Here’s something most scalloped potato recipes don’t tell you: the reason your potatoes are cooked through everywhere except that one stubborn center slice has nothing to do with your oven and everything to do with skipping a step nobody talks about.
Raw potato slices and a dairy sauce don’t cook at the same rate, and asking them to finish together in one long bake is how you end up choosing between mushy sauce and undercooked potatoes. There’s a simple fix, and it’s the whole reason this version comes out evenly tender top to bottom. Here’s how it comes together.
Why You’ll Love It
- No more raw centers. A quick parboil before baking gets the potatoes most of the way there, so the oven only needs to finish the job instead of doing all the work.
- Great use for leftover ham this recipe was practically made for the ham sitting in your fridge after a holiday dinner.
- A genuinely cheesy sauce that thickens properly instead of turning thin and watery on the plate.
- Feeds a crowd from a handful of pantry staples.
- Make-ahead friendly. Assemble it a day ahead and bake it fresh when you’re ready.
- Classic comfort food that reheats well for lunch the next day, unlike a lot of casseroles.
Recipe At a Glance
- Prep time: 20 minutes
- Cook time: 50 minutes
- Total time: 70 minutes
- Servings: 6
- Estimated nutrition per serving: ~410 calories, 18g protein, 38g carbohydrates, 21g fat. These are estimates only and will shift depending on your cheese and ham quantities.
Ingredients
- 3 lb russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and sliced into ⅛-inch rounds
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar, divided
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 2 cups diced cooked ham
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley, for topping
Ingredient notes: Slice the potatoes as evenly as possible a mandoline makes a real difference here, since uneven thickness is the other common cause of some slices finishing before others. Sharp cheddar melts a little less smoothly than mild, but the flavor payoff is worth it; if you want maximum meltability, swap half the sharp cheddar for a young Gruyère or Monterey Jack.
Equipment Needed
- Large pot, for parboiling the potatoes
- Medium saucepan, for the sauce
- 9×13-inch baking dish
- Mandoline or sharp knife
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Parboil the potato slices. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the sliced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, just until they start to bend without breaking not fully tender, just partway there. Drain well. This is the step that fixes the raw-center problem most scalloped potato recipes run into: starting the potatoes partly cooked means they only need to catch up to the sauce in the oven instead of racing to cook through from completely raw, which is what usually forces you to either extend the bake time (and scorch the top) or serve slices that are still firm in the middle.
2. Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, until it smells lightly toasted and no longer raw. Gradually whisk in the milk and chicken broth, a little at a time, until smooth. Simmer, whisking often, for 4–5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Finish the sauce. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1½ cups of the cheddar, the parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth the residual heat is enough to melt the cheese without it needing to hit direct heat again, which keeps the sauce from turning grainy.
4. Layer the dish. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, layer half the parboiled potatoes, half the ham, and half the sauce. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, ham, and sauce. Pro tip: press each layer down gently as you go it helps the sauce distribute evenly instead of pooling only at the top.
5. Top and bake. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar over the top. Bake, uncovered, for 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling and a knife slides easily through the center.
6. Rest before serving. Let the dish sit for 10 minutes before serving it firms up slightly as it cools, which makes for cleaner slices instead of a loose, saucy scoop.
7. Serve. Top with chopped chives or parsley and serve warm.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Skipping the parboil and baking straight from raw slices. This is exactly the mistake that leaves you with a firm, undercooked center while the top browns and the sauce breaks the 5-minute parboil solves it directly.
- Slicing the potatoes unevenly. Thicker slices take noticeably longer than thin ones, so uneven cuts mean uneven doneness no matter how long you bake.
- Adding the cheese to the sauce while it’s still simmering hard. This can cause the sauce to turn grainy pull it off the heat first, as in Step 3.
- Skipping the resting time after baking. Cutting into it immediately gives you a loose, soupy scoop instead of clean, holdable layers.
- Using pre-shredded cheese. The anti-caking coating on bagged shredded cheese keeps the sauce from turning as smooth as freshly grated cheese does.
How to Store & Reheat
Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freezer: This dish freezes well, baked or unbaked, for up to 2 months. If freezing unbaked, thaw overnight in the fridge before baking as directed.
Reheat: Cover with foil and reheat in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes, or microwave individual portions in 45-second bursts. The oven method keeps the top from turning rubbery the way the microwave sometimes does.
