Best Leftover Ham Recipes (Easy Ways to Use Up Holiday Ham!)

Best Leftover Ham Recipes for Breakfast

1. Ham and Hash Brown Casserole

Hash Browns Ham and Cheese Casserole

This cheesy breakfast casserole is THE best way to use up leftover ham. It’s loaded with tender hash browns, fluffy eggs, savory ham chunks, and melted cheese – perfect for the holidays or meal prepping breakfast for the week. Make it the night before and just pop it in the oven in the morning!

Hashbrown Casserole Recipe

Key Features:

• Make-ahead friendly (prep the night before)
• Feeds 8-10 people
• Great for using up 2-3 cups of diced ham
• Kid approved

Best For: Christmas morning, New Year’s brunch, or easy weekday breakfasts

2. Loaded Hashbrown Casserole

Loaded Hashbrown Casserole (Add Ham!)

Take our classic loaded hashbrown casserole to the next level by stirring in diced ham! This version is creamy, cheesy, and loaded with bacon and ranch flavor. The ham adds protein and makes it hearty enough to serve as a light dinner. Modification Note: When using leftover ham, add 2-3 cups of diced ham to the mixture before baking. If your ham is already salty, reduce added salt slightly.

Loaded Ham Casserole Recipe

Key Features:

• No soup required (uses sour cream instead)
• Can be frozen before baking
• Works for breakfast or dinner
• Ranch seasoning adds amazing flavor

Best For: Potlucks, holiday breakfasts, or easy weeknight dinners

3. Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole (With Ham Option)

Sausage Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole

Our hearty breakfast casserole with sausage can easily be adapted to use ham instead! It’s gluten-free, packed with protein, and can be made ahead or frozen. Perfect for those mornings when you want a filling breakfast. Ham Adaptation: Substitute the breakfast sausage with an equal amount of diced leftover ham for a slightly milder (but equally delicious) version.

Hash Brown Breakfast Casserole Recipe (With Ham Option)

Key Features:

• Gluten-free recipe
• Freezer-friendly
• High protein breakfast
• Great for meal prep

Best For: Busy weekday mornings, meal prep Sundays, or holiday brunch

4. Instant Pot Lima Beans and Ham Soup

Lima Beans in Instant Pot

This is exactly what leftover ham was made for! Rich, creamy lima beans in a savory broth with chunks of tender ham-comfort food galore! The Instant Pot makes it fast and easy, but you can also use a slow cooker if you prefer. Ham Options: Use leftover ham chunks, dice from ham steak, or even a ham bone with meat still on it for the best flavor!

Lima Beans and Ham Recipe

Key Features:

• Ready in under an hour (Instant Pot method)
• Uses dried beans (budget-friendly)
• Freezer-friendly
• Southern comfort food classic

Best For: Cold winter nights, easy weeknight dinners, or meal prep

5. Crock Pot 15 Bean Soup with Ham

15 Bean Soup Crock Pot Recipe

Our slow cooker soup is the perfect leftover ham recipe! A blend of 15 different beans cooked low and slow with ham creates a hearty, fiber-packed meal that’s both nutritious and incredibly satisfying.

Crockpot Bean Soup Recipe

Key Features:

• No-soak bean method (or use soaked for faster cooking)
• Makes a huge batch (great for freezing)
• Very affordable and filling
• Slow cooker convenience

Best For: Busy weekdays, meal prep, feeding a crowd, or stocking the freezer

Ham Bone Tip: If you saved your ham bone, this is the perfect recipe for it! The bone adds incredible depth of flavor to the broth. It also looks (and tastes!) great paired with our homemade sourdough bread bowl.

6. Slow Cooker Pinto Beans (With Ham Variation)

Crock Pot Pinto Beans with Bacon

While this recipe calls for bacon, you can easily swap in diced ham for a slightly different (but equally delicious) flavor profile. Our creamy pinto beans are perfect as a side dish or served over rice as a main course. Ham Adaptation: Replace the bacon with 1-2 cups of diced ham. The beans will still be flavorful and delicious!

Slow Cooker Pinto Beans Recipe

Key Features:

• Crock pot convenience
• Budget-friendly
• Great for meal prep
• Southern comfort food

Best For: Taco Tuesday, easy dinners, or as a side for BBQ

7. Ham and Cheese Bread (Pull-Apart)

Ham and Cheese Bread

This impressive looking pull-apart bread is actually super easy to make with frozen bread dough! Layers of ham and your favorite cheese create a savory treat that’s perfect for brunch, lunch, or as an appetizer. Cheese Options: The recipe uses brie, but you can easily substitute with cheddar, Swiss, provolone, or any cheese you prefer!

Pull Apart Ham and Cheese Bread Recipe

Key Features:

• Uses frozen bread dough (no kneading!)
• Looks fancy, but easy to make
• Great for parties or brunch
• Can use any cheese you have on hand

Best For: Brunch gatherings, party appetizers, or easy weekend lunches

8. Ham and Hash Brown Casserole Dinner

Hash Brown Chicken Casserole

Transform our breakfast casserole into a hearty dinner! This version combines hash browns, ham, cheese, and vegetables into a one-dish meal that the whole family will love. It’s comfort food at its best. Note: Recipe uses chicken but can easily substitute with ham. Add-Ins: Stir in any leftover veggies you have – green beans, peas, or corn work great!

