Wondering what to do with the leftover ham – other than make ham sandwiches yet again? Here’s over 30 recipes worthy of your precious glazed ham!
TOP TIPS: Treat it like bacon, don’t forget the bone, and store it properly to prolong its life.
It’s un-Australian to make a Glazed Ham that’s just big enough to serve the exact number you’re catering for. Have leftover ham is practically a Christmas ritual in itself.
On Day 1, it’s all exciting to use the leftover ham to make lunch rolls.
Day 2, it’s already starting to lose its appeal.
By Day 3, you start looking up how long the leftover ham will keep for, and how to freeze it. (Answer here)
Day 4, you decide you’ll have one last hurrah before you freeze it.
Oh wait, I believe that’s today??! 🤣 So I’m JUST in time!
So here you go – 30+ recipes to make using your leftover ham. (And PS, it will be good for at least a 7 – 9 days in the fridge if you store it correctly!)
What to do with Leftover Ham – 30+ recipes
1. RecipeTin Picks
Here are my personal picks for using the precious leftover ham:
* NEW!* Hot Ham and Cheese Sliders – Use leftover Christmas ham to make party food to ring in the new year!
Crustless Ham and Cheese Quiche – smells like Quiche Lorraine as it cooks, but a whole lot easier to make! And a lot less calories too 😇;
Eggs Benedict – because it’s worthy;
In place of bacon in this Strata Cake – because it’s something different, simple to make, tastes like quiche and everybody loves it;
Ham & Cheese French Toast Roll Ups – because it’s FUN! (And crazy delicious);
Pea and Ham Soup – because it’s so good that you look beyond that incredibly unflattering colour;
Fried rice – because you don’t need much, and it’s good for using scraps. Make a meal out of it – add it to Chicken Fried Rice;
Mini quiche – another one good for scraps, and I love telling people it’s made with Christmas ham; and
Macaroni Salad – I just add a good couple of handfuls of chopped ham into the Macaroni Salad for extra pops of tasty goodness.
2. Leftover Ham recipes
Actual recipes calling for ham! I have more than I realised – I even had to break it down into groups!
Brunch / brekki type things
Eggs Benedict – as noted above, WORTHY!
Ham Egg & Cheese Pockets – grab and go!
Ham and Cheese Puffs – OK, this is more of an app, but I WANT to eat it for breakfast!
No Washing Up Hot Ham and Cheese Bread Bowls – emphasis on the words NO WASHING UP!
Monte Cristo (French Toast Ham Cheese Sandwich) – literally, the BEST ham and cheese sandwich in the world…
Ham and Cheese French Toast Roll Ups – cute to look at and divine to eat!
Meals using ham
Ham, Potato & Corn Chowder – a creamy chowder loves salty little pops of ham;
Pizza – Hawaiian, BBQ Meat Lovers, Capricciosa or of course, make your own up!
Chicken Cordon Bleu – the best stuffed chicken ever!
Fried rice – my base recipe calls for bacon, but actually, many Chinese restaurants use ham! Make a meal out of it – try Chicken Fried Rice;
Muffletta! (Italian Christmas Leftovers Bread Bowl) – anything goes here. But most especially HAM!
Cheese and Ham Pancakes – Mashed potatoes cakes studded with ham, crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. YES!
4. Ham bone recipes
Pea and Ham Soup – dump it all into a slow cooker, then come home to the most incredible smell wafting out of your kitchen. Very little effort, huge returns!
Next Level Ham Bone Soup with Beans – it sounds and looks rustic, but the flavour is off the charts exceptional!
Chinese Ham Bone Rice Soup – Congee (3 ingredients!!) – this is actually a Chinese dish, not just something I made up. It’s unbelievably good, and yes it really does only call for 3 ingredients.
5. Anything calling for bacon
Did you know you can use ham in virtually any recipe calling for bacon? It adds the same salty pops, and you can even fry it up until golden, just like bacon!
Sprinkle it onto a Chicken Salad in place of bacon. Or cook it like you would bacon to form a savoury base for things like Minestrone Soup or Southern Baked Beans.