Recipe Variations & Substitutions
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour in the sauce.
- No ham: Leave it out entirely for a straightforward scalloped potato side, or swap in cooked bacon for a different smoky note.
- Extra vegetables: Fold in sautéed leeks or a handful of frozen peas between the layers for more color and texture.
- Lighter version: Use 2% milk instead of whole and reduce the cheese slightly; the sauce will be a bit thinner but still flavorful.
- Different cheese: Gruyère, smoked gouda, or a sharp white cheddar all work well in place of the standard cheddar.
- Spicier version: Add a pinch of cayenne or a few dashes of hot sauce to the sauce for a subtle kick.
A Note on Nutrition
This dish gets its protein mostly from the ham and cheese, with the potatoes providing the bulk of the carbohydrates. Using a reduced-fat milk and trimming back the cheese slightly will lighten it up if that’s something you’re watching, though the texture and richness will shift a bit as a result. As always, these are general observations rather than medical advice check with a nutritionist or doctor for anything specific to your own needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes assemble the full dish (parboiled potatoes, ham, and sauce, layered) up to a day ahead, cover, and refrigerate. Add about 10 extra minutes to the bake time since it’ll be starting cold.
Do I have to parboil the potatoes?
It’s strongly recommended, since it’s what prevents the classic problem of a raw center under a fully cooked top. If you skip it, extend the bake time and cover with foil for the first 20 minutes to help the potatoes catch up.
Can I use a different cut of potato?
Yukon golds hold their shape a little better than russets and give a slightly creamier bite, while russets turn out a touch softer. Both work well here.
Why did my sauce turn grainy?
This usually happens when the cheese is stirred in while the sauce is still actively simmering. Removing the pan from the heat first, as in Step 3, keeps the cheese melting smoothly instead of separating.
Can I use a different meat instead of ham?
Cooked bacon or diced smoked sausage both work well as substitutes, though you may want to reduce the added salt slightly depending on how salty your substitute is.
Can I make this dairy-free?
It’s trickier here since the sauce relies heavily on milk and cheese, but a dairy-free butter, unsweetened dairy-free milk, and a meltable dairy-free cheese blend can get you reasonably close.
Final Thoughts
That five-minute parboil is such a small step to add, but it’s the difference between potatoes that are evenly tender all the way through and a dish where you’re crossing your fingers on the center slice. Everything else here is just classic, comforting layering. What do you usually serve alongside a dish like this a green salad, rolls, or something else entirely?
- 3 lb russet or Yukon gold potatoes peeled and sliced into ⅛-inch rounds
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2½ cups whole milk
- 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar divided
- ½ cup grated parmesan
- 2 cups diced cooked ham
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or parsley for topping
Large pot, for parboiling the potatoes
Medium saucepan, for the sauce
9×13-inch baking dish
Mandoline or sharp knife
Parboil the potato slices. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the sliced potatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, just until they start to bend without breaking not fully tender, just partway there. Drain well. This is the step that fixes the raw-center problem most scalloped potato recipes run into: starting the potatoes partly cooked means they only need to catch up to the sauce in the oven instead of racing to cook through from completely raw, which is what usually forces you to either extend the bake time (and scorch the top) or serve slices that are still firm in the middle.
Make the sauce. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 minute, until it smells lightly toasted and no longer raw. Gradually whisk in the milk and chicken broth, a little at a time, until smooth. Simmer, whisking often, for 4–5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Finish the sauce. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in 1½ cups of the cheddar, the parmesan, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth the residual heat is enough to melt the cheese without it needing to hit direct heat again, which keeps the sauce from turning grainy.
Layer the dish. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a greased 9×13-inch baking dish, layer half the parboiled potatoes, half the ham, and half the sauce. Repeat with the remaining potatoes, ham, and sauce. Pro tip: press each layer down gently as you go it helps the sauce distribute evenly instead of pooling only at the top.
Top and bake. Sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of cheddar over the top. Bake, uncovered, for 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden and bubbling and a knife slides easily through the center.
Rest before serving. Let the dish sit for 10 minutes before serving it firms up slightly as it cools, which makes for cleaner slices instead of a loose, saucy scoop.
Serve. Top with chopped chives or parsley and serve warm.
Easy Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes & Ham
Last modified: September 23, 2026
