9 Things to Make with Leftover Ham
You don’t really need a recipe for a spiral-cut, honey-glazed ham. Buy it, warm it, glaze it—done. What you may need, and what we have, is lots of side dishes to serve with the salty meat, as well as ideas for serving up leftovers.
We’ve got sandwiches, of course, but also cheesy open-faced omelets, fried rice, and macaroni salad that’s packed with umami. Read on for our favorites, including an oven-baked croque monsieur that Chris Kimball learned from a master fromager in Paris.
Kimchi Grilled Cheese with Ham
Spicy, garlicky kimchi ups the umami quotient of the classic grilled ham and cheese. The pairing of cheese, kimchi and salty meats actually isn’t new. Budae jjigae, otherwise known as army base stew, originates with the Korean War. It’s a hot pot made with American surplus foods, such as hot dogs, baked beans and instant noodles, along with kimchi and American cheese. These sandwiches aren’t quite as lavish, but they’re indisputably tasty.
Ham and Cheese Quesadillas with Pickled Jalapeños
In Mexico, these quesadillas are known as sincronizadas, which translates as “synchronized”—an apt description for salty ham and melted cheese sandwiched between toasted tortillas. For assembly, we prefer to toss together shredded cheese and chopped ham, then distribute the mixture among the tortillas. Made this way, the quesadillas hold together better than if the fillings are simply layered on. Feel free to include other add-ins if you like, such as sautéed onions or mushrooms or cooked black beans. Flour tortillas work best, as corn tortillas turn brittle when toasted.
Spinach, Ham and Cheddar Strata
Possibly the most decadent configuration of leftovers: a strata! All you need are eggs, milk, bread and loads of cheese, which are tossed in a casserole dish and baked up into a savory, custardy bread pudding with crusty tops and bubbling edges. The strata is perfect for a variety of mix-ins. Our favorite combo? Spinach and ham. You can make it fresh or do all the prep, refrigerate overnight, and pop it in the oven the next day.
Oven-Baked Three-Layer Croque Monsieur Sandwiches
In Paris, Chris Kimball visited master fromager Laurent Dubois, who served him the best croque monsieur of his life. "His ingredients were perfect, so the result was delicious," he wrote. But could we achieve ham-and-cheese greatness without access to world-class cheese? We think so. We skipped the tedious béchamel and instead mixed up a quick crème fraîche-based cheese sauce, spiked with mustard and nutmeg. And we oven-baked for a family-sized batch.
These come together quickly, so watch the cheese topping under the broiler. Take them out as soon as they're bubbly and spotted brown.
Ham, Gruyère and Asparagus Tartines
In France, a tartine is a slice of bread topped with almost anything—from butter and jam (for breakfast) to cheeses and cured meats (to make open-faced sandwiches). Instead of slices cut from a rustic boule or batard, we use a baguette that has been split open, so these sandwiches are more akin to what the French may call “baguette garnie” or “gondoles.” Whatever their name, this is an easy way to throw together a light dinner. We use average pencil-sized asparagus and cut the spears in half lengthwise so they cook quickly; if you can find super-slender asparagus, simply leave the spears whole. Serve with a vinaigrette-dressed salad to complete the meal.
Japanese Macaroni Salad
Tired of sandwiches? Use the last bit of smoked spiral-cut ham to make an umami-packed Japanese macaroni salad. It’s creamy, yet fresh-flavored, with Kewpie mayo that’s lush and rich, with a hit of tangy-sweetness from a cut of vinegar. We love how it lends itself to balanced, bright flavors, so we added vinegar to American-style mayo—allowing crisp vegetables to shine through and perfectly balance salty ham.
Spanish Chorizo, Ham and White Bean Stew
This is Milk Street's meaty (and ultra-satisfying) spin on fabada asturiana, a classic tapas dish of creamy beans flavored with meats and garlic. In addition to chopped ham, the right chorizo is essential here — be sure to shop for dried Spanish chorizo, not fresh Mexican-style chorizo. The combination of meats lends a deep, rich flavor to the broth, which you'll want to soak up with hunks of crusty bread.
Fried Rice with Edamame and Ham
Japanese-inspired fried rice with edamame and ham is a great vehicle for leftovers. (If you don't have leftover rice, cook a pot and chill it the night before. Do not use hot, freshly-cooked rice; it will not fry.) Toss the cold rice with some oil to prevent it from clumping, then add some chopped ham and frozen edamame and fry it up. Besides an egg, the only other ingredients you’ll need are pantry staples: soy, rice vinegar and mirin. Dust with furikake for a crunchy, umami boost.
Ham and Goat Cheese Omelet with Grainy Mustard
Omelets are the ultimate dish for turning yesterday’s ham into today’s breakfast or brunch. The elegance of this open-faced egg dish belies a 15-minute method. Grainy mustard doesn’t just flavor the omelet, it emulsifies the the white with the yolk so it comes out extra creamy. Tangy, fresh goat cheese and aromatic shallots balance the salty richness of the ham.
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Claire Lower
Claire Lower is the Digital Editor for Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, with over a decade of experience as a food writer and recipe developer. Claire began writing about food (and drinks) during the blogging boom in the late 2000s, eventually leaving her job as a lab technician to pursue writing full-time. After freelancing for publications such as Serious Eats, Yahoo Food, xoJane and Cherry Bombe Magazine, she eventually landed at Lifehacker, where she served as the Senior Food Editor for nearly eight years. Claire lives in Portland, Oregon with a very friendly dog and very mean cat. When not in the kitchen (or at her laptop), you can find her deadlifting at the gym, fly fishing or trying to master figure drawing at her local art studio.
