21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (2024)

So you cooked a big holiday feast and now have a ton of leftover ham. Here you'll find some amazing leftover ham recipes that go beyond a leftover ham soup or sandwich (though we've got those, too). These leftover ham ideas from our Test Kitchen will have you excited to enjoy your leftovers in new, delicious ways.

01of 21

Stovetop Savory Ham and Veggie Oatmeal

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (1)

Kick things off with delicious, hearty breakfast recipe with leftover ham. Easy oatmeal is amped up into a powerhouse meal by adding chopped ham, sweet peppers, and broccolini. Since it uses slower-cooking steel-cut oats, this leftover ham breakfast would be great for a relaxing family meal just after a holiday.

02of 21

Scalloped Potato and Ham Soup

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (2)

If you love scalloped potatoes, wait until you try this cozy soup. It's got the same creamy flavor as the potato side, only we've added lots of veggies and leftover ham to the pot. Lightly toasted and seasoned panko breadcrumbs add an irresistible crunch.

What Is a Dutch Oven—and How Do You Use It?

03of 21

Quick Pasta Toss with Peas and Artichokes

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (3)

Insteading of hiding leftover ham under a heavy sauce, this lighter pasta dish highlights it. Toss it with pasta, peas, artichokes, and fresh tomato, then douse everything in a bright sauce with olive oil and lemon juice. Make this recipe for leftover ham something craveable by adding a sprinkle of cheese at the end.

04of 21

Ham, Asparagus, and Cheese Strata

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (4)

When in doubt, turn leftover ham (and bread!) into a delicious breakfast. You can easily whip up this cheesy egg bake the night before. Once morning arrives, all you'll have to do is pop it in the oven and enjoy a cup of coffee while it bakes.

05of 21

Ham and Spinach Two-Cheese Pasta

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (5)

This leftover ham recipe is just the cozy dish you need to curl up with a cold night. Bake up ham, pasta, spinach, and cheese in individual ramekins to make an easy dinner or just a single portion meal. It's got the best blend of fresh ingredients and easy comfort food.

06of 21

Leftover Ham Chef's Salad

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (6)

This leftover ham recipe is so great, our Test Kitchen made sure it was part of the title. Simply chop your leftover ham and toss it with crisp lettuce, veggies, hard-cooked eggs, and plenty of cheese. It's a main dish salad you'll crave even when there's no more leftover ham from Easter.

07of 21

Crustless Denver-Potato Quiche

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (7)

Combine two favorites–Denver potatoes and quiche–into one extra tasty breakfast. New potatoes, ham, peppers, onions, and cheese all mingle together in an easy quiche that cooks right in your Dutch oven. Make this leftover ham recipe for a hearty breakfast or brunch, or save it for a comforting breakfast-for-dinner night.

08of 21

Ham and Pea Tortellini

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (8)

Decadent meals don't have to take a ton of time to prepare. Take this 20-minute pasta recipe, for example. Cheese tortellini, leftover ham, and peas swim in a rich, creamy sauce. A couple handfuls of arugula add a peppery bite while also providing extra nutrients to the dish.

09of 21

Skillet-Baked Eggs and Ham

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (9)

We love a good skillet meal and this leftover ham recipe is perfect for breakfast or a quick breakfast-for-dinner idea. Leeks add a light onion flavor while cream and Gruyère cheese add richness to every bite.

10of 21

Ham and Asparagus Macaroni

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (10)

Macaroni and cheese probably crossed your mind as you were brainstorming recipes for leftover ham, but this one takes it up a notch. If you have ham left from Easter, toss leftover cooked asparagus right in with noodles, Parmesan cheese, and ham. The result is a bit more upscale mac and cheese that's great for an easy spring dinner.

Quiche

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (11)

There's nothing like starting the day with a slice of quiche with a buttery, flaky piecrust. This simple quiche recipe can be easily adapted to whatever you've got on hand. In this case, we're obviously starting with leftover ham, but feel free to use chicken or crab, too.

12of 21

Asian Egg and Rice Cups with Plum Sauce

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (12)

If all of the usual ham leftover recipes aren't exciting you, go in a completely different direction. These savory egg cups are filled with ham, of course, but they also dress it up with cooked rice, fresh veggies, and sweet-and-sour plum sauce. This Asian-inspired leftover ham recipe can be a filling breakfast, fun lunch, or easy dinner.