Click here to see all recipes using bacon. Here are some suggestions – nice variety of recipes here!
PRO TIP: The only time you cannot substitute ham for bacon is where the bacon is mixed in raw form into something, such as Doner Kebab meat or Sausage Rolls. Need the bacon fat.
6. Add in!
There are so many options for things you can add ham into, whether it’s to add protein, tasty little salty pops or just generally to make it even tastier! Here are some ideas:
Lunches & meals
Breakfast & brunch
Hope that gives your leftover ham a new lease on life! Make the most of it – for most of us, it’s another 12 months before we make another. – Nagi x
Life of Dozer
Dozer would like to put another suggestion on the list for what to do with your leftover ham:
Thank you so much for these recipes. My daughter was gifted a half leg of ham from her employer for Christmas and we were wondering how to use up so much of it. I will probably freeze half of it though. Hugs and kisses to Dozer.
Just made your Mashed potato cakes with ham and Turkey using leftover Potato Salad. Deliciousness.. You need to add this to your list…..
Brilliant glazed ham recipe. It has helped me enormously for our upcoming Xmas. I have Never done a glazed ham before. Always bought ready prepared. Always been to scared to try. Thank you.
You are most welcome! N x
Love these ideas! We usually have leftover ham after the holidays, so I’m totally bookmarking these ideas!
Cheers for the suggestions Nagi. Btw, what camera do you use?
About a week before Thanksgiving I made your Slow-Roasted Sweet Potatoes. They were so good that they were invited to come to Thanksgiving. Now I am no cook, I cannot boil water without burning it. So I have to give you credit for your simple recipes. Now I may go on to become a world-renowned chef!! Thanks and God bless.
Hi Nagi, I love receiving your emails with great, simple foods . I have tried many and they all turn out very good. I really like the mini quiches with left over ham. Everyone loved them, especially the spinach & garlic, and mushrooms & garlic. Will definitely making these again.
Loved your interview with Dozer by the way.
Thanks again. 👍🏻👍🏻
Hi Nagi, I love all your recipes and have tried many. They are so simple to follow with clear instructions and the end result actually looks like yours do! I love to cook and experiment. Thank you for all your wonderful ideas made easy for the likes of me an ‘at home’ cook. Happy New Year!
About a week before Thanksgiving I made your Slow-Roasted Sweet Potatoes. They were so good that they were invited to come to Thanksgiving. Now I am no cook, I cannot boil water without burning it. So I have to give you credit for your simple recipes. Now I may go on to become a world-renowned chef!! Thanks and God bless.
I would definitely give the minestrone a go. Ham and Parmesan cheese on top= yum!
Hi, I love your way of presenting food and its preparation. I can relate to it so very well as I too am a foodie. Dozer is fabulous and he adds depth to your blog 😍🙂
I hope you are safe and keeping well especially given recent outbreak of Covid in the Northern beaches area.
I would definitely give the minestrone a go. Ham and Parmesan cheese on top= yum!
Your ham strata looks delicious! I have a wonderful recipe for turkey strata that my Lithuanian grandmother always made. I love anything strata!!
I love all of your recipes. Dozer is my hero.
top lady love your recipes so easy and straight forward . many thanks and you and dozzer stay safe
Good morning Nagi Merry Christmas and a Happy new year to you and Dozzer, Regards Colin.
Hi Nagi,
I happened on your blog by accident several months ago and I am so glad I did! I love your posts and recipes and look forward to seeing them. Your recipes are amazing. Thank you for all the yummy and interesting ideas! PS I’m also quite fond of Dozer😊
Hi, Nagi,
Thanks so much for all the ham recipes! I was wondering what I would do with all of it, since the smallest one I could find was 8-1/2 lbs and there are only two of us!!
I do have a question. Your description of the cheese and ham pancakes indicated mashed potato cakes, but the recipe had no potato in it.
LOVED the Christmas photos!
Happy, HEALTHY New Year to you, Dozer, and the whole Recipe Tin family!
Love that Dozer & love your site. My Valentine had the same ‘recipe’ for us.
like your recipe ideas