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Ham and Broccoli Casserole

This Ham and Broccoli Casserole is filled with rice, ham, and broccoli with a creamy white sauce, topped with a blend of pepper-jack and Colby cheese and Panko bread crumbs. It's a great way to use up leftover ham!
Author: Lisa Kerhin

Ingredients

  • 2 cups instant rice uncooked
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 – 3 cups broccoli fresh or frozen
  • 2 – 3 cups cooked ham cut into bite-size pieces

For the creamy white sauce:

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 3 – 4 cups milk
  • Salt and pepper

For the topping:

  • 1 cup Panko bread crumbs
  • 2 – 3 tbsp butter melted
  • 1 cup pepper-jack cheese shredded
  • 1 cup Colby cheese shredded (cheddar works, too)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with non-stick spray.
  • Cook the rice according to package directions. When done, leave covered to keep warm and set aside.
  • Steam the broccoli to almost tender. It will continue to cook once it is in the oven. You want the broccoli to still have a bit of a bite to it, not mushy. Once cooked, drain, and keep covered, set aside.
  • Mix together in a small bowl the Panko bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons melted butter. Set aside.
  • While the rice and the broccoli are cooking, heat 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the onion and saute until clear, about 3 – 4 minutes. Add the garlic and let cook another minute.
  • Mix in the flour and let cook one minute.
  • Slowly add in the milk (start with 3 cups), whisking constantly to get the lumps out and the flour mixture incorporated into the milk. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Whisk until it begins to thicken and then add the ham. Heat through. *At this point, you may need to add more milk (I usually add about one cup more) to thin out the sauce just a bit. It will keep thickening as it heats.
  • Once the ham is heated through, add in the broccoli and give it all a stir. Remove from heat.
  • In your prepared baking dish, spread out the rice and pour the ham and broccoli sauce mixture over the rice. Give it a little stir to allow the sauce to seep through the rice.
  • Top with cheeses and sprinkle with the butter-coated breadcrumbs. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until heated through and bubbly. If the bread crumbs start to get too brown, loosely cover with foil.