Underground Ham Casserole is an Amish ham and mashed potato casserole that's hearty, comforting, and easy to make. It's made with tender cubes of ham in a creamy mushroom and cheese gravy, topped with mashed potatoes and browned butter.
This old-fashioned casserole is also a great way to use leftover ham and mashed potatoes after a holiday meal. It makes an easy family dinner when you want something warm and filling.
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Why You'll Love This Underground Ham Casserole
- Great way to use leftover ham and mashed potatoes
- Hearty and filling family dinner
- Easy to make ahead
- Simple, everyday ingredients
- Creamy, cheesy comfort food
How to Make Ham and Mashed Potato Casserole
- Cook the potatoes. Peel and slice or dice the potatoes. Place them in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Cook for about 20-25 minutes, or until they are tender and easily pierced with a fork.
- Make the mashed potatoes. Drain the potatoes and mash them while they're still hot (I use my hand mixer). Add the sour cream, milk, and seasonings, and beat just until smooth and creamy. Avoid overmixing!
- Cook the ham and onions. While the potatoes are cooking, melt the butter in a skillet. Add the chopped onions and cook until softened. Stir in the cubed or shredded ham and Worcestershire sauce, and cook for another couple of minutes.
- Make the gravy. Heat the cream of mushroom soup, milk, and cheese in a small saucepan, stirring until the cheese is melted and everything is combined. There's no need to bring it to a boil. (Homemade mushroom soup is also easy to make if you prefer homemade.)
- Assemble the casserole. Spread the ham mixture in the bottom of a roaster or deep-dish 8" baking pan. Pour the mushroom gravy over the ham. Drop the mashed potatoes by large spoonfuls over the gravy, then gently spread them to cover the top. Adding them in spoonfuls makes it easier to spread the potatoes without mixing them into the gravy.
- Add the browned butter. Melt the butter and continue cooking until it turns lightly golden brown and has a nutty aroma. Drizzle the browned butter over the mashed potatoes.
- Bake the casserole. Bake uncovered at 300°F for about 30 minutes, or until the casserole is hot and heated through.
Make-ahead Casserole
This Amish potato casserole can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight. And you won't need to heat the mushroom soup mixture before adding it.
However, you will need to bake it longer since it will be cold. I recommend baking this cold casserole dish at 275 degrees for an hour or until heated through.
Using Leftover Ham and Mashed Potatoes
This mashed potato and ham casserole recipe is a great way to use up leftovers.
Perhaps you've cooked a big Christmas or Easter dinner and ended up with lots of leftover mashed potatoes and ham. Here's a delicious way to use both of them.
It's ok to use leftover mashed potatoes even if they aren't made the same as in this recipe. If they seem really stiff, you can warm the potatoes and mix in the sour cream. Then use them to make this delicious Amish casserole.
And if you're looking for more ways to use ham, you may also enjoy my Amish ham balls with pineapple glaze or Amish ham loaf. Both are delicious, old-fashioned ham recipes that make an easy family dinner.
"Underground" Ham Casserole
It's apparent where the name "Underground Ham Casserole" came from because the ham and gravy are buried beneath the mashed potatoes. You have to dig underground to find the ham. 🙂
If you ever browse through an Amish or Mennonite cookbook, you might find interesting names for some of the recipes. I guess someone got bored with common recipe names, so they decided to get creative.
But the name for this potato ham casserole totally makes sense. 🙂
More Amish Casserole Recipes
Looking for more easy dinner recipes? You may want to try one of these Amish casserole recipes:
If you try this Amish recipe for Underground Ham and Mashed Potatoes Casserole, I'd love it if you left a comment and star rating below. Thank you!
📖 Recipe Card
Underground Ham Casserole (Amish ham and potato recipe)
Ingredients
- 6 medium potatoes
- ¾ c. sour cream
- ½ c. milk
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. black pepper
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 2 ½ c. cubed ham
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- ⅓ c. onion (finely chopped)
- 1 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup
- ½ c. milk
- 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 Tbsp. brown butter
Instructions
- Peel, slice, and cook potatoes in water until soft (takes about 25 minutes).6 medium potatoes
- Drain the potatoes and mash. Add the sour cream, milk, and seasonings.¾ c. sour cream, ½ c. milk, ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. black pepper, ½ tsp. garlic powder
- Melt the butter in a skillet. Add chopped onions and fry for a few minutes. Add the cubed ham and worcestershire sauce. Mix and cook for a couple of minutes.2 ½ c. cubed ham, 2 Tbsp. butter, ⅓ c. onion (finely chopped), 1 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
- In a small saucepan, heat the milk, mushroom soup, and cheese.1 can cream of mushroom soup, ½ c. milk, 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- Cook the 2 Tbsp. of butter until lightly browned.2 Tbsp. brown butter
- Pour the ham mixture into the bottom of a deep dish 8x8" baking pan or a roaster.
- Spread the mushroom soup mixture over the top of the ham.
- Drop the mashed potatoes, by large spoonfuls, over the top and carefully spread to cover the gravy.
- Drizzle the browned butter over the top of the mashed potatoes.
- Bake uncovered, at 300°, for about 30 minutes or until heated through. (If you make this dish ahead and chill it, you will need to bake it for about an hour at 275°.)
Anna
It's yummy!
Linda
I made this for my husband and me, and we were blown away how good it is. I only had 3 potatoes and left them just a little chunky but otherwise followed the directions. This is going into regular rotation for us!
Anna
Thank you for your comment! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Chrissie Odeen
Hi! Whole family enjoyed this!!!
As a #Suggestion: As a Mum, a Nutritionist, and a Chef, I have a couple of things to recommend (PLEASE don't take this as criticism!!) A. I never peel my potatoes, as all the nutrients are in the peels - and B. I always use red potatoes, since they're so gloriously waxy, and the skins so thin!! Sure, it makes a chunky "smashed" potato, but it's SO DELICIOYUS - for #5 of potatoes, I use #.5 of butter, and maybe 1/2-3/4 cup whole milk, that's all, and they're perfect!. C. ALWAYS cut potatoes 1 time, LENGTHWISE - potatoes absorb water on all cut sides, so giving it just a single side to absorb helps ensure they will never be gluey!!! D. Let the potatoes sit a bit in the colander (DO NOT rinse, you want that starch!). But it helps any excess water drain off.
Truly, I thought I was the mashed potato master until I learned about the single lengthwise slice - it really does make all the difference!!! And leaving it as a "slightly chunk smashed potatoes" made digging through to the diced ham/gravy even more delightful - bites of potato and ham in a heavenly bechamel (I'm allergic to onions, so I omit and just make a bechamel gravy without)? Bliss!!!