One-Pot Wonders

No Dairy Ham and Potato Gratin

March 31, 2021
5
9 Ratings
Photo by Windischgirl
  • Serves 6-8
Author Notes

Kids. Their food preferences are unpredictable. I could try to explain that #2 son is cheese-phobic, but I'd rather share my recipe for this no-milk, no-cheese main dish. My family finds it "more-ish": have a serving, and all you want is more.
The inspiration came from a very cheesy gratin in William-Sonoma's "Complete Seasonal Cookbook." —Windischgirl

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • Sauce
  • 3 1/2-4 1/2 cups Chicken broth, divided, heated; homemade is nice!
  • 4 tablespoons Vegetable oil
  • 6 tablespoons All-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme, or 2 tsp dried
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh parsley, minced
  • 1 tablespoon Fresh chives, minced
  • Lemon juice to taste
  • Gratin
  • 1 pound Ham, in a chunk; low-sodium preferred
  • 3 1/2 pounds Potatoes
Directions
  1. Sauce
  2. In a medium sized heavy saucepan, heat the oil. Stir in the flour to make a roux paste. Turn down the heat and continue stirring for 2 minutes; do not brown. Gradually whisk in 3 1/2 cups of the heated broth, turn up the heat, and simmer for 5 min, or until the mixture begins to thicken.
  3. Remove the pan from the heat. Whisk in the mustard, then add the herbs and salt and pepper to taste. Add a squeeze of lemon juice to brighten the flavors. Cover and set aside.
  1. Gratin
  2. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
  3. Cut the ham into 1/4 inch dice. Scrub the potatoes well and cut them into 1/4 inch rounds. Layer a fourth of the potatoes in the baking pan and scatter 1/4 of the ham on top. Repeat, alternating layers.
  4. Gently pour the thickened broth over the potatoes. Shake the pan to distribute the broth evenly. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Test for doneness, add a bit more hot broth if it seems dry, then remove foil and continue to bake until the potatoes are browned and test done, about another 30-45 minutes.
  5. Serve hot...although leftovers reheat well.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Windischgirl
    Windischgirl
  • Krit44
    Krit44
  • James
    James

4 Reviews

Krit44 January 26, 2023
I made this tonight and it turned out great. I was in a time crunch so I upped the temp to 400 and baked 30 min covered and 15 min uncovered, turned out perfect. I also sauteed chopped onion and bell pepper in the oil before adding the flour. Paired great with our green beans we canned last summer. Thank you for the dairy free recipe!
 
Windischgirl January 26, 2023
Krit, glad you enjoyed it! I bet the onion and bell pepper added great flavors (we have a lot of food allergies so can’t eat alliums, but I fully support their inclusion!)
 
James January 2, 2022
It's hard to find casseroles without cheese or cream. This was delicious and a good way to use leftover ham, but great even with just potatoes.
 
Windischgirl January 2, 2022
Glad you enjoyed it, James! With some folks now having dairy intolerances, it’s good to have tasty options. (This would be easy to make GF by subbing in cassava flour or a GF blend in the roux).
FWIW, the cheese-phobic son moved to Switzerland (!) last year and is starting to explore their cheese repertoire. LOL.