Hash Brown Casserole Recipe (with ham)

Key Features:

• One-dish cleanup
• Kid-approved
• Great for using up ingredients from the fridge
• Makes excellent leftovers

Best For: Easy weeknight dinners, when you need comfort food, or feeding picky eaters

9. Ham Fried Rice

Blackstone Fried Rice

Dice leftover ham and stir-fry it with rice, vegetables, and eggs for a quick 20-minute dinner. It’s a great way to use up ham AND leftover rice. Dice 2 cups of ham, sauté with frozen mixed vegetables, add 3-4 cups of cold cooked rice, push to the side and scramble 2 eggs, then mix everything with soy sauce and sesame oil. Ready in 20 minutes!

Fried Rice with Ham Recipe

Best For: Quick weeknight dinners, using up multiple leftovers at once.

10. Ham and Bean Bowl

Great Northern Bean Soup

Add ham to our great northern bean soup recipe. Layer rice or quinoa in the bottom of a bowl, top with ham and bean soup, and add fresh toppings like diced avocado, green onions, cheese, and sour cream.

Great Norther Beans and Ham Recipe

Key Features:

• Customizable for each family member
• Uses leftovers
• Healthy and filling
• Great for meal prep

Best For: Lunch bowls, easy dinners, or meal prep. Skip the rice and put this directly into our homemade sourdough bread recipe.

11. Classic Ham Sandwiches

Sourdough Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Sometimes simple is best! Leftover ham makes excellent sandwiches, especially when you elevate them with a thick slice of ham. Serve on our homemade sourdough bread, add cheese, lettuce, tomato, and your favorite condiments.

Sourdough Grilled Cheese and Ham Recipe

Upgrade Ideas:

• Make it a panini
• Add honey mustard or cranberry sauce (leftover from holidays!)
• Use our homemade rolls or sourdough sandwich bread
• Turn it into a pressed Cuban-style sandwich

This ham recipe leftover idea makes it easy to turn yesterday’s holiday meal into an easy lunch the next day

12. Ham Pizza Topping

If you prefer baking with sourdough we also have a recipe for sourdough discard pizza.

Neapolitan Pizza Dough Recipe

Diced ham makes an excellent pizza topping! Use leftover ham on homemade pizza, paired with pineapple (for Hawaiian pizza lovers) or with other meats for a meat lovers pizza.

Hawaiian Neapolitan Pizza Recipe

How to Store Leftover Ham

Refrigerator Storage:

• Store leftover ham in an airtight container or wrap tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil
• Keeps for 3-5 days in the refrigerator
• Slice or dice before storing to make it easier to use in recipes

For more information see USDA recommendations on storing meat in the fridge:

Freezer Storage:

• Ham freezes well for up to 2-3 months
• Divide into meal-sized portions (1-2 cups each)
• Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer bag
• Label with date and amount
• Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using

Ham Bone Storage:

• Don’t throw away that ham bone!
• Freeze it in a large freezer bag for up to 3 months
• Perfect for adding to soup recipes for extra flavor
• The bone adds rich, savory depth to bean soups

How Much Ham Do These Recipes Use?

Below is a helpful guide for deciding which recipe to make, depending on the amount of leftover ham you have.

For 1-2 Cups of Leftover Ham:

• Ham and Hash Brown Casserole
• Ham Fried Rice
• Ham and Cheese Bread
• Pizza topping
• Pull-Apart Bread

For 2-4 Cups of Leftover Ham:

• Lima Beans and Ham Soup
• 15 Bean Soup
• Pinto Beans with Ham
• Multiple breakfast casseroles

Ham leftover ideas for 4+ Cups or Ham Bone:

• Great Norther Bean Soup
• Dice and freeze in portions for future recipes
• Use thick slices of ham for sanwiches
• Use the bone for soup stock

Can I Freeze These Recipes?

Trying to meal plan? See below for ideas on which recipes freeze well and which ones are best served fresh.

Freezes Well:

• Lima Bean Soup
• 15 Bean Soup
• Pinto Beans
• Great Norther Bean Soup
• Hashbrown Casseroles (before or after baking)

Best Fresh:

• Ham and Cheese Bread (best served fresh, but can freeze if needed)
• Fried Rice (best fresh)
• Pizza

More Ways to Use Leftover Ham

What to make with leftover ham without following a recipe:

For Breakfast:

• Dice and add to scrambled eggs
• Put in an omelet
• Top baked potatoes
• Add to breakfast burritos

For Lunch:

• Toss into a green salad
• Add to quesadillas
• Mix into mac and cheese
• Dice into pasta salad
• Use as pizza toppings

For Dinner:

• Mix into chili
• Add to fried rice
• Mix into baked beans
• Top a loaded baked potato

For Snacks:

• Wrap around cheese cubes
• Add to a charcuterie board
• Eat them as cubes!

After seeing all the ways you can enjoy the leftovers all you need now is a great ham recipe!

Dr Pepper Ham (Crockpot Recipe)

This Dr. Pepper ham crock pot recipe is the easiest way to make a juicy, flavorful holiday ham! Perfect for Christmas dinner or Easter dinners.

Crock Pot Ham Recipe

Crockpot Ham with Coke

Make tender and flavorful crockpot ham with coke using just a few ingredients. A no-fuss recipe that’s perfect for holiday dinners or Sunday meals.

Slow Cooker Ham Recipe