Looking to switch up your holiday potatoes? Or maybe you have some leftover ham that needs a delicious destination? This ham and potatoes au gratin recipe is it. It has layers of tender potatoes, cream, smoky ham, flavorful gruyère cheese, and fresh thyme. This delicious side dish is fancy and luxurious enough for your holiday tables, or a delicious way to enjoy leftover ham or a bag of potatoes.

casserole dish with potaotes au gratin and ham

Tender potatoes, salty cheese, and smoky ham. 😍😋

Just six simple ingredients come together for a dish that’s worthy for holidays and family gatherings.

I originally created this ham and au gratin potatoes recipe for Jones Dairy Farm and their Thanksgiving guide, (highly recommend grabbing it for holiday hosting!), and they were kind enough to let me share it here with you!

😋 Seriously delicious: This casserole delivers layers of creamy, cheesy potatoes with smoky ham in every perfect bite. It’s the best combo.
🍖 Perfect for leftover ham: Or save some holiday ham so you’re sure to have enough!
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Feeds a crowd: This recipe is designed for the holidays and is a crowd-pleaser at family gatherings and potluck dinners.
🧀 Ultimate comfort food: Rich, creamy, and satisfying in a way that makes everyone feel warm and cozy.
🛒 Made with simple ingredients: This dish has big flavors, but the ingredient list is so short and easy!
❄️ Perfect make-ahead meal: Assemble hours or even a day ahead for stress-free entertaining and busy weeknights.

You’ll also want to try my cheesy potato casserole or slow cooker potato casserole next time.

Ingredient Notes

You’ll need some fresh ingredients and pantry staples to make these scalloped potatoes: russet potatoes, cooked ham (Jones Dairy Farm is my fave!), heavy cream, butter, gruyere cheese, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper.

potatoes au gratin ingredients with text

Emily’s Tips & Tricks

Pro tip: Use a mandoline slicer to ensure that the potatoes are cut thinly and uniformly. This also helps speed up the slicing time, which is the bulk of the prep.
Prep ahead: Follow recipe and bake for 60-80 minutes, without top layer of cheese on it. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender. Let cool completely, top with remaining cheese and thyme, and cover in aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Take out of fridge about an hour before cooking to come to room temperature. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-60 minutes, until heated through and cheese is golden brown.
Variations: I think the flavor is fantastic with gruyere, but if you wanted to use another cheese, Swiss is a great alternative. Sharp cheddar, provolone, or fontina would also work well.

Creamy au gratin potatoes with ham and thyme

Best Ham and Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe

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Author: Emily Dingmann of myeverydaytable.com
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 80 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
Yield: 8 servings 1x
Category: Side
Method: Bake
Cuisine: French

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Description

This ham and potatoes au gratin has delicious layers of thinly sliced potatoes, cream, smoky ham, flavorful gruyère, and fresh thyme.

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 lbs. russet potatoes, peeled and sliced with mandoline
6 oz. cooked Jones Dairy Farm ham, diced
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. sea salt
8 oz. gruyère cheese, shredded by hand
3 sprigs of thyme, leaves removed from stem (about 1 tablespoon), plus more for garnish
fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Prep potatoes. Wash, dry, peel, and thinly slice potatoes using a mandoline slicer.
Prep cream mixture. In a large glass measuring cup, melt butter. Stir in heavy cream and sea salt.
Layer au gratin. In a generously buttered (or sprayed with cooking spray) 2.4 qt. baking dish, layer about 1/3 of the sliced potatoes so they are slightly overlapping each other in an even layer, 1/3 of the cream mixture, 1/3 of the diced ham, 1/3 of the thyme, and 1/3 of the shredded cheese. Repeat with the remaining two layers, but don’t add cheese to the top layer yet.
Cover with foil and bake for 60-80 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Remove foil, top with remaining shredded cheese, and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until cheese is melted and golden brown. Garnish with thyme and serve with freshly cracked pepper to taste.

Notes

Make Ahead: Follow recipe and bake for 60-80 minutes, without top layer of cheese on it. Cook until potatoes are fork-tender. Let cool completely, top with remaining cheese and thyme, and cover in aluminum foil in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Take out of fridge about an hour before cooking to come to room temperature. Bake at 350 degrees for about 40-60 minutes, until heated through and cheese is golden brown.
Storage: Store leftover au gratin potatoes and ham in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat leftover potatoes in a 350 degrees F oven, a hot skillet, or in the microwave until heated through.
Ingredient notes: Use russet potatoes here as we want something basic with a lighter and fluffy texture, starchy potatoes work well. They become a bit softer when baked as opposed to waxy potatoes like Yukon Golds or red potatoes. We’ve used gruyère cheese for a creamy, but flavorful addition. You could use a different cheese, like Swiss, if you prefer, but I would recommend shredding the cheese yourself for the best quality and using the best cheese you can.
Special tools: Large baking dish (9×13-inch), mandoline or sharp knife, large saucepan, whisk, measuring cups
Serve with: Apricot glazed ham, roasted turkey, spinach salad, or French green beans.
Inspired by: Julia Child’s Gratin Jurassien (Scalloped Potatoes with Heavy Cream and Cheese)
For more family-friendly dinner ideas, check out my weeknight dinner playbook with recipes and weekly meal plans.

Serving Suggestions

This layered potato and ham dish is perfect for holidays, here are some serving ideas:

Mains: Apricot glazed ham, roasted turkey or chicken
Sides: Spinach salad, French green beans, roasted carrots, sourdough stuffing, hot honey brussels sprouts
Starters: Smoked salmon dip, cranberry jalapeno dip, baked brie with fig jam

About the Author

Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.

Food styling and photography by Loren Runion.

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