37 Leftover Ham Recipes to Make the Most of That Beautiful Roast
If you’ve found yourself with a lot of leftover ham, we’ve got some good news for you: There are countless ways to use it. These easy leftover ham recipes include creamy casseroles, family-friendly brunch dishes, and catchall soups and stews—and nobody will ever guess you started with a pre-loved roast.
Ham fits so seamlessly into so many different dishes and we’ve dreamed up ways to incorporate it into every meal of the day. Start the morning with a pillowy, savory Dutch baby or a hamand cheese quiche; make lunchtime sunny-side up with croque-madame for the whole family; then get a warm and cozy dinner stewing in the form of a hearty ham hock stew. Don’t say we didn’t warn you: These recipes for leftover ham might make you wish you’d bought a second roast.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Mindy Fox1/37Pasta With 15-Minute Ham, Pea, and Cream Sauce
This pasta dish is the best leftover ham recipe for folks who’ve been doing lots of holiday cooking for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter: The simple cream sauce takes only 15 minutes of prep time and uses a good amount of ham. The recipe calls for farfalle, but penne, macaroni, or any other short pasta would work well.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kendra Vaculin2/37Monte Cristo With Apple-Hatch Chile Jam
This delightfully sweet-and-savory rendition of a breaded and fried Monte Cristo sandwich boasts an apple-chile spread so good, we’d eat it all on its own. Make it a soup-and-sandwich combo meal with a bowl of chowder.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson3/37Classic Eggs Benedict With Blender Hollandaise
Canadian bacon is tasty, but you can probably guess our move here. Top these post-holiday bennys with slices of leftover glazed ham; it’s a tasty swap that pairs just as well with the classic combination of buttered English muffins, perfectly poached eggs, and creamy Hollandaise sauce.
Photo by Bobbi Lin4/37Salad Pizza
In the picture above, you’ll see that this just-baked, garlic-scented pizza crust is topped with tangles of prosciutto, but you can absolutely pair any thinly sliced leftover ham with the crisp Bibb lettuce, tangy pickled onions, and lively vinaigrette in this recipe. Pick up fresh pizza dough from the grocery store or your local pizzeria.
Photo by Tara Donne, food and prop styling by Ali Nardi5/37Ham, Gruyère, and Tomato Toast With Dijon Mustard
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Judy Mancini6/37White-Cut Chicken
The cavity of the chicken in this recipe, which is traditional for Lunar New Year, is stuffed with scallions, ham, and ginger. It’s garnished with fresh cilantro leaves and served warm with a ginger-scallion dipping sauce.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell7/37Diner-Style Western Omelet
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone8/37Croque Madame Casserole With Ham and Gruyère
Thick slices of leftover holiday ham would work just as well as the thin-sliced stuff from the store in this satisfying breakfast casserole dish, which is packed with cheesy ham, sharp mustard, and eggs. Serve at brunch alongside your favorite citrus salad or a big bowl of crisp lettuce and crunchy raw veggies (or maybe some hash browns).
Photo by Jim Henkens9/37Quick White Bean and Ham Gratin
Crispy ham meets creamy white beans in this cassoulet-inspired ham casserole that takes just 20 minutes to put together. Thanks to protein-packed white beans, it’s an extra-easy dinner, but it also makes a lovely holiday side dish.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich10/37Roast Turkey With Country Ham Stuffing and Giblet Gravy
If you’ve got leftover ham from Thanksgiving, freeze it and use it to stuff this turkey for Christmas. Now that’s a way to hack the holidays.
Photo by Elizabeth Cecil11/37Croque Madame With Cranberry-Mustard Relish
When in doubt, put an egg on it. And make sure the cheese runs out of the sandwich so it gets nice and crispy. Top these sandwiches with fresh herbs, like green onions or dill, and serve with a side salad (like this bright, citrusy salad recipe).
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Photo by Laura Edwards13/37Savory Gruyère Bread With Ham
Think of this as banana bread’s savory, chic French cousin. We love to stuff it with diced ham and Gruyère, but sharp cheddar cheese works just as well. Serve slices as an appetizer with a glass of wine, or enjoy it as an afternoon comfort food snack.
14/37Chicken Cordon Bleu
Want a surefire way to bring some excitement to boneless, skinless chicken breasts? Wrap them in thinly-sliced ham, coat the whole package in egg and breadcrumbs, and fry. For a full-on feast, serve with scalloped potatoes baked in a luscious cheese sauce or classic mashed potatoes.
Photo by Alex Lau, Prop Styling by Megan Hedgpeth, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich15/37Ham Hock and White Bean Stew
Photo by Peden & Munk16/37Back-Burner Stock
This light-bodied broth is a mélange of all the scraps you can collect and save as you cook during the week—use whatever you have when the festive cooking is done. If there’s some leftover ham, toss it in, and if you have the ham bone, too, that’s even better. Leftover turkey would be right at home here as well.
Photo by David Loftus18/37Green Pea and Ham Soup
Don’t throw out that ham bone! Use it in place of ham hocks to make a flavorful broth for this bright-green pea soup, which will beat your average split pea soup recipe any day. Finish the creamy soup with a few pieces of shredded ham and a swirl of crème fraîche, and be sure to have some squishy Hawaiian rolls or buttery Parker House rolls on the side for dunking.
19/37Fast White-Bean Stew
Warm yourself from the inside out with this tomatoey broth full of hearty cannellini beans, baby greens, and cubes of baked ham. It’s so hearty, it might just beat that pot of potato soup. Serve with toasted baguette slices for dipping.
Photo by Romulo Yanes20/37Crustless Quiche
Getting rid of the crust for this clever play on quiche Lorraine simplifies the cooking process, making this recipe just about as easy to execute as a standard frittata. It’s our top pick for a holiday weekend brunch.
Photograph by Graydon Herriott, food styling by Sue Li, prop styling by Aneta Florczyk.21/37Clams With Crispy Ham and Butter Beans
John Kernick26/37Braised Endive With Ham and Gruyère
You can mellow out the bitter bite of Belgian endive by roasting it with Gruyère cheese and, of course, ham. It’s a casserole recipe that you’ll turn to for pure comfort, and one of our favorite recipes using leftover ham.
Photo by Romulo Yanes30/37Ham and Rice Croquettes
Transform leftover ham into crispy finger food with this recipe for deep-fried bites, bound with cooked rice and salty Parmesan.
photo by Michael Palumbo33/37Royal Street Red Beans
Take a cue from the Crescent City (New Orleans, that is), and make these red beans the day after roasting a ham. Traditionally, Louisiana cooks pack this flavorful pot of red beans with ham leftovers and scraps from the kitchen and let it stew all day—which makes this dish perfect for the slow cooker.
Yanes,Romulo A34/37Deviled Ham and Pecan Tea Sandwiches
Pulse cooked ham, onion, sweet gherkins, toasted pecans, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, and Tabasco sauce in a food processor to create a delicious sandwich filling. Spread between slices of white bread and garnish with parsley and pecans.
