Ham and Potato Casserole (Whole30, Dairy Free)

With the time change quickly approaching and the weather gradually improving in the north, I can definitely feel like spring is slowly upon us.  With that being said, in my world, spring time goes hand it hand with "spring cleaning".

Cleaning out closets are definitely on my "to do" list as is clearing out freezer and pantry supplies.  Since there are only 2 of us in our household, we tend to have a lot of odds and ends in our freezer.  Ham being one of them!  I mean seriously, how can 2 people eat an entire ham?

This recipe was inspired by my husband, Mr. Grumbles.  About 10 years ago, we ended up with quite a bit of ham leftover from Easter.  As I was sifting through different recipes to figure out how to use it up, Mr. Grumbles talked about his family recipe for simply combining potatoes, ham, butter and paprika in a large skillet.

Sounding WAY to simple, I told him to have at it.  And boy am I ever glad he did!

After 30-40 minutes, he produced a delicious dish that I just new, someday, I would have to recreate.

Why recreate a dish if it was sooooo good to being with?

Well, first off, there was a lot of butter in the recipe.  I don't have a problem with butter, but I know many people that can not tolerate milk products, so I new I had to find a substitution.

Secondly, although it tasted really good, it did not present itself well.  Why does that matter?  Since I am a "newbie" to food photography and blogging, looks are everything! When you are trying to get your recipes out to a world wide audience, ugly food, regardless of taste,  does not create popular posts.

With that being said, I am including Mr. Grumbles original recipe along with my Whole30, dairy free version.  You can always divide the recipe in half and try both versions and let your family decide which one they like best!

Mr. Grumbles Ham and Potato Skillet Recipe

When I asked Mr. Grumbles for his recipe, here is what he said:

"Layer butter, potatoes, ham and sprinkled paprika in a skillet between layers and put a lid on it.  Cook it until it is done"

I am not kidding, that is his recipe!   When I asked how much of each ingredient, his reply was:

"As much as you want"

Then I asked how long do you cook it on the stove top... his reply was:

"Until it is cooked".

So, if you want to try his recipe, I have included the directions in the recipe card directly under my official Whole30 approved version.  Believe it or not, his delicious recipe is seriously that simple and you can not go wrong!

My Whole30 Dairy Free Version

I took the fundamental elements from Mr. Grumble's recipe, added a little more "sophistication" (sorry Mr. Grumbles!) and removed any non-Whole30 approved ingredients.  I added some onion, used coconut milk instead of butter, added some nutritional yeast and finally, layered the ingredients in a casserole dish and baked it instead of cooking it on the stove top.  The taste had a little more depth and was just as delicious as Mr. Grumbles.

Recipe makeover complete!

Serve this casserole with a dollop of either my Whole30 approved Simple Vegan Tzatziki Sauce or my Vegan Creamy Garlic Sauce for an extra special treat!

Ham and Potato Casserole (Whole30, Dairy Free)

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This is a great recipe to help you use up any leftover ham. By simply slicing and layering ham, potatoes and onion and then adding a coconut cream "cheese" sauce, you have a easy and filling dinner with minimal prep.

• Total Time: 60 minutes
• Yield: 8-10 servings 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 6-8 large russet potatoes, thinly sliced (depends on size so start with 6 and then slice more if needed)
• 2-3 cups chopped leftover ham
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup coconut milk (can substitute with almond milk)
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp pepper

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Generously spray a 9 x 11 baking dish with coconut oil (or other non-stick spray)
2. In a blender or by hand, combine milk, yeast, garlic,paprika, salt and pepper.  
3. Pour ¼ of the mixture into the bottom of the baking dish. Add ⅓ of the sliced onions.  Layer ⅓ of the potatoes on top of the onions.  Evenly distribute ½ of the diced ham all over the potatoes.
4. Complete a second layer in the same fashion.  At this point, all the ham should be used up.
5. For the final layer, layer potatoes, then onion and evenly pour remaining sauce over the top of the onion/potato layer.
6. Wrap dish tightly with foil and bake for 50-60 minutes.  Remove foil and bake an additional 10 minutes.
7. Lastly, turn the oven to broil and broil until starting to brown.

Mr. Grumbles Recipe:

1. Put as much butter as you want in a large skillet or low-medium heat.  Place a layer or potatoes in bottom of skillet, add a layer or ham, sprinkle with paprika.  Continue layering until all ingredients are used up.  
2. Place a lid on the skillet and continue to cook on low-medium heat until potatoes have softened (approximately 35-45 minutes depending on thickness of slices).

Notes

• Modifications to suit your tastes would be to add cheese to the top of the casserole.  You can also omit the onions if you or your family does not like them.  Also, regular milk or cream can be used instead of coconut milk or almond milk.

• Author: Cat and Mr. Grumbles
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Breakfast, Main Meals
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: Whole30, Dairy Free, Nut free
• Diet: Gluten Free

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 10 large servings
• Calories: 217
• Sugar: 2 g
• Fat: 3 g
• Carbohydrates: 41 g
• Fiber: 5 g
• Protein: 8 g