloped vegetable and ham dinner to bake and serve at a later time.
- Prepared this dish right up to the point of adding the crumb topping. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months (defrost before baking).
- When ready to cook, heat the oven to 375°F and bake the casserole for 40-45 minutes until the sauce is hot and bubbly. NOTE: If the casserole is in a glass baking dish place it in a cold oven and set the temperature to 375°F. Cook for 55-60 minutes, or until bubbly and browned on top.
- Add the crumb topping the last 20 minutes of baking time.
TIP: If making this layered vegetable casserole in advance, layer up the dish but leave off the crispy shallot crumb topping.
What to do with Leftover Casserole?
- Make ham and vegetable soup by adding some chicken broth to the casserole and warm it in a soup pot. Puree part of the soup in a blender (or all of it) until the texture is creamy and smooth.
- Turn it into a quiche for breakfast by layering the leftover casserole in the bottom of a skillet and pour beaten eggs over the top. Bake at 350°F until eggs are set, about 20 minutes (depending on the number of eggs).
Step by Step
Prep the Vegetables and Crumb Topping:
- Caramelize the sweet onions for 10 minutes, stir in the garlic during the last minute.
- Simmer the vegetables and onions in cream until tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the heat.
- Saute the shallots in another skillet until golden, about 10 minutes (this can be done while vegetables are cooking)
- Stir in the panko crumbs with the shallots to combine.
Layer up the Dish:
- Spoon 1/3 of the vegetables with some of the sauce into a prepared baking dish.
- Layer the ham on top of the vegetables and top with 1/3 of the cheese. Continue layering the vegetables, ham, and cheese, ending with a layer of cheese for the top.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley and the shallot crumb topping.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Variations
- Substitute the vegetables in this dish for your favorite vegetables (SEE veggie recommendations earlier in the post).
- Substitute cubed ham for sliced.
- Substitute smoked turkey for the ham.
- Substitute red onion for the shallots, or top with fried onions.
- Make it gluten-free—Use gluten-free breadcrumbs for the crispy crumb topping.
TIP: You can use sliced or cubed ham in this recipe with equal results.
More Recipes for Using Leftover Ham You’ll Love:
- Smoked Turkey & Bean Soup
- Roasted Cauliflower & Potato Leek Soup
- Pulled Pork & Black-Eyed Pea Soup
- Tuscan White Bean Soup with Broccoli Rabe
Scalloped Vegetables and Ham with Shallot Crumb Topping
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small sweet yellow onion thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 2 cups sliced potatoes unpeeled; cut into 1/8-inch slices (2-3 medium potatoes)
- 2 cups sliced butternut squash peeled; cut into 1/8-inch slices (about 1/2 pound)
- 2 cups sliced cauliflower cut into 1/8-inch slices (about 1/2 pound)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup minced shallots , 2 small shallots
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
- 10 ounces sliced ham
- 2 cups grated gruyere cheese
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 cup chicken stock OPTIONAL, to thin the sauce, if needed
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- FOR THE VEGETABLE FILLING:
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Once melted, brush a 9 x 11 baking dish with some of the butter and add sliced onions to the skillet with the remaining butter. Cook the onions over medium heat for about 10 minutes until edges begin to brown. Add the garlic and thyme; cook 2 more minutes until fragrant.
- Stir in the cream, potatoes, squash, cauliflower, salt and pepper, with the onions and bring to a simmer until the vegetables are barely fork tender, 10 to 12 minutes. (A little chicken broth can be used to thin the sauce, if needed.) While the vegetables are cooking, make the shallot crumb topping.
- FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:
- Saute the shallots in a skillet with the oil over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden in color, about 10 minutes. Remove from the skillet and allow to cool slightly. Toss with the panko crumbs in the same skillet to combine; sprinkle over the top just before baking.
- LAYERING THE DISH:
- Ladle 1/3 of the vegetables with some of the sauce to the prepared baking dish forming an even layer on the bottom. Layer 1/3 of the ham on top of the vegetables and top with 1/3 of the cheese. Continue layering the vegetables, ham, and cheese, ending with a layer of the cheese for the top. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and the shallot-crumb topping; bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
Recipe Variations:
- Substitute the vegetables in this dish for your favorite vegetables (SEE veggie recommendations earlier in the post).
- Use sliced or cubed ham.
- Substitute smoked turkey for the ham.
- Sweet shallots are perfect for flavoring the crumb topping. If you cannot find shallots use red onion instead.
- Make it gluten-free—Use gluten-free breadcrumbs for the crispy crumb topping.
How to Make Ahead:
Prepping and freezing meals ahead is a cooking method I teach in our Monthly Cooking Online Course. This is how we recommend prepping this scalloped vegetable and ham dinner to bake and serve at a later time.- Prepared this dish right up to the point of adding the crumb topping. Cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months (defrost before baking).
- When ready to cook, heat the oven to 375°F and bake the casserole for 40-45 minutes until the sauce is hot and bubbly. NOTE: If the casserole is in a glass baking dish place it in a cold oven and set the temperature to 375°F. Cook for 55-60 minutes, or until bubbly and browned on top.
- Add the crumb topping the last 20 minutes of baking time.
mjskitchen says
I love the way that you basically use what you have to make a delicious dish. It’s the best way to reduce food waste and usually ends up producing the very best dish, just like this casserole. What a hearty and scrumptious meal. Gotta leave those potato peels on; otherwise, what’s the health benefit of eating potatoes. 🙂 Great post as always Judy!
Judy Purcell says
Thanks MJ, I agree that those “use it up” recipes can be some of the most creative and delicious! The only trouble is most of the time I don’t write them down and when I set it on the table I let everyone know it’s a one-time-only (LOL) because I won’t be able to do it exactly the same way again. I guess that’s something home cooks have been doing for ages though.
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
A “warm food hug”…that sold me. It does sound good.
mjskitchen says
I love how you made this so much more than scalloped potatoes. The added vegetables and ham make this a delicious and complete meal!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Veggies? Ham? Loads of cheese? Yes! This looks great. Love that topping, too. Good stuff — thanks.