13of 21

One-Pot Ham and Greens Pasta

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (13)

This one-pot meal is sure to make weeknight dinners a breeze. And when we say one pot, we mean it. The leftover ham, pasta, and greens all require a single Dutch oven to come together for less mess.

14of 21

Sweet Potato Biscuit Sandwiches with Ham and Redeye Gravy

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (14)

Talk about a mouthwatering brunch! Everyone will be snapping a pic before diving into one of these delicious leftover ham biscuit sandwiches. If you haven't had a chance to try redeye gravy yet, you can make it using leftover coffee (yes, coffee!).

52 Delicious Easter Brunch Recipes to Make This Year

15of 21

Lentil-Ham Soup

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (15)

Keep this leftover ham soup recipe in mind for the day after Easter. The easy slow cooker dump dinner comes together in minutes. You'll look forward to coming home to a comforting bowl of this delicious soup.

16of 21

Grilled Apple, Ham, and Brie Sandwich

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (16)

Ok, ok, you're in the mood for a sandwich, but want something a little more than ham on white bread. When that's the case, this upgraded sandwich is one of the best leftover ham recipes for putting a new spin on a classic. The trick is to use sourdough, brie cheese, spinach, and sliced apples to upgrade the ham, then grill until everything is hot, cheesy, and delicious.

17of 21

Danish Gronkaal Soup (Green Kale Soup)

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (17)

When you've exhausted all the traditional soup recipes with leftover ham, it's time to look around the globe. This Danish-inspired recipe will use up two cups of cooked ham (plus ham broth, if you have any leftover), plus potatoes, leeks, celery, and fresh kale. If you're craving a healthy, veggie-filled dish after a heavy holiday meal, this is the dish to get you back on track.

18of 21

Cheesy Ham Chilaquiles

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (18)

Strips of corn tortillas provide the base for diced ham, salsa, fried eggs, and cheese. Sliced fresh jalapenos are optional but we love the heat they bring to the dish. Smother this leftover ham recipe with sour cream and dig in.

19of 21

Apple-Fennel Ham and Egg Casserole

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (19)

This egg casserole recipe is loaded with fresh flavors like fennel, apple, and green onion. Tart Granny Smith apples pair perfectly with creamy Havarti cheese and salty ham. Save the fennel fronds and use them to top the baked dish.

20of 21

Greens, Eggs & Ham Frittata

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (20)

Customize this leftover ham recipe with your favorite greens or a mix of chard, kale, or spinach. You'll love how the smoky flavor of the ham balances the Pecorino cheese and spring onion in the egg mix. As one BHG home cook raves, "This was amazing! I used pepper jack cheese instead of the Monterey, as that was what I had on hand. This is a recipe that lends itself well to substitutions."

21of 21

Mozzarella, Pesto & Ham Toasties

View Recipe

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (21)

There's nothing more satisfying than a melty ham and cheese sandwich. Take it to the next level with a tangy mint-almond pesto, roasted bell peppers, and crusty sour dough bread. Don't feel like making roasted red peppers? The jarred version works great in this ham sandwich recipe.

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making (2024)

FAQs

21 Leftover Ham Recipes You’ll Look Forward to Making? ›

Information. Spiral-cut hams and leftovers from consumer-cooked hams may be stored in the refrigerator three to five days or frozen one to two months. Keep your refrigerator at 40 °F or less and your freezer at or near 0 °F.

Can you eat cooked ham after 7 days? ›

Information. Spiral-cut hams and leftovers from consumer-cooked hams may be stored in the refrigerator three to five days or frozen one to two months. Keep your refrigerator at 40 °F or less and your freezer at or near 0 °F.

What to do with fully cooked ham? ›

A fully cooked, ready-to-eat ham (also referred to as a "city ham") can be sliced and served cold or at room temperature—there's no need to reheat it. A spiral-cut ham is delicious this way, whether eaten by the slice, tucked into biscuits, or in a grilled cheese sandwich.

How long will ham last in the fridge? ›

Whole cured hams last in the refrigerator for up to a week. However, fresh ham only lasts a few days in the refrigerator, about three or four once you've cooked it. It doesn't matter if the ham is whole or sliced; the lack of preservatives allows it to spoil more quickly.

Should you remove ham rind? ›

Top Tip: Just remove the rind and leave as much of the fat on as you can. Fat = sticky glaze! This part is easy – the skin WANTS to come off! Your ham will come with a thick, rubbery skin which is called the rind.

