Ham and cauliflower casserole is the perfect way to use up that leftover ham! It’s creamy and rich, and so easy to make. It’s a crowd pleaser too.
This keto cauliflower casserole is the perfect answer to that age old question: what do I do with all this leftover ham???
If you cook ham for Easter or Thanksgiving, or any other holiday meal, bookmark this recipe now and don’t lose sight of it. You will be so glad you did!
Ham always makes so much. Even a “small” ham feeds a veritable army. And I am sure I am not alone when I say that the leftovers can be overwhelming.
So we need any and all recipes to use it up! Be sure to also check out keto ham and cheese scones, and keto baked asparagus for more tasty ideas.
Is ham keto?
So let’s first discuss ham, and whether or not it’s appropriate for the keto diet. The truth is that it depends.
Ham is a cut of pork from the thigh, and it’s usually cured for longer shelf life and preservation. It may or may not be smoked as well. So it really depends on how your ham is treated before you purchase it.
Many commercial hams are cured with a brine of salt and sugar, amongst other additives. Which means that some hams can have up to 4 or 5 grams of carbs per serving, even without the sugary glazes.
It’s important to be a label reader and choose ham with the least amount of carbs. Some can even have 0g, if they are cured with salt brine or simply smoked.
Ham and Cauliflower Casserole Inspiration
My husband’s brother sent us a gorgeous heritage breed ham from Zingerman’s for Easter. Of course, the very first thing I did was flip it over to look at the nutritional information. Phew, only 1g carbs per serving!
I am not a huge ham lover, but this was among the best I’ve ever had. Rich and flavorful, and no sugary sweetness. But as always with ham, it was far too much for one dinner.
We’ve all been picking at it daily, often eating it for breakfast with an egg on top. But I wanted to do something else more interesting with the leftovers. I saw this Ham and Hashbrown casserole on Salty Side Dish, and thought I could do something similar with cauliflower.
How to make Keto Ham Cauliflower Casserole
This is a super easy keto side dish that takes only 6 ingredients. It’s full of flavor and even my kids loved it. Big win!
Shred or coarsely chop the cauliflower
You could make this keto cauliflower casserole with cauliflower rice. But I wanted more texture than that. So I popped the florets in my food processor and pulsed it until coarsely chopped.
You could also use the shredding blade of a food processor. Or you could simply use a sharp knife and chop them by hand.
Dice the ham
You want to get bits of ham in every bite so dicing it works best. The pieces should be no more than ¼ inch to ½ inch in size (small dice).
Grate the cheese
You can use pre-shredded cheese but grating an 8 ounce block of cheddar is easy. And this way, you can be sure that there are no added starches or fillers.
Use a thickener
Unlike hashbrowns, cauliflower releases a lot of water during baking. So I recommend sprinkling in some glucomannan powder before baking. The liquids will thicken up more as the casserole begins to cool.
It’s the same trick I use for Keto Rhubarb Crisp!
If you can’t find glucomannan, xanthan gum may also work. Neither is required, but the casserole will be a little watery when it comes out of the oven.
Bake until bubbly
The casserole is done when the filling is bubbly, the cheese is browned, and the cauliflower is fork tender.
Let stand
This casserole is super hot straight out of the oven. I recommend letting it sit for 10 or 15 minutes before serving. This also gives the filling a chance to thicken up a bit.
That’s it, friends! This keto cauliflower casserole was a surprise hit in my house, with my middle child even coming back for seconds. That says a lot!
More delicious keto casserole recipes
- Keto Brussels Sprouts Casserole
- Cheesy Zucchini Casserole
- Easy Chicken Broccoli Casserole
- Keto Enchilada Casserole
- Cheesy Green Bean Casserole from Scratch
- Loaded Chicken Cauliflower Rice Casserole
Ham and Cauliflower Casserole
Ingredients
- 24 ounces cauliflower florets
- 2 cups diced ham
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese grated, divided
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon glucomannan (optional)
- 1 cup full fat sour cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly grease a 9×13 pan or other large casserole dish.
- Place half of the cauliflower florets in a food processor and pulse a few times on high until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl and repeat with the remaining cauliflower. (It's okay to have some bigger pieces in there…)
- Add the ham, half of the cheese, and the garlic. Sprinkle with the salt, pepper, and glucomannan and toss to combine. Fold in the sour cream until well coated.
- Spread the mixture in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining cheddar. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until the casserole is bubbly and the cheese is melted.
- Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Binki says
Can it be made with cooked chicken or would you use raw chicken cut into chunks
Carolyn says
I would not do this with any raw meat. It needs to be cooked.
Lynn says
Really good, hearty meal! I didn’t have sour cream, so I softened cream cheese. Turned out great. I tossed a little Tabasco sauce on top and chowed down.
Betsy says
Absolutely delicious. I could easily eat this several times a week and for any meal! I can barely tell there’s cauliflower in here! It’s just so perfectly delicious!
Kellie H says
We love how quick and easy this is to make…..and it’s a hit with the kids, too!
Melissa says
Great recipe – I’m always on the hunt for Keto friendly recipes! When I found your recipe I knew I had to try it! Delicious and I would defiantly recommend it!
Christine Hartley says
can you use frozen?
Carolyn says
Frozen cauliflower? You would need to thaw it first and let it drain. And it’s going to be softer from the get go so best to cook for less time.
Kate says
Dumb question !? Is the Cauliflower . Cooked ?
Carolyn says
It goes into the pan raw… it comes out cooked. 😉
Marianna says
Made this tonight and I was so happy with how it turned out. Used the thick portion of canned coconut milk instead of sour cream but otherwise followed the recipe. So delicious and filling! Highly recommend! Thanks for the recipe!! :o)
Carolyn says
So glad you liked it! I was amazed that my kids ate it willingly… these days anything “cauliflower” is a tough sell. I love it and my husband and I ate it for breakfast with a fried egg on top too. Delicious!
Justine says
Yes, cauliflower is a hard sell here, too. I think I overdid it on swapping pasta for cauliflower when I first started Keto and now it’s complaints every time it’s on the table… though much less so if it’s in “riced” form, so this may work! I’m wondering if Beef Gelatin would work to thicken it up a bit, since I don’t have either of the other thickeners you mentioned. Any thoughts?
Carolyn says
Gelatin thickens as it cools so it may not help much when it’s hot…