Ham and potato cheese casserole in baking dish

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

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Ham and potato casserole is an old-timey classic, dating back quite some time. Recipe developer Patterson Watkins' take on cheesy ham and potato casserole, however, has a much more recent inspiration. As she tells us, "There's a section in my local grocery store that I'll call the 'meaty odds and ends'. Every time I've passed by, I see these lovely ham hocks, stop to admire, recall that ham hocks are awesome flavor bombs, and proceed with my hock-free shopping." When she decided to create a dish with ham and potatoes, however, she realized this was her big chance to put this pig part to good use. "How cool and tasty it would be," she thought, "to craft a ham hock broth, briefly simmer the taters in that broth, use that broth to make an even more flavor-packed cheese sauce, and use the slow-cooked meaty porky bits to further flavor-enhance the casserole."

So how did Watkins' experiment work out? The resulting casserole, an extra cheesy and extra hammy one, she assured us, was pretty awesome. "Ham hocks and potatoes go together like peas and carrots. Add creamy cheesy bubbly goodness, and now we're having a party." She noted that the dish is very versatile as casseroles go, since you could serve it for breakfast with a side of scrambled eggs or dish it up for dinner with a green salad.

Collect the ingredients for cheesy ham and potato casserole

ham hocks, vegetables, cheese, and seasonings

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

To make the broth, you'll need ham hocks, carrots, celery, and yellow onion. Other ingredients required for the casserole include butter, flour, heavy cream, half and half, hot sauce, garlic powder, black pepper, yellow potatoes, cream cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, and chives.

Step 1: Put the ham hocks in a slow cooker

ham hocks in a metal pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Step 2: Follow with vegetables and water

ham hocks and vegetables in a metal pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add the carrots, celery, and onions to the slow cooker and fill with just enough water to cover.

Step 3: Simmer the broth low and slow

ham hocks and vegetables in a metal pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Slow cook on low for 8 hours, or until the ham hocks are fork tender.

Step 4: Take the hocks out of the pot

ham hocks next to vegetables in a metal pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Remove the hocks from the cooker and set aside.

Step 5: Strain out the vegetables

cooked vegetables in a wire mesh strainer

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Strain the broth, reserve the broth, and discard the dregs.

Step 6: Shred the ham hock meat

ham hock meat and bones on a white plastic board

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Using a fork, remove the meat from the bones, and shred. Discard the skin, fat, and bones. (If your ham hocks don't have a lot of meat to them, you can use bacon as a substitute).

Step 7: Turn on the oven

hand touching oven temperature gauge

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Step 8: Melt the butter

butter chunks in a white pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Step 9: Fry the onions

onions and melted butter in a white pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Once melted, add the onions and saute for 3 minutes.

Step 10: Stir in the flour

flour and melted butter in a white pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add the flour to the pot and stir to combine the roux. Cook for 1 minute more.

Step 11: Stir in the liquids and seasonings

white liquid with black pepper in a white pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Whisk in the heavy cream, half and half, ham hock broth, hot sauce, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to a low simmer.

Step 12: Cook the potatoes

potatoes in white liquid in a white pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Once simmering, add the potatoes to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.

Step 13: Move the potatoes to a pan

potatoes in a white pan next to a pot of white liquid

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Use a slotted spoon or skimmer and remove the potatoes from the pot. Transfer the potatoes to a 13x9-inch casserole dish, spreading out in an even layer.

Step 14: Top the potatoes with ham

ham and potatoes in a white pan next to a pot of white liquid

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Evenly top the potatoes with the reserved ham hock meat.

Step 15: Mix the cream cheese into the sauce

white liquid in a white pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Remove the pot from the heat and add the cream cheese, whisk until melted.

Step 16: Stir in the cheddar

shredded orange cheese floating on white liquid in a white pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add half of the cheddar cheese to the pot and whisk until melted.

