Easy Ham and Potato Casserole Recipe (great to make with leftovers!) (2024)

FAQs

What binds a casserole together? ›

The key to a good casserole is the sauce or broth that binds those ingredients together as they bubble in the oven, allowing the flavors to meld together into a harmonious, comforting meal. This can be something as simple as the McCormick Brown Gravy Mix used in this tasty Hamburger Casserole dish.

Make-ahead meals (especially baked casseroles) are terrific because you can completely assemble them in advance and bake them just before serving. They're the ultimate comfort food as they come bubbling hot and delicious straight from the oven to the table to the delight of family and friends.

The main ingredients for a casserole are protein, sauce, vegetable, starch, and topping. After that, you can just choose from each category whatever food is to your family's liking or what you have on hand.

Won't the potatoes become mushy? A: Once cooked (whole or cut) potatoes can be stored in water (with or without vinegar) without becoming discolored or mushy.

Stir in the liquid ingredients, such as stock, wine and canned tomatoes, and herbs or spices, if desired. Cover tightly and bake in the oven according to your recipe.

Let's talk anatomy: A standard dinner casserole usually includes a protein, a starch, a vegetable, a sauce (or other binding ingredient), and cheese. But making a casserole is not an exact science, and you can definitely break away from this formula. Check out some fun side-dish casseroles and desserts below!

Fresh herbs or citrus zest can also punch up flavors with a bit of welcome brightness for a long-cooked dish, as can adding some heat in the form of a dash of hot sauce, a generous pinch of minced or sliced fresh chili pepper, or a shake of red pepper flakes.

Generally, casseroles with grains, rice or pasta that will cook during the baking process are usually covered, for at least part of the time. Casseroles made of cooked ingredients are usually baked uncovered. If you like a crisper, browner top, be sure the casserole is uncovered for at least part of the bake time.

Do you cook vegetables before putting in casserole? ›

Soft vegetables like broccoli can be quickly par-cooked (aka blanched). If you are using hard vegetables like potatoes or carrots or other hardy root vegetables, you'll want to par-cook for longer. Often a quick 2-5 minutes in the microwave will just give them that great head-start.

In the United States, a casserole or hot dish is typically a baked food with three main components: pieces of meat (such as chicken or ground meat) or fish (such as tuna) or other protein (such as beans or tofu), various chopped or canned vegetables (such as green beans or peas), and a starchy binder (such as flour, ...

Since it came on the scene in 1915, Pyrex was designed to be oven-safe. These glass vessels, which range from casserole dishes to pie plates to loaf pans are all safe for baking. This being said, you do need to follow one major rule when using Pyrex: Avoid extreme temperature changes.

It protects your food from drying out or burning and helps keep in the heat and moisture, ensuring a perfectly cooked meal. Loosely covering your dish with foil can prevent uneven browning while baking.

Prepared cooked potatoes tend to lose flavor rapidly when frozen and should be stored for only a few weeks. Mashed potatoes are prepared as usual; adding butter, cream, sour cream, or cream cheese provides fat that helps the frozen mashed potatoes to maintain their texture.

After you've cooked potatoes, you can store them in the fridge for up to three days. You can also freeze cooked potatoes. Boil them for at least five minutes before freezing. They will last for up to a year.

Remember that the potatoes will keep cooking a bit from the residual heat even after the water is poured off of them. Gently pour the potatoes into a colander immediately. Do not rinse. Allow them to rest, cool off, and dry off until room temperature.

Some cooks prefer to cook potatoes before frying them. (We do. The texture is amazing!) This is also a great way to use leftover potatoes you baked or boiled last night.