This ham casserole is creamy, cheesy, and super delicious - it's also a GREAT way to use up all that leftover ham! Yay for that! With some modifications, it's the perfect low carb, high protein, keto-friendly, gluten free dinner idea that everyone in your house will love.
Jump to:
- What To Do With Leftover Ham....Make This Leftover Ham Casserole Recipe!
- Leftover Ham Recipe Ingredients
- Ham Casserole Recipe Variations
- How To Make Ham Casserole Made with Leftover Ham
- How To Serve It
- Storage Recommendations
- Kori's Tips
- FAQs
- 📖 The recipe.
- More to Try from Seeking Good Eats
- 💬 What readers are saying.
What To Do With Leftover Ham....Make This Leftover Ham Casserole Recipe!
Besides ham sandwiches, what else are you going to make with your leftover holiday ham? I've got a really delicious family-approved cheesy casserole for you!
- Delicious. Ham and cheese just seem to go together. That's what makes this creamy ham casserole SO GOOD. I took this a step further and threw in some vegetables (onions, spinach, and cauliflower) - any opportunity to sneak in vegetables is great!
- Great Use of Leftovers. Got a leftover Christmas or Easter ham from your holiday dinner? Perfect. Use a ham steak if you don't.
- One Pot Meal. The perfect one pot meal for busy weeknights. Make this dish ahead of time and baked when ready. Use a casserole dish or even a cast iron skillet to bake this.
- Healthy. I think you'll love that this recipe is is very adaptable to many diets and restrictions - gluten free, low carb, keto, high protein, with no added sugar! So, on top of being easy, it's also quite healthy. Yay!
Leftover Ham Recipe Ingredients
- Fresh Cauliflower Florets - microwave from fresh or frozen. For frozen you should cook in the microwave until crisp-tender only, it's easy to overcook so watch them carefully.
- Olive oil
- Onion
- Baby Spinach - you'll love the freshness that the spinach provides - you can always squeeze in some veggies, right?
- Cooked Diced Ham - this can be leftover ham, or from a ham steak. Leftover spiral ham with thinner slices is fine too!
- Sharp Shredded Cheddar Cheese - mild, medium, and sharp will work. Monterey jack cheese can also be used.
- Sour Cream
- Cream Cheese
- Dijon Mustard
- Fresh Parsley - try different herbs if you want! Chives and thyme are nice
- Kosher Salt or Sea Salt
- Ground Black Pepper
- Pork Panko or Seasoned Breadcrumbs - pork panko is the low carb option.
For exact ingredient quantities, please see the recipe card below!
What cheeses go best with ham?
Cheddar cheese, gouda, swiss, monterey jack cheese, and havarti go best with ham. A salty ham pairs well with a creamy milder cheese such as jack, Havarti, and gouda. A sweet ham goes well with cheddar cheese, smoked gouda, and swiss cheese.
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Ham Casserole Recipe Variations
- Try out different cheeses. Swiss or gouda would be delicious too!
- Substitute leftover diced chicken instead of ham.
- Garlic powder or fresh minced garlic can be added.
- Make this a pasta casserole. If you're not following a low-carb plan you can add 1 cup of cooked pasta like egg noodle to absorb and thicken the sauce instead of using a thickener.
- Alternatively, you can fully replace the cauliflower with cooked pasta and a ham and noodle casserole, make a creamy sauce with cream of mushroom soup (or chicken soup) and a little chicken broth. This can be substituted for sour cream and cream cheese if desired.
- Mix a little melted butter with bread crumbs to make a crunchy topping.
- Don't feel limited to just parsley! Try a little thyme, chives, rosemary, and even basil. Give it a French spin with herbs de Provence or an Italian spin with Italian seasoning.
- Feel free to substitute broccoli for cauliflower - broccoli cheese and ham - YUM.
How To Make Ham Casserole Made with Leftover Ham
Prep
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease casserole dish with butter or use non stick cooking spray.
Cook Cauliflower
- Cook cauliflower florets in salted boiling water for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Tip: you can also microwave steam with a few tablespoons of water - whichever method is easiest for you.
- Run cold water over the cauliflower to stop the cooking. Strain cauliflower and set aside.
Saute Onion and Spinach
- In a 12" skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and saute onion until soft.
- Add spinach to the skillet and saute until wilted.
Add Remaining Ingredients
- Add ham and cauliflower to the pan and stir together.
- Add cream cheese, 2 cups of cheese, sour cream, dijon mustard, parsley, salt, and pepper. Combine all ingredients.
Assemble Casserole
- Transfer the mixture to a prepared baking dish.
- Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and then pork panko or seasoned breadcrumbs.
Bake
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the casserole is bubbly.
How To Serve It
- Adjust any seasoning to your taste preferences
- Serve with a side of rice or pasta for the non-low-carb followers in your home.
- Serve with a side of green beans or broccoli.
- Works perfectly for brunch, dinner, or lunch leftovers!
Storage Recommendations
To store any leftovers, let the casserole cool completely, then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. It can be frozen up to 4 months (make sure that the container is freezer-safe).
How long does a ham last in the fridge?
An opened package of ham is best eaten within 4 days. If the ham is unopened, refer to the expiration date of the package. Ham can be frozen if you don't think you will use it before the expiration date.