Step 17: Follow with the sour cream

pale orange liquid in a white pot

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Add sour cream to the pot and whisk to combine.

Step 18: Pour the sauce over the potatoes and ham

pale orange liquid and potato chunks in white pan

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Ladle the sauce evenly over the potatoes.

Step 19: Top the casserole with cheese

uncooked cheese-topped casserole in white pan

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining cheese.

Step 20: Bake the casserole

foil-covered pan

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Cover the casserole with foil, place in the oven, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Step 21: Remove foil and bake casserole until bubbly

cheese-topped casserole in white pan

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Increase the oven temperature to 400 F, remove the foil from the casserole dish, return to the oven, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Step 22: Cool and garnish the ham and potato casserole

cheese-topped casserole in white pan

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before garnishing with chopped chives and serving.

What to serve with extra cheesy ham and potato casserole

Loaded with rich, smoky ham (and a homemade ham hock broth), potatoes, and plenty of cheese, this hearty ham and potato casserole is the perfect weeknight meal.

cheese-topped casserole in white pan

Total time: 9 hours, 30 minutes

  • For the ham hocks
  • 2 pounds smoked ham hocks (about 3 ham hocks)
  • 1 ½ cups diced carrots
  • 1 ½ cups diced celery
  • 1 ½ cups diced yellow onion
  • For the casserole
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 1 cup minced yellow onion
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 3 cups half and half
  • 2 cups ham hock broth
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 3 pounds diced yellow potatoes
  • 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
  • 8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese, divided
  • ¾ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
  1. Place ham hocks in a slow cooker.
  2. Add the carrots, celery, and onions to the slow cooker and fill with just enough water to cover.
  3. Slow cook on low for 8 hours, or until the ham hocks are fork tender.
  4. Remove the hocks from the cooker and set aside.
  5. Strain the broth, reserve the broth, and discard the dregs.
  6. Using a fork, remove the meat from the bones, and shred. Discard the skin, fat, and bones. (If your ham hocks don't have a lot of meat to them, you can use bacon as a substitute).
  7. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
  8. Melt butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.
  9. Once melted, add the onions and saute for 3 minutes.
  10. Add the flour to the pot and stir to combine the roux. Cook for 1 minute more.
  11. Whisk in the heavy cream, half and half, ham hock broth, hot sauce, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to a low simmer.
  12. Once simmering, add the potatoes to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
  13. Use a slotted spoon or skimmer and remove the potatoes from the pot. Transfer the potatoes to a 13x9-inch casserole dish, spreading out in an even layer.
  14. Evenly top the potatoes with the reserved ham hock meat.
  15. Remove the pot from the heat and add the cream cheese, whisk until melted.
  16. Add half of the cheddar cheese to the pot and whisk until melted.
  17. Add sour cream to the pot and whisk to combine.
  18. Ladle the sauce evenly over the potatoes.
  19. Sprinkle the top of the casserole with the remaining cheese.
  20. Cover the casserole with foil, place in the oven, and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.
  21. Increase the oven temperature to 400 F, remove the foil from the casserole dish, return to the oven, and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until bubbly and lightly browned.
  22. Remove from the oven and set aside to rest for 15 minutes before garnishing with chopped chives and serving.
Calories per Serving 863
Total Fat 62.0 g
Saturated Fat 35.5 g
Trans Fat 1.3 g
Cholesterol 199.7 mg
Total Carbohydrates 50.4 g
Dietary Fiber 5.7 g
Total Sugars 11.5 g
Sodium 908.0 mg
Protein 29.9 g

The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

What are tips for picking and prepping ham hocks?

cheese-topped casserole in white pan

Patterson Watkins/Mashed

Smoked ham hocks can be found in the meat department of most grocery stores, often sold in pairs. For this recipe, you'll need three of them, so you may have one left over. That's not a bad thing — there are a number of reasons you should be cooking with ham hocks, but the main ones are that they're both cheap an

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