Ham-Bean Scallop
Submitted by dqw50
Ham and bean scallop bakes creamy navy beans with diced ham and sharp cheddar under a buttery breadcrumb crust. A freezer-friendly casserole that makes four meals from one batch.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
120 minCOOK
3 hrsREADY
5 hrsThis old-school ham and bean casserole is built for batch cooking. One big pot of navy beans gets split across four pans, letting you bake one tonight and stash the rest in the freezer for those weeks when dinner needs to happen fast.
The sauce is essentially a mustard-spiked béchamel: butter and flour cook into a blond roux with sweet bell pepper and onion, then the bean cooking liquid and milk thicken slowly into something silky. Dry mustard is the quiet workhorse here, cutting through the richness of the cheddar and diced ham so each bite lands savory instead of heavy.
A quick breadcrumb-and-butter topping goes on just before baking, turning crisp and golden while the filling bubbles at the edges. If you’re freezing, skip the topping until reheat day so it stays crunchy.
Kitchen Tips
- Don’t skip the two-minute boil before soaking. It jumpstarts the beans and gives you more reliable tenderness than a cold overnight soak alone.
- Save every drop of bean cooking liquid. That starchy broth is what gives the sauce body, plain water won’t give you the same silky texture.
- Freeze pans uncovered first until solid, then wrap tightly. This prevents the wrap from sticking to warm filling and tearing later.
Variations
- Swap half the cheddar for smoky gouda or gruyère for a deeper, nuttier sauce.
- Use smoked turkey or leftover chicken instead of ham for a lighter spin.
- Stir in a spoon of Dijon at the end for extra tang if dry mustard feels too subtle.
Ingredients
Directions
Line four 8×8×2-inch baking pans with heat-resistant freezer wrap.
Allow enough extra wrap to fold over top.
Use one pan for each six servings or one-fourth of the recipe.
Do not line pans for food to be served without freezing.
Add beans to boiling water; return to boiling.
Boil beans 2 minutes;then soak beans 1 hour (or overnight, if preferred).
Add salt to beans.
Cook beans slowly until tender, about 1½ hours.
Drain; save cooking liquid.
Cook onion and green pepper in fat about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in flour and mustard.
Add enough milk to the reserved bean liquid to make 1½ quarts.
Add the bean liquid and milk slowly to the vegetable mixture.
Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
Stir in beans, cheese, and ham.
Pour one-fourth of mixture into each baking pan.
Pack food tightly to avoid air pockets.
TO SERVE WITHOUT FREEZING: Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃) F..
Mix ¼ cup fine breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine for each= pan which will not be frozen.
Sprinkle topping over bean mixture in baking pan.
Bake 30 minutes or until crumbs are lightly browned.
TO FREEZE: Cool for 30 minutes at room temperature.
Complete wrapping by= pulling paper up over top of food.
Put edges of wrap together and fold= several times so paper lies directly on top of food.
Fold ends of freezer wrap over the top and seal with freezer tape.
Label with name of food,= date of freezing, and last date the food should be used for best eating quality (about 6 months).
Freeze immediately for 10 to 12 hours before removing packages from the pans.
TO HEAT FROZEN FOOD: Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Remove freezer wrap.
Place food in baking pan.
Mix ¼ cup fine breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine for each pan.
Sprinkle topping over bean mixture in baking pan.
Bake 1½ hours or until edges are bubbly, crumbs are lightly browned, and center is hot.
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