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Leftover Ham Ideas
Soups, casseroles, sandwiches and breakfasts that use up the holiday ham, with what to prep ahead.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
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A few of these ideas are built around a lead time. The overnight asparagus and ham casserole is put together the day before and baked in the morning. Bowl Me Over says to make the 15 bean soup ahead because it tastes even better the next day. It also says split pea soup leftovers freeze great, so you may want to double the recipe. Keep the ham bone for the soup pot. The ideas run from soups and casseroles to salads, sandwiches and breakfasts. They're prompts rather than recipes, so look up the full method in the linked sources.
Why these items are on the list
- Overnight asparagus ham casserole. Assemble it the day before, then bake in the morning for breakfast or brunch.
- 15 bean soup with ham. Bowl Me Over says to make it ahead; it tastes even better the next day.
- Split pea and ham soup. Bowl Me Over says you'll wish you'd doubled it, since the leftovers freeze great.
- Ham bone soup. Don't toss the bone: Bowl Me Over calls it the best part and the start of a great soup.
- Navy bean soup with ham. Rich, hearty flavor, and a good use for leftover ham.
- Black-eyed pea soup. Works when ham is running low, since the recipe uses only a little.
- Ham and potato soup. Bowl Me Over says the Instant Pot version takes only 30 minutes.
- Slow cooker ham corn chowder. The slow cooker does the cooking, so it suits a busy day.
- Ham salad sandwiches. A Southern-style spread; serve it on sandwiches or crackers.
- Ham and noodle casserole. Chopped ham, noodles and veggies in a creamy cheese sauce.
- Baked ham mac and cheese. White sauce, plenty of cheese and the smoky flavor of ham.
- Ham and cheese lasagna. Monterey Jack white sauce, ham and mushrooms give lasagna a different twist.
- Creamy ham and cheese spaghetti. Chopped ham in a cheesy white sauce makes an easy pasta dinner.
- Ham and broccoli casserole. Broccoli, noodles and chopped ham in a cheesy sauce.
- Scalloped potatoes and ham. A slow cooker version exists if you'd rather not watch the oven.
- Ham pot pie. A make-ahead dish with potatoes, cheddar and plenty of ham.
- Sheet pan ham dinner. Bake ham slices with potatoes and green beans or other veggies.
- Layered spinach salad. A make-ahead salad with a layer of chopped ham among the others.
- Ham and cheese macaroni salad. A few basic ingredients and easy to pull together.
- Ham Cobb salad. Baby greens, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, tomatoes and gorgonzola alongside the ham.
- Ham and cheese party sandwiches. Swap chopped leftover ham for sliced deli ham in the classic recipe.
- Cuban sliders. A little leftover ham, cheese and pickles; the sliders can be made ahead.
- Ham and cheese roll-up biscuits. Rolled up with leftover ham for a simple bake.
- French bread ham pizza. A quick dinner idea, or a snack for game day.
- Pineapple ham tortilla roll-ups. Ham, pineapple, green pepper, onion and pecans; good for lunchboxes and snacking.
- Hash brown casserole with ham. Works for breakfast, brunch or as a dinner side or main.
- Ham and cheese breakfast casserole. Eggs, ham, cheese, sauteed onions and jalapenos make an egg bake.
- Quiche Lorraine with ham. Add cubed ham to the bacon and cheese.
On your phone you can tick off ideas as you cook them through the week, and skip the ones the family turns down. Hand it to whoever is cooking so the ham doesn't sit in the fridge unclaimed.
When to use it
Use it the day after a holiday ham, when you're deciding what to do with the rest before it goes unused.