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.
Everything Bagel Breakfast Casserole
Fluffy pieces of everything bagel soaked in egg batter, tossed with ham and cheddar, then dotted with cream cheese, this golden breakfast bake is the stuff of lazy weekend mornings.
Ham and Cheese Quiche
This easy ham and cheese quiche recipe will make your next brunch a whole lot tastier! You’ll love the creamy egg filling and savory flavor.
Sweet Potato Frittata
A delicious, easy Sweet Potato Frittata with Ham and Caramelized Onions. Whole30 and Paleo friendly, it’s great for healthy breakfasts and dinners too!
Tater Tot Breakfast Casserole
While the original version of this recipe is made with sausage, I’ve also made it with leftover ham after the holidays and it’s scrumptious!
Western Omelette
For an easy, hearty breakfast, you can’t do better than this Western omelette recipe! Bell peppers, ham, and melty cheese make it satisfying.
Broccoli Crust Quiche
A two-ingredient smashed broccoli crust replaces the traditional pie dough in this yummy quiche recipe. A delicious low carb and gluten free quiche recipe option!
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.
Crock Pot Ham and Bean Soup
This rich, hearty crock pot ham and bean soup is an easy way to use leftover ham! It’s full of savory flavor and it freezes beautifully.
Split Pea Soup With Ham
This easy split pea soup with ham is thick, smoky and hearty—the perfect comfort food meal! It’s budget-friendly and freezes beautifully too.
15 Bean Soup
This rich and hearty 15 bean soup recipe is a healthy, inexpensive meal! Make it with a ham bone or serve as a filling vegetarian main.
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
This simple Instant Pot split pea soup has the comfort of classic split pea soup in a fraction of the time! Make it with ham or without!
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!
Ham and Cheese Pinwheels
Save your Christmas ham for your New Year’s Eve appetizer! These pinwheels are always a hit.
Savory Crepes
These savory crepes are perfection with eggs, leftover ham, and a sprinkle of minced chives.
Chicken Cordon Bleu
Chicken cordon bleu, but make it easy! My recipe is baked not fried, but it still has the smoky ham, melty cheese and crispy exterior we love.
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.
Ham Salad
Want an easy recipe for using up your ham? This is it! We love tucking into this salad with buttery crackers, but it’s equally delicious in lettuce wraps.
Chef Salad
Make a hearty chef salad with this easy recipe! With crisp greens, savory meat, cheese, and zippy ranch dressing, it’s great for a quick meal.
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.
Ham and Potato Casserole
Easy cheesy ham and potato casserole is the best way to use leftover ham! It’s made from scratch with a smooth, velvety cheese sauce.
Scalloped Potatoes and Ham
Classic sliced potatoes get an upgrade with diced ham and melty cheddar cheese. A stellar, easy side for any occasion!
Ham Casserole
This creamy ham casserole is a delicious way to use leftover ham! With pasta and lots of cheese, this recipe is a satisfying meal.
Ham Tetrazzini
While this recipe is for turkey tetrazzini, using ham instead is an easy swap!
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.
