Leftover Ham Recipes (2025)

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Here are a bunch of easy leftover ham recipes to use after the holidays. How to use your diced ham after Easter, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Thrown into hearty soups, a breakfast casserole, or other meals your entire family will enjoy.

Leftover Ham Recipes (1)

Even before Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas arrive I am already looking for easy leftover ham recipes. We have used it in the best leftover turkey recipe with this meat instead, and all of these. I know we will need quite a few using cubed ham. (originally posted 3/16, affiliate links present)

We always have oven baked ham leftovers and hate being wasteful. We’ve made several things ourselves but I thought about including a few more ideas this year from other bloggers.

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Enjoy your holidays and try something new this year with your leftover sliced ham from the big meal. 😉

  • Are you sick of the regular old??
  • We’re here with a few tweaks like air fryer sandwiches and ready to try other leftover ham recipes now too!

Leftover Ham Soup

Our Loaded Baked Potato Soupis something we make often. My daughter even asked for it for Christmas dinner this year! You can use diced meat from the day before or add a ham hock into the middle so the meat falls off the bone when done.

Leftover Ham Recipes (2)

We’ve got lots of suggestions if you want something thicker more like a casserole or side dish like our slow cooker ham and beans or Crockpot ham and potatoes dishes.

Leftover Ham Recipe

Of course you can make some scrambled eggs, dice up what’s left and throw that in. Use your air fryer and make an air fryer breakfast omelette of sorts. Or try ham and cheese roll ups that can be thrown together in no time for dinner! When it’s cold outside and I have meat to use I love adding it into a hearty soup like Instant Pot lentil soup.

Your leftover Christmas ham has endless possibilities for breakfast, lunch or dinner. I absolutely hate to waste food in general but more so if it was once delicious and I know it would add a ton of flavor to other dishes the next day, or throughout the week. Think way beyond sandwiches, those are totally boring.

If you love leftover ham soups we have a bunch of those. They’re probably my favorite because you can throw in a bunch of ingredients, boil and serve it up with a few rolls.

Leftover Ham Recipes (3)

Recipe for Leftover Ham

Our Instant Pot potato cheese soup is great to throw leftover ham into. Then make a hash brown casserole, or air fryer hashbrowns in the morning for your crew. Added into scrambled ham and eggs with cheddar cheese is an easy one but that is just the very beginning.

Throw it into an Instant Pot casserole for a cheesy pasta dish if you like. I know not everyone is small appliance obsessed like I am so I’ll include the “old fashioned” method of cooking in a Crock as well below. I still use that for sure but my go to is a pressure cooker nowadays.

  • Slow cooker scalloped potatoes are always better with diced ham
  • Green beans with ham and potatoes works well
  • Ham and cheese breakfast bites are perfect when you’re on the go
    • These savory breakfast muffins are perfect bites.

Crockpot split pea soup and/or Instant Pot split pea soup recipe are perfect with ham thrown in. If you do you won’t need any seasonings at the end. That is another plus because there is enough sodium in the meat, and flavor, that adds to the otherwise bland vegetable soup. So killer my husband who hates peas actually thinks this is amazing.

Leftover Ham Recipes (4)

How to Use Ham Leftovers

This year I came up with a new leftover ham recipe here that uses puff pastry and my kids loved them!😉 Anything they can pick up and becomes finger food of sorts is always a huge winner to them, and makes me a hero for dinner.

What to make with a lot of ham

Make our creamy Crockpot ham and potato soup with a few cups of leftovers or a pork shank thrown in there to get tender all day.

Our asparagus casserole recipe is yummy with leftover ham. I mean every time this veggie is in season I buy several bunches. It is our favorite and can be cooked multiple ways. Serve this as a unique brunch or breakfast idea when people come over.

Leftover Ham Recipes (5)

Slice really thin and make a fun appetizer like our dill pickle roll ups! Here is one for cheesy ham rollups that is easy! You can make them in your oven or this way as air fryer chicken cordon bleu with it diced up small.

Just use Pillsbury crescent sheet, ham, swiss cheese, and put a bit of dill into mayo. to swipe on.

Then bake as directed on the crescent roll wrapper! You can also use crescent rolls and a muffin pan to make Leftover ham turnovers!

Leftover Ham Recipes (6)

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Leftover Ham Recipe

Best leftover ham recipe to use after the holidays. Diced up and baked with cheese in crescent rolls and enjoy these ham turnovers.

Course Breakfast, Entree

Cuisine American

Keyword cheese, ham, leftover ham, muffin tin, turnovers

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Calories 859kcal

Author The Typical Mom

Ingredients

  • 1.5 – 2 c ham diced small
  • 1.5 c cheese I use Swiss, diced small or shredded
  • 1/2 c mayonnaise or a bit more so everything is coated
  • 1 pkg crescent rolls
  • 1/4 tsp dill
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray holes in muffin tin with non stick spray.

  • In a bowl add all ingredients and toss together so everything is coated with mayo, if you need a bit more so it is all wet then add a bit more.

  • Open and unroll pkg. of crescent rolls. Put one roll in each muffin tin hole with the large part of the triangle in the bottom and the thinner part hanging over the side.

  • Add 1 heaping Tbsp of filling into the middle of each hole. Pull and fold over the top of the raw roll over the top and tuck under so the most of the top is covered as you can without ripping it.

  • Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the tops are golden browned.

