Cheese-Ham Casserole

This ham and cheddar casserole is the kind of practical weeknight dinner that stretches leftover ham into a full meal for eight. French-cut green beans form the base, topped with a homemade cheese sauce loaded with diced ham, chopped hard-cooked eggs, and pimentos, then finished with crushed herb croutons.

The sauce is a classic béchamel built from scratch. Butter, sautéed onion, and flour cook together into a roux, then milk and the reserved bean cooking liquid get whisked in until thick and bubbly. Using that bean liquid is a smart move. It adds a subtle vegetable flavor and stretches the sauce without making it thin.

Folding the ham, sliced hard-cooked eggs, cheddar, and pimentos into the hot sauce lets the cheese melt and coat everything before it goes over the beans. The herb-flavored croutons crushed on top toast up during baking and give you that satisfying crunch against the creamy sauce underneath.

Kitchen Tips

• Reserve the bean cooking liquid before draining. You need ½ cup. Easy to forget in the moment, and you can’t get it back once it’s down the drain.
• Boil the sauce for a full minute after it thickens. This cooks out the raw flour taste. Under-cooked roux gives the whole casserole a pasty flavor.
• Crush the croutons coarsely. You want chunky pieces for texture, not powder. A few whacks in a zip-lock bag with a rolling pin does the job.
• Don’t overbake. 20-25 minutes is just enough to heat everything through and crisp the top. The sauce is already cooked.

Variations

• Turkey version: Swap the ham for diced leftover turkey, especially good after Thanksgiving.
• Broccoli swap: Replace the green beans with blanched broccoli florets for a different vegetable base.