Kori's Tips
- Do not overcook the cauliflower or it will become too soft and break down in your casserole. Cook to crisp-tender only.
- If you want to cut down on a pan use a 12" oven-proof skillet to cook and bake the casserole.
- Be careful when adding the salt - some hams are very salty. While I added 1 teaspoon, you may want to start with less.
FAQs
Leftover ham is good for no more than 4 days if stored in your refrigerator in an air-tight container.
Yes, ham is keto friendly with only 1 to 2 carbs per serving - BUT be sure to check the packaging for hidden sugar! Many hams have sugar, especially those that have been pre-glazed. If the ham comes with a glazing packet the sugars will more than likely be in the packet and not on the ham.
A good casserole combines a variety of textures and flavors, protein and vegetables, fat (butter, cream, or cheese), and a binder (pasta, rice, flour, reduced heavy cream, and cheese) to thicken any sauces and "pull it all together."
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📖 The recipe.
Ham Casserole Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh cauliflower florets cut into 1" pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ cup onion diced
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 2 cups cooked ham (diced in bite size pieces)
- 2½ cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded)
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ cup cream cheese softened
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoon pork panko or seasoned breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease casserole dish with butter.
- Cook cauliflower florets in salted boiling water for 5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Run cold water over the cauliflower to stop the cooking. Strain cauliflower and set aside.
- In a 12" skillet over medium heat add olive oil and saute onion until soft.
- Add spinach to the skillet and saute until wilted. Add ham and cauliflower to the pan and stir together.
- Add cream cheese, 2 cups of the cheese, sour cream, dijon mustard, parsley, salt, and pepper. Combine all ingredients.
- Transfer to a casserole dish then sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese and pork panko (or seasoned breadcrumbs)
- Bake in the oven 20 to 25 minutes or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly.
Video
Kori's Tips
- Don't miss all of our helpful hints, substitution ideas, cooking tips, and other delicious recipes can be found in our post. Check it out!
- TOP TIP: Try out different cheeses. Swiss or gouda would be delicious too! Substitute leftover diced chicken instead of ham.
- SUBSTITUTIONS: Try different cheeses or herbs. You can also substitute diced cooked chicken in place of the ham. Sub broccoli for the cauliflower; Make it a ham and noodle casserole by omitting the cauliflower and replacing with cooked egg noodles or other pasta. Cream of mushroom soup or chicken soup and a little chicken broth can be used for the sauce. Omit the sour cream if used. Spiral sliced ham can be used instead of diced ham.
- SERVING SUGGESTION: Garnish with fresh parsley or other herbs. While it's not needed, those not following a low carb diet may want a side of rice or even a fresh roll.
Nutrition
© 2025 Seeking Good Eats™
If you've got ham be sure to try this Healthy Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole or Easy Eggs Benedict Frittata. Both are wonderful ways to use up leftovers!
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Leftover ham casserole is delicious and cheesy - and the perfect way to use up any extra ham! p.s. You actually don't need leftovers to make this ham casserole recipe. This gluten-free, low carb, and keto casserole is an easy family-friendly weeknight dinner idea.
Theresa
Can this be made ahead and baked day of serving?
Ruth W.
Very delicious! Hubby said we can add this to the rotation! His sisters were visiting us from out of town and they loved it, also! Made exactly as you indicated and came out perfectly!
Heather
Shame on me but I rarely leave reviews on recipes ... but this was super awesome! I took your tip and added pork panko. Only very minor change, since I had the frying pan out anyway ... I added the butter and then small ham cubes at a high heat to caramelize just one side. Thank you so much for such a great recipe!
Shannon
This is absolutely delicious! I followed the recipe exactly, using frozen cauliflower and frozen spinach. The only change I made was to use French’s fried onions on top instead of breadcrumbs. Totally delicious low-carb casserole. I will make it again and again. The whole family loved it!! First recipe I’ve tried here and based on this I’m going to try a bunch more! I detest the taste of vegetables but always try to eat them for health benefits. I was able to throw in a whole boatload of them and not even really notice since the casserole was so flavorful! Thanks so much!!!
seekinggoodeats
Awww you are so sweet! Thank you for trying out the recipe and I'm so glad you loved it!! I am convinced there are ways to make vegetables taste good enough that kids will happily eat them! When my kids were little it was a battle to get them to eat veg so I found ways to sneak them in to meals! LOL Fond memories. 🙂
Jeffrey
worked well. put crispy jalapeños on the top 5 min before done gave some spice and cruch to it.
seekinggoodeats
Thank you so glad you loved it! Great idea with the jalapeños - crunch and kick, love it! 🙂
Julie
My husband absolutely loved this! I made a couple of changes; I used smoked Gouda/Monterey/Jack cheese, fresh garlic instead of onion, extra black pepper, and dried parsley. I cooked it on the stove in my cast iron pan and placed it right in the oven, no casserole dish used. Will make this again!!
seekinggoodeats
Thank you so much! I'm glad you loved the ham casserole! Love your ideas! You inspired me to make it this coming week with smoked gouda. 🙂
Anne
When do you add the cream cheese?
Kori
Hello you add it with the grated cheddar cheese and sour cream. Thank you! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Jen
This was absolutely delicious. The whole family loved it and I will be making this again.
Kori
Thank you! So glad you and your family enjoyed it! My kids gobble it up lol! 🙂