When I buy a ham, I always choose one bigger than I need for one meal, whether that meal is Easter dinner or one on any old weeknight. Leftover ham makes for a great ingredient in a variety of recipes. My sons love it when I add cubed ham to scalloped potatoes. Ham leftovers are perfect in all sorts of soups, quiches, casseroles, sandwiches, and more.
Leftover ham is good for up to 4 days in the refrigerator or up to 4 months in the freezer. I freeze it in several batches so I can pull only what I need out of the freezer for whatever deliciousness I want to add the ham to. If you’re looking for inspiration, here are 25 recipes that use leftover ham.
Ham and Potato Soup
One of our most popular soup recipes! Leftover ham adds a salty layer of flavor to potato soup. Sauté carrots, onions, and celery before adding ham, potatoes, stock, and seasonings. When the soup finishes cooking, purée the potatoes and other vegetables to make a creamy, hearty soup.
Denver Omelet
Fill this classic omelet with diced ham, onion, bell pepper, and plenty of cheddar for a quick and satisfying breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Serve with a side of home fries and a simple leafy green salad.
Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders
Fill Hawaiian slider rolls with sliced ham and Swiss cheese and drizzle with melted Dijon and shallot butter, then bake. The recipe calls for deli ham, but using thin slices leftover from a baked ham takes these little sandwiches up a notch. They’re definitely crowd pleasers, especially on game day.
Ham and Cheese Pasta Bake
If you want comfort food, this will do the trick. White sauce made with butter, milk, cream, mozzarella, Parmesan, ham, and herbs is a creamy sauce for cooked fusilli pasta. Combine the sauce and pasta and then bake to get the top brown and crusty.
Spring Succotash
Here’s a lighter way to use up leftover ham. Add it to succotash. Corn and fava beans (rather than traditional lima beans) are the base of this veggie-ful dish that also includes carrots and onions. Adding the ham makes it a meal and not simply a side dish. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Cheesy Crustless Quiche with Broccoli and Ham
Leaving the crust off of a quiche makes it low-carb and (depending on the fillings) gluten-free. You still get to enjoy all the rich, cheesy, silky custard that’s filled with ham and broccoli. If you must have a crust with your quiche, though, this recipe works with your favorite pie crust, too.
Deviled Ham With Pickled Jalapeños
If you’ve never had deviled ham, you need to try this spread that was super popular in the mid-1900s. Grind ham in the food processor and then grind celery and pickled jalapeños. Mix with mayo, cumin, and green onions. Use it as a sandwich filling, cracker topper, or even a dip for raw veggies.
White Bean Soup With Ham, Pumpkin, and Chard
This hearty soup will warm and fill you up on a cold night. Pumpkin, white beans, tomato, and chard join ham in this chicken broth-based soup. The recipe calls for a ham hock, but you can substitute leftover ham. Ensure you have a loaf of crusty bread to soak up every drop of goodness.
Buckwheat Crepes with Egg, Ham, Cheese, and Asparagus
The gluten-free buckwheat crepe batter needs an hour to sit before using, or you can make it the night before for easy morning breakfast or brunch prep. Fill the crepes with ham, cheese, asparagus, and an egg. Serve with a simple salad of greens and tomatoes on the side.
Lentils and Ham
Quick and satisfying, this dish simmers on the stovetop after making a ham broth that takes just 30 minutes. Add sautéed onion, garlic, and lentils to the broth. When it’s done cooking, strain the ham and lentils out (and reserve the broth for soup). Serve hot or at room temperature.
Pasta With Ham and Peas
Dinner ends up on the table in 30 minutes when you make this easy pasta dish. Make a simple garlic, cream, and Parmesan sauce with peas and diced ham. Pour it over cooked pasta and stir. That’s it!
Ham, Cheddar, and Green Chile Egg Bites
These make-ahead bites reheat in the microwave for quick breakfasts. Egg, half-and-half, ham, cheddar, and green chile bake up in muffin tins. They freeze well, and you can keep them on hand for whenever you need a healthy breakfast but don’t have time to make it. Or, make them in batches and freeze them before hosting a big brunch so half your work is already done before the day of.
