More Than Recipes
Good Buddy Butter Club
Menu
Profile
Cheesy ham and rice casserole with peas, melted cheddar, and a golden breadcrumb topping in a cream floral baking dish.

Cheesy Ham & Rice Bake

This is the pan to make when leftover ham needs a comforting second act. Rice and peas settle into a creamy cheddar sauce beneath a crisp, buttery crumb topping.

By Betty Lou Gardner1 hr 5 minUpdated 2026-08-25

This Cheesy Ham & Rice Bake is creamy, hearty, and layered with fluffy rice, smoky ham, peas, and melted cheddar beneath a crisp buttery topping! It’s an easy comfort-food casserole that works especially well for leftover holiday ham, family suppers, and make-ahead meals.

Betty Lou Gardner in a family archival photograph

Granny’s Kitchen Notes

From Betty Lou Gardner

I usually make this after holidays when there is still plenty of ham in the refrigerator that needs using up. Sometimes I crush buttery crackers over the top instead of breadcrumbs because I like the extra crunch once it bakes golden around the edges.

How to Make Cheesy Ham & Rice Bake

◆
Cooked long-grain white rice being fluffed with a fork in a saucepan.
01

Cook the Rice

Cook the rice until just tender, then fluff it with a fork and set it aside while you prepare the sauce.

Finely chopped yellow onion softening in butter in a skillet beside an oven set to 400°F.
02

Cook the Onion

Soften the finely chopped onion in butter until translucent but not browned.

Creamy cheddar sauce with diced ham and green peas in a deep skillet.
03

Make the Cheese Sauce

Build a smooth milk sauce with flour, dry mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and sharp cheddar, then fold in the ham and peas.

Creamy ham and pea mixture being spooned over cooked rice and shredded cheddar in a vintage casserole dish.
04

Layer the Casserole

Alternate layers of cooked rice, cheddar, and creamy ham mixture in the baking dish.

Buttered breadcrumbs being sprinkled over an unbaked cheesy ham and rice casserole.
05

Add the Topping

Coat the breadcrumbs evenly with melted butter and sprinkle them over the casserole.

Baked cheesy ham and rice casserole with peas and a golden breadcrumb topping.
06

Bake and Serve

Bake until bubbling and golden, then rest briefly before serving so the sauce can settle.

Cheesy ham and rice casserole with peas, melted cheddar, and a golden breadcrumb topping in a cream floral baking dish.

Cheesy Ham & Rice Bake

This is the pan to make when leftover ham needs a comforting second act. Rice and peas settle into a creamy cheddar sauce beneath a crisp, buttery crumb topping.

By Betty Lou Gardner

Prep15 minCook45 minTotal1 hr 5 minDifficultyEasy
PrintReview

Ingredients

Scale

Scaling note: Scaling is withheld until recipe-specific quantities, method safety, and instruction synchronization are verified.

Rice

Cheese Sauce

Topping

Instructions

  1. 1 cup rice, 2 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
  2. 3 tbsp butter, 1 cup onion
  3. 3 tbsp flour, ¼ tsp salt, ¼ tsp black pepper, ½ tsp dry mustard, 2 cups milk, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, ¾ cup cheddar, 1½ cups ham, 1 cup peas
  4. rice, ¾ cup cheddar, ham mixture
  5. ½ cup breadcrumbs, 2 tbsp melted butter

Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)

Yield

8 servings — Serving size: About 1 cup

Calories
400
Carbohydrates
36 g
Protein
18.5 g
Fat
20 g
Saturated Fat
10.5 g
Cholesterol
60 mg
Sodium
790 mg
Fiber
2 g
Total Sugars
6.5 g

You May Also Like

Creamy chicken and mixed vegetable casserole with a crisp golden stuffing topping, served on a plate beside the baking dish.

Creamy Chicken Stuffing Casserole

1 hrEasy
Golden corn casserole in a square ceramic baking dish with a serving spoon and a portion on a floral plate.

Corn Casserole

1 hr 10 minEasy
Browned ham steaks with sweet potato rounds and red-skinned apple wedges in a glossy orange glaze in a cast-iron skillet beside a fireplace.

Ham, Yams & Apples

40 minEasy
Creamy scalloped celery and peas casserole with a golden Parmesan breadcrumb topping in a vintage oval baking dish.

Scalloped Celery and Peas

55 minEasy
Four baked tomato halves topped with buttery bread, parsley, and Parmesan in a vintage floral baking dish.

Baked Tomato Halves

35 minEasy
Betty’s Caesar Salad in a wooden bowl with crisp romaine, croutons, grated Parmesan, and optional white anchovy fillets.

Betty’s Caesar Salad

15 minMedium
A square serving of Betty’s zucchini lasagna with tender zucchini layers, creamy cottage cheese, savory meat sauce, and browned mozzarella.

Betty’s Zucchini Lasagna

1 hr 15 minEasy
Four browned chicken breasts over creamy mushroom rice with sliced mushrooms in a glass baking dish, served with green beans.

Chicken & Cream of Mushroom Rice Bake

2 hrEasy
Baked chicken breasts and broccoli covered in creamy cheddar-beer rarebit sauce in a vintage casserole dish.

Chicken Rarebit

1 hr 10 minEasy
Creamy Dorito chicken casserole topped with shredded lettuce, diced tomato, and sour cream, served with lime wedges and salsa beside a vintage floral baking dish.

Dorito Chicken Casserole

1 hrEasy
Creamy turkey and broccoli casserole with a golden cheddar-and-breadcrumb topping in a vintage floral baking dish.

Rest of the Bird Casserole

55 minEasy
Round white ceramic casserole of zucchini cheese bake topped with lightly browned sharp cheddar, with one serving removed.

Zucchini Cheese Bake

1 hr 10 minEasy
Showing You May Also Like 1 through 4 of 12
Betty Lou Gardner

Betty Lou Gardner

Betty Lou Gardner’s family recipes are preserved in Granny’s Recipe Box.

Learn More →

What Cooks Are Saying

◆
—

No reviews yet

00
00
00
00
00

Review Cheesy Ham & Rice Bake

Your review will be held for moderation. Approved reviews display the name you enter below; your email is never published.

Rating
Choose 1 to 5 stars

Loading approved reviews…

A question about this recipe?

Send ingredient, instruction, or correction questions to the recipe inbox.

Email Recipesrecipes@gbbutterclub.com