Is a 2 year old frozen ham still good? ›

Freezer storage time is for quality only. Frozen hams remain safe indefinitely. For more information, see Ham and Food Safety.

Can you eat 10 day old ham? ›

Most ham lasts 3-5 days in the fridge.

Fresh uncooked ham, cooked store-bought ham, and uncured cooked ham will all last under a week in the fridge. This covers deli cuts, uncooked cutlets, sandwich meat, country ham, and honey-glazed ham. After 5 days, discard your ham as it will have gone bad.

How do you make a precooked ham taste better? ›

Add 1/2-3/4 of a cup of wine or stock to the pan (you don't want the ham swimming in liquid) and throw some aromatics in there—a few whole cloves, some star anise, and cinnamon sticks are all good options. Cover the ham with foil and place in a 250-degree oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 100℉.

How do you make leftover ham juicy again? ›

Wrap 6 to 8 ounces of sliced leftover ham in aluminum foil. Preheat the air fryer to 325°F. Place the wrapped ham in the air fryer basket and heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until heated through. ( Wrapping in foil helps prevent the ham from drying out.)

How do you heat up a precooked ham without drying it out? ›

The goal is to reheat the ham without drying it out. The best way to do this is to place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan. Add water to the bottom of the pan and cover the whole thing tightly with foil. Bake at 325F for 16-20 minutes per pound, until a meat thermometer registers 135F.

Can you eat ham 5 days out of date? ›

If you store it properly, fresh, uncured ham can last up to 3 to 5 days. On the other, cured and uncooked ham lasts about 5 to 7 days or until its beyond-use date. Keep the ham in its original packaging until you're ready to use it to maximize its shelf life.

How to know if ham is bad? ›

Ham has gone bad if it has turned gray in color, smells sour, or the surface is tacky, slimy, or moldy. After that, there's no saving it, and it's time to throw it out.

Can I eat 5 day old leftovers? ›

Leftovers can be kept for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. After that, the risk of food poisoning goes up. If you don't think you'll be able to eat leftovers within four days, freeze them right away. Frozen leftovers will stay safe for a long time.

When to glaze a ham? ›

The glaze should not be applied until the final hour to 30 minutes, in order to avoid burning the sugars. What you're going to do with the glaze ingredients is just combine most of them into a paste, and then apply it to the ham. After that, the heat in your oven will take care of everything.

Do you rinse off ham before baking? ›

Whether you are cooking a bone in or boneless ham, pre-heat your oven to 325 degrees. Start by removing the packaging from the ham (and bone guard if you're cooking a bone in ham), and you can rinse the ham before cooking if desired.

What is the best cut of ham for baking? ›

Shank: This portion comes from the lower half of the leg and is the most common cut used for baked ham. Butt: Also known as ham sirloin, this section comes from the upper region of the leg and is the most tender and flavorful cut of ham.

Is ham good after 8 days? ›

Once you open a package of ham, or if it comes open — like if it was sliced at the deli counter— you can safely eat your leftovers for up to five days.

Can you eat ham 7 days out of date? ›

Eating expired ham may not make you sick, but it could taste unpleasant and it may not be safe. Consuming expired ham could potentially lead to food poisoning if the meat is contaminated with harmful bacteria. Symptoms of food poisoning may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, and diarrhea.

Is deli ham good after 7 days? ›

Packaged lunch meats can be stored in the refrigerator for two weeks before opening. After opening a package of lunch meats or buying sliced lunch meats at a deli, you can refrigerate them for three to five days.

How long is Honey Baked Ham good for in the fridge? ›

How long can I keep my Honey Baked ham or turkey breast in the refrigerator? Once thawed, your Honey Baked Ham will stay fresh for 7 to 10 days and the Honey Baked Turkey Breast will stay fresh for 5 to 7 days in the refrigerator.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Domingo Moore

Last Updated:

Views: 6216

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (53 voted)

Reviews: 84% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Domingo Moore

Birthday: 1997-05-20

Address: 6485 Kohler Route, Antonioton, VT 77375-0299

Phone: +3213869077934

Job: Sales Analyst

Hobby: Kayaking, Roller skating, Cabaret, Rugby, Homebrewing, Creative writing, amateur radio

Introduction: My name is Domingo Moore, I am a attractive, gorgeous, funny, jolly, spotless, nice, fantastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.