These easy Leftover Ham Recipes help you reinvent your holiday extras into brand new breakfasts, lunches, and dinners! From soups to salads, breakfast bakes to dinner casseroles, I’ve got all the ideas you need.
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Leftover ham means good eatin’ for DAYS!
Whether you’re making Crockpot Ham or Baked Ham with Brown Sugar Ham Glaze and you’ve got leftovers on the bone in the fridge, or you’ve arrived home from a holiday dinner with some ham neatly wrapped in foil (along with endless to-go containers of sides), leftover ham kind of feels like an inevitability during the holiday season.
A delicious inevitability! Because leftover ham recipes mean you can turn those extras into all kinds of brand new dishes.
- Ham meat can be diced, sliced, and added as a protein to everything from casseroles to salads.
- Because it’s so flavorful, even small amounts of ham can add pizzazz to scrambled eggs and side dishes.
- Ham bones make for the most delicious soups, adding smoky, savory flavor and helping to thicken the broth.
Ham Breakfast & Brunch Ideas
Ham and eggs are a classic duo, but there are other ways to use leftover ham for breakfast too! You can swap it in for sausage or bacon in just about any breakfast casserole, quiche, or strata.
Soup Recipes With Leftover Ham
You really can’t go wrong with ham soup! The ham bone adds so much flavor to the broth and the beans, potatoes, and/or veggies, so even if you don’t have a lot of ham meat on hand, it’s still 100% worth it.
Swap for Deli Ham
Instead of using deli ham in recipes, you can thinly slice your leftover ham and use that. A good knife is a must for those thin slices!
Salads With Ham
You really don’t even need a recipe—just cut your ham into cubes and add it to any salad! It’s great in pasta salads and potato salads.
Leftover Ham Casseroles
How do you make a creamy, cheesy casserole recipe even better? The secret is adding ham! Many recipes that called for diced chicken or turkey will work with ham too, and you can also make vegetable side dishes like Cauliflower Casserole into a meal by folding in ham before baking.
Other Ideas for Using Leftover Ham
- Ham and Cheese Quesadillas. Layer ham and cheese between tortillas, cook in a skillet until melty, and serve with sour cream.
- Ham Pizza. Use ham as a topping on my Whole Wheat Pizza Dough or store-bought pizza crust—with or without pineapple!
- Ham Breakfast Burritos. Chop ham and warm it with scrambled eggs, cheddar, and salsa. Roll into tortillas and follow the instructions for cooking and/or freezing from my Breakfast Burrito Recipe
- Ham Hash with Sweet Potatoes. Cube sweet potatoes, sauté with onions until tender, then add ham and finish with a runny fried egg on top.
- Ham Sandwiches. Use sliced deli ham in sandwiches with Swiss cheese, pickles, and mustard.
How to Store Leftover Ham Safely
A key part of getting the most from your leftover ham is proper storage. Here are the best practices:
- According to USDA guidelines, cooked leftover ham keeps in the fridge for 3–5 days.
- Fully cooked ham can be frozen for 1–2 months.
- Wrap the ham tightly in plastic wrap or foil, or place it in airtight containers.
- Thaw in the refrigerator before reheating or using leftovers in recipes.
- Discard leftover ham if it develops an off smell, slimy texture, or discoloration.