  • Sit in pan when done for 5 minutes, scoop out with a spoon and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Leftover Ham Recipe

Amount Per Serving (1 oz)

Calories 859Calories from Fat 612

% Daily Value*

Fat 68g105%

Saturated Fat 24g150%

Trans Fat 1g

Polyunsaturated Fat 19g

Monounsaturated Fat 19g

Cholesterol 130mg43%

Sodium 2353mg102%

Potassium 389mg11%

Carbohydrates 24g8%

Sugar 6g7%

Protein 39g78%

Vitamin A 443IU9%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 310mg31%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This cheesy scalloped potatoes with ham from Love Bakes Good Cakes…yum!!

A Dish of Daily Life has a yummy creamy pasta with ham and peas dish to try!

Try these broccoli, ham and cheese bake from Serena Bakes Simply from Scratch!

Leftover Ham Recipes (7)

Here aresome more great leftover ham recipes from other bloggers we love!

Here is aScalloped potatoes and hamdish from Amy Cooking Adventures.

Ham and potato casserole from Oh, Sweet Basil we are going to try this year.

Leftover Ham Recipes (8)

ThisHam cobb salad from Tastes better from Damn Delicious sounds great.

  • Ham pinwheels by Mom on Timeout would be a great appetizer or meal.
  • This Ham dip from Buns in my Oven looks amazing.

Take a look at our slow cooker soup recipes for more ideas. Hope you gathered some great ideas on how to use leftover ham this year…do you have another recipe you love?

If you have other leftover ham recipes let us know so we can add them to our list!

Leftover Ham Recipes (9)

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Leftover Ham Recipes (10)
Leftover Ham Recipes (2025)

FAQs

How long is leftover ham good for? ›

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 freeze leftover ham? ›

You can freeze delicious ham and it'll last for weeks before you need to use it. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that fully cooked frozen ham is safe to eat for up to one to two months. If you find yourself with leftover ham, freezing it for future use is both easy and convenient.

What can I do with leftover ham skin? ›

Put leftover ham skin on a sheet pan and sprinkle with salt. Bake until nice and crispy, usually about 3 hours.

How long is sliced ham good in the fridge? ›

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. In addition to these dates, it's always best to stick to the use-by date printed on the ham's package.

Can you eat 6 day old ham? ›

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, ham is good for three to five days in the refrigerator after it is cooked. If you need more time to use up those leftovers, ham will last up to two months in the freezer. The USDA also recommends wrapping up leftovers well.

Is a 2 year old frozen ham still good? ›

An uncooked, cut country ham can be refrigerated for two to three months or frozen for one month. A cooked Country Ham should be refrigerated for seven days and or frozen for one month. Freezer storage time is for quality only. Frozen hams remain safe indefinitely.

Why can't you freeze ham? ›

Technically, freezing ham will keep it safe indefinitely, but it might not taste good after years of sitting in the freezer. To determine how long frozen ham lasts and maintains its quality, here's what foodsafety.gov says: Fresh, uncured, uncooked ham: 6 months. Fresh, uncured, cooked ham: 3 to 4 months.

Is it better to freeze ham whole or sliced? ›

The flavor won't be affected. Cut the ham off the bone. If the ham has a bone, use a knife to cut all the meat off the bone into 8-ounce pieces, if possible (that's what most recipes call for). If you're freezing spiral cut ham, make 8-ounce stacks of slices.

Can dogs eat ham? ›

Ham is not toxic to dogs, but it's also not a healthy treat for them. So if your pup eats a little piece that fell to the floor, they should be totally fine. But feeding ham to your dog as a regular snack can cause some long-term health issues.

What can I do with expired ham? ›

If your ham has been stored in the fridge for more than five days after the package has been opened or in the freezer for more than six months, it is best to throw it out.

Is the skin on ham edible? ›

But even for those who successfully reheat their family hams (many of them are already fully cooked), the rind appears to have no purpose. On a perfectly cooked ham, the rind is almost inedible. Though full of flavor, it is thick, leathery and tough.

How do you make leftover ham juicy again? ›

Reheating ham via skillet is an easy way to get a few slices nice and hot in a flash. To reheat ham slices on the stove, add a few slices at a time to a skillet over medium-high heat. Add up to ½ cup of chicken broth to keep the meat moist or opt for a couple of tablespoons of butter or oil to give the ham a nice sear.

Why is my ham slimy but not expired? ›

Slimy ham is a sign of bacterial growth, so don't consume it if it's wet or oily. Some bacteria may cause ham to become sticky, too. In any case, avoid ham that doesn't feel right in your hand. This will be especially notable on sliced ham.

How to tell if ham is spoiled? ›

Ham should have a salty or smokey aroma, almost sweet. If there is a sour smell or something smells off, don't take the chance of a food-borne illness. Get rid of it. Slimy, super-wet, or oily textures on the outside of your ham might indicate bacteria growth.

How long is cooked spiral ham good for in the fridge? ›

Most ham will last about five days in the fridge

The outlet notes that cured and fully cooked spiral hams that have been opened and cooked at home will stay fresh in the refrigerator for three to five days afterward, while country ham lasts up to a full week.

How long can I keep Christmas ham in the fridge? ›

Christmas ham stored in the fridge, either on the bone or carved off and wrapped in plastic and foil, will keep perfectly well for up to two weeks. Ham wrapped in plastic and foil and then frozen will last in the freezer for up to a month.

Are leftovers good after 7 days? ›

According to the FDA Food Code, all perishable foods that are opened or prepared should be thrown out after 7 days, maximum. No leftovers should survive in your fridge for longer than that. Some foods should be even be thrown away before the 7 day mark.

How can you tell if ham has gone 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.

How long is Honey Baked Ham good for after opening? ›

If you choose to refrigerate your products, Honey Baked Ham can be refrigerated for 7 to 10 days and Honey Baked Turkey Breast can be refrigerated for 5 to 7 days.

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