Save your leftover Easter ham to make this delicious ham casserole recipe! Filled with rice, peas, peppers, onion, and a cheesy sauce, it's total comfort food.
Caitlin BenselYields: 8 - 10 serving(s)Prep Time: 30 minsTotal Time: 1 hr 20 minsSavePrintWondering what to do with all that leftover ham from Easter dinner? Try making this easy ham casserole! In addition to the chopped ham, it's filled with fluffy rice, tender green peas, peppers, onion, and a creamy, cheesy homemade sauce. And what are comfort food recipes without a buttery, crunchy cracker topping? Out of all the leftover ham recipes, this is one your family will always look forward to the most!
This recipe is super easy and made from scratch! Start by cooking the rice with aromatic thyme, soy sauce, and chicken broth. After that, sauté peppers, onions, and garlic in butter until they're nice and soft. Next, make a quick sauce with flour and milk before stirring in sour cream and cheese. Fold it all together with the rice, ham, and peas, and top it off with buttery crackers and more cheese. Bake and it's ready to eat!
This recipe calls for pepper jack cheese for the slightest kick of heat. You could use monterey jack instead.
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1
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 13-by-9-inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
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2
In a medium saucepan, bring the broth, rice, soy sauce, and thyme to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover and reduce the heat to low; simmer until the rice is tender and the broth is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove the thyme sprigs.
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3
In a small bowl, stir together 1/2 cup of cheese, crackers, and 2 tablespoons of melted butter.
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4
In a large stockpot, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, poblano, onion, and black pepper; cook until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic; cook until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Whisk in the flour; cook until the raw flour smell is gone, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly add the milk. Cook, stirring frequently, until thickened and smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of cheese, sour cream, and salt. Stir in the rice mixture, ham, and peas. Pour the ham and rice mixture into the prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with the cracker crumb mixture.
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5
Bake the casserole until it is bubbly and the topping is golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before topping with parsley. Serve immediately.