Pineapple Glazed Ham Balls
Switch up the meat in your meatballs. Instead of beef, use ham, ground pork, and bacon. Instead of tomato sauce, make a glaze of pineapple juice, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard, and vinegar. Bake the pork-based meatballs in the oven and in the last few minutes add the glaze. Serve as-is or on top of pineapple rings for a crowd-pleasing appetizer.
Ham and Potato Hash
What a filling weekend breakfast/brunch dish. Potatoes, onion, bell pepper, and ham fry up together in butter to make a savory hash. Serve it with eggs done just the way you like them. I suggest sunny side up and when you break the yolk, mix it in with the hash.
Greens, Eggs, and Ham Grilled Cheese Sandwich
The classic grilled cheese and ham gets fancy when you add a fried egg, spinach, and switch out American or cheddar cheese for Gruyère. One bite and you’ll say “I like greens, eggs, and ham!”
Ham and Egg Bakes
Bake up leftover ham, cream, fire-roasted tomatoes, and eggs in individual ramekins. The baked egg becomes a soft, spoonable custard that will spread easily on your favorite toast.
Ham Salad
Diced ham, hard boiled eggs, pickle relish, mayo, onion, celery, bell pepper, and mustard come together to make a tasty cold salad. Eat it by the forkfull or spread it on bread or a roll for one of the best take-to-work lunches. If you already have hard boiled eggs, this salad comes together in just 10 minutes.
Cuban Sandwich (Cubano)
Cuban sandwiches, or Cubanos, are one of those foods that vary from region to region. Sometimes they vary from family to family living on the same block. This version alternates seasoned pork roast and sliced ham between layers of Swiss cheese and sour pickles placed in between slices of Cuban bread. Yellow mustard and a garlic butter schmear add tons of complementary flavor.
German Farmer’s Breakfast
Fancy some Bauernfruhstuck? That’s what the Germans call this stick-to-your-ribs breakfast, and it translates into farmer’s breakfast. Potatoes, ham, onions, bell peppers, and eggs come together to make a sort of hash-like breakfast that would also make a good brunch or dinner dish.
Ham and Asparagus Quiche
This quiche full of ham, asparagus, shallots, and of course cheese, cream, and eggs is a smart use of leftover ham, especially if you want to make the leftovers last. You can make and eat the quiche immediately, but you can also freeze the unbaked quiche for up to 2 months. You don’t even have to thaw it before popping it in the oven!
Stuffed Zucchini With Ham and Mushrooms
What do you do with the super-sized zucchinis that appear out of nowhere in the garden? Stuff them! This recipe calls for stuffing hollowed out zucchini boats with mushrooms, onions, ham, and butter seasoned with Worcestershire sauce and cayenne, then sprinkled with cheese.
Ham and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
Make breakfast for a crowd with this overnight casserole. Layer white bread, ham, cheese, and tomatoes. Pour an egg and milk mixture over top. Cover and let sit in the fridge for 12 to 48 hours. When you’re ready to bake it, remove from the fridge and pop it in the oven. The result is a perfect morning wake-up call for a house full of guests.
Ham, Potato, and Leek Soup
Load up this simple potato leek soup with some chopped ham, and you have a savory, creamy soup. Purée the soup slightly before adding the ham for chunkier soup or purée it fully for a creamier version.
Croque Monsieur Ham and Cheese Sandwich
This classic Croque Monsieur sandwich is the French way to use up leftover slices of ham. It seems fancy, but it’s basically a grilled cheese with extra cheese on top that’s also slathered with béchamel sauce before spending a little time under the broiler. It’s rather decadent. You can also use leftover ham slices in the sandwich’s fraternal twin sister, the Croque Madame that you top with a fried egg.
Kohlrabi Ham Bake
If you’ve been staring at kohlrabi in the produce section wondering what to do with it, this is an easy recipe to start with. Kohlrabi and ham are the stars of this bake that uses cream, eggs, and a little flour to hold it all together.