Gruyere and Ham Potato Stacks

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Need an easy potato side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas? Make these Cheesy Ham and Potato Stacks!

If you can slice and layer, then you can make these cheesy, creamy Gruyere and Ham Potato Stacks. The perfect impressive side dish of sliced potatoes coated in buttery herbs and heavy cream, stacked with layers of ham and Gruyere.

Gruyere and Ham Potato Stacks on a white plate.

Cheesy Potato Stacks Recipe

All special occasion dinners require some sort of potatoes, from Company Mashed Potatoes to Roasted Hasselback Sweet Potatoes to Potatoes Au Gratin with Bacon to these Gruyere and Ham Potato Stacks. If anything ever said special occasion Valentine’s dinner, it’s these deceptively gourmet melt in your mouth morsels. You need them in your culinary back pocket — and in your mouth.

A potato side dish that is both elegant and adorable at the same time. A side dish that screams fine dining perfection but requires virtually no skills to make.

Just looking at them makes me smile. And consuming them makes me giddy. Sinking my teeth into layers of tender, buttery potatoes coated in parsley, thyme, chives, garlic and onion powder. Layered with thin deli honey ham, sprinkled with sweet, slightly salty, creamy, nutty Gruyere cheese.

Layers of more thinly sliced herbed potatoes and ham. Doused in heavy cream (because it’s Valentine’s and you deserve heavy cream), then cooked until fork tender and topped with more golden, bubbly Gruyere.

Hello, gorgeous. I’m so glad you’re mine.

Gruyere and Ham Potato Stacks. Filling bellies with love one tender, creamy Gruyere bite at a time.

Cheesy Potato Stacks Ingredients

These cheesy potatoes and ham stacks taste decadent, but they come together with minimal ingredients:

Potatoes: I recommend using russet potatoes for the best results.
Ham: I used thinly sliced ham from the deli, but you could also use leftover ham from Thanksgiving or Christmas!
Butter: You can use salted or unsalted.
Olive oil: I prefer using a mixture of oil and butter so these gruyere potatoes aren’t too rich.
Spices: I used a blend of dried parsley, chives, onion powder, thyme, and nutmeg.
Heavy cream: This isn’t a low-cal side dish. Embrace it!
Gruyere: Buy a block and shred it yourself for the best texture.

overhead view of cheesy potatoes and ham stacks topped with fresh thyme

How to Make Cheesy Potato Stacks

These cheesy potato and ham stacks are simpler to make than you might think!

Melt the butter, then mix in the olive oil and spices.
Add the sliced potatoes and toss to coat.
To a greased muffin pan: Layer 3 potatoes slices, 1 slice ham, approximately 1 tablespoon cheese, 3 more potato slices, 1 more slice of ham and finish with potatoes so the potato stack is slightly higher than the rim of the muffin tin.
Add cream to the bowl that the potatoes were tossed in. Swirl to absorb any remaining spices. Spoon 1 tablespoon heavy cream over each stack of potatoes.
Tent muffin tin with foil and bake until potatoes are fork tender.
Remove the foil, sprinkle with more cheese, then bake another 5 minutes.

process shot showing how to assemble gruyere potato stacks

Tips for Making Potato Stacks

To layer: You don’t need to be exact about the order the ingredients are stacked in. Just include all the components with ham somewhat evenly spaced in the stack.
Shred your own cheese: I always buy cheese in blocks and shred it myself. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with something to prevent it from sticking together, which can affect the texture of this dish.
Let cool before serving: These gruyere potatoes and ham stacks need to cool for 5 minutes before they can be removed from the pan and served.

Can I Prep Potato Stacks in Advance?

Yes! If you’d like to make these as Thanksgiving potatoes or Christmas potatoes and want to prep them in advance, you can absolutely do that.

I recommend prepping the individual components in advance, storing everything separately, and then quickly making the potato stacks and baking them off day of.

Potatoes: Wash and slice the potatoes, then place in a bowl. Cover with cold water, then store in fridge for up to 24 hours.
Spices: Measure out the spices and seal inside a jar.
Ham: Slice the ham and store in a container in the fridge.
Cheese: Shred the gruyere cheese and store in an airtight container in the fridge.

How to Store Leftover Gruyere Potato Stacks

Any leftovers should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container. They’ll last up to 5 days.

How to Reheat Cheesy Potato and Ham Stacks

I recommend reheating these stacks in the oven until warmed through. You can also gently reheat them in the microwave, but that may make them dry out.

Can I Freeze Potato Stacks?

I don’t recommend doing so since there’s so much dairy in this dish. I worry the potatoes would become grainy in texture once frozen.

ham and potato stacks on a white plate. the front stack has been cut in half to show the layers.

What to Serve with Gruyere Potato Stacks

Cheesy potatoes and ham stacks make a tasty side to practically everything! Serve them whenever you would serve traditional potatoes as a side. They pair beautifully with chicken, steak, pork or seafood.

Tip : If you’re serving these Potato Stacks as a side to my Brown Sugar Glazed Ham or Baked Ham with Cider Maple Glaze, feel free to omit the layer of ham, they are fantastic either way.

Looking for More Potato Side Dishes?

Total Time: 50

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 35

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Ingredients

4-5 medium russet potatoes peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
6 slices honey baked ham
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 tsp EACH onion pwdr, dried parsley, dried chives
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 tsp EACH pepper, dried thyme, ground nutmeg
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese

Instructions

Stack 3 slices of ham together and cut 4 squares to fit muffin tins (so you will have 12 squares). Repeat with other 3 slices for a total of 24 ham squares. Set aside.
Melt butter in a very large microwave safe bowl (if you don’t have a large microwave safe bowl, melt butter in a small bowl and transfer to large mixing bowl). Mix in olive oil and spices followed by potatoes. Toss potatoes until evenly coated.
Grease a regular size muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Layer 3 potatoes slices, 1 slice ham, approximately 1 tablespoon cheese, 3 more potato slices, 1 more slice of ham and finish with potatoes so the potato stack is slightly higher than the rim of the muffin tin.*
Add cream to now empty spices/potato bowl and swirl to absorb any remaining spices. Spoon 1 tablespoon heavy cream over each stack of potatoes.
Tent muffin tin with aluminum foil and bake at 375F degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake uncovered 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Broil cheese until melted and golden.
Remove from oven and let baked potato stacks cool at least 5 minutes. There will be some extra cream/butter around the potato slices which is normal. Run a knife around the edges of each cup and lift out using a spoon onto a paper towel lined plate. Garnish with extra thyme through the center of each stack (as pictured) if desired. Best served warm.

Notes

*You don’t need to be exact about this order – just include all the components with ham somewhat evenly spaced in the stack.

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