Freezer Meal Ranch Ham Hash Brown Bake

Freezer Meal Ranch Ham Hash Brown Bake -filled with ham, cheddar cheese, ranch dressing spices and hash brown potatoes, this is an easy to make family freezer dinner with only a few minutes of prep.

If you’re in a dinner rut, trying to use up leftovers or just looking to save time and money, freezer meals are the way to go. This Freezer Meal Ranch Ham Hash Brown Bake is a favorite because I can add lots of leftover holiday ham, use frozen hash browns and it has amazing flavor. No boring and bland casseroles around here!

The best part is that you can prep several of these tasty casseroles at a time, then bake one of them for dinner the same night. You don’t need to wait for holiday ham either. Most hams are sold fully cooked, so I go for the boneless ones and just cut the whole thing into bite-size cubes. Use them to make freezer meals and freeze any extra to make Creamy Ham and Corn Risotto and Ham Cakes with Garlic Aioli.

How To Make Freezer Meal Ranch Ham Hash Brown Bake

Honestly, prepping this freezer meal casserole could not be easier. Just mix, transfer to your freezer container and freeze. That’s it.

Ingredients You’ll Need To Make Freezer Meal Ranch Ham Brown Bake

• Fully Cooked Ham
• Shredded Frozen Hash Browns – you don’t even need to thaw!
• Cheddar Cheese – I’ve also used mozzarella and swiss cheese.
• Sour Cream – either regular or reduced fat are perfect.
• Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup – a can of condensed soup is super convenient, but you could make a roux (see below) instead, using 2 tablespoons butter , 2 tablespoons flour and 1-1/2 cups of milk (or cream). Add a teaspoon of chicken soup base for flavor. If you go the roux route, let it cool before adding to the other ingredients.
• Ranch Seasoning Mix – Use the whole packet, or 2 tablespoons if you buy a larger size.
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder

Freezer meals should be easy to make…first the sauce is mixed in a large bowl. Then add the ham, frozen hash browns and cheese and fold until coated with the sauce.

Transfer the blended ingredients to a foil pan, cover with foil, label and freeze. If there’s open space at the top of the pan, lay a sheet of plastic right on the food to keep the air from the food. Cover the pan with foil, label and freeze for up to 3 months.

How To Make A Roux:

Making a roux is not hard, here are the simple steps.

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute to remove the raw flour taste.
2. Add cold liquid (milk or cream for this recipe) a little at a time while continuing to whisk until smooth after each addition.
3. Add additional seasoning, then simmer a couple of minutes until thick.

Helpful Tools:

• Glass Mixing Bowls – you can’t go wrong with these classic glass mixing bowls.
• Foil Pans – disposable, deep 9 x 13 pans with their own lids make freezer meals extra easy to prepare.
• EverSharp Pro Chef’s Knife – it’s my go-to knife….perfect 8-inch blade for all your kitchen cutting, slicing and chopping without ever needing sharpened!
• Freezer Container Labels – peel and stick come in a 2 roll pack; easy to remove!
• Gallon Size Freezer Bags – for freezing frozen meals flat to save freezer space.

If you made this recipe, please leave a comment and rating. I would appreciate the chance to troubleshoot any issues you might have had before you leave the rating!