A whole ham is a beautiful centerpiece for a celebratory meal. It's also a lot of food—unless you're cooking for a huge group, you're bound to have leftovers. Fortunately, cooked ham is versatile. We've collected some of our favorite leftover ham recipes.
The obvious way to use just about any leftovers is to make a sandwich. From a cubano to a monte cristo to a club to a muffuletta, your options are endless. Try our croque tartine Parisienne, an open-face ham and cheese sandwich decadently topped with a runny fried egg and creamy béchamel.
Leftover ham also lends itself to flavoring soup. Try a simple senate bean soup, or the Southern dish hoppin' John, a soup of black-eyed peas and rice that has a smack of ham to it.
For an ornate breakfast, try eggs sardou. This New Orleans classic features anchovies tucked in between egg and artichoke, a thick hollandaise sauce, scattered handfuls of minced black truffle, parsley, and ham, and elegant fried asparagus spears.
Find these recipes and more in our collection of 24 leftover ham recipes!
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Ham, Cheese, Egg, and Lemon Sandwiches
Lemon curd and goat cheese lends this breakfast sandwich a pleasing tang. Get the recipe for Ham, Cheese, Egg, and Lemon Sandwiches »
Puerto Rican Ham and Egg Sandwiches (Mallorcas)
Fluffy, eggy, buttery, sweet, coiled like a snail’s shell and generously dusted with powdered sugar, Pan de Mallorca is named for its land of origin, in Spain. Get the recipe for Puerto Rican Ham and Egg Sandwiches (Mallorcas) »
Eggs Sardou is an ornate New Orleans classic, with anchovies tucked in between egg and artichoke, and a thick hollandaise sauce blanketing the entire dish, scattered with handfuls of minced black truffle, parsley, and ham and served with elegant fried asparagus spears.
Ham and Hard-Boiled Egg Sandwich
Ham and eggs may be a breakfast classic, but they’re even better for lunch: try sliced or quartered hard-boiled eggs layered with a salty ham and a bit of mayo on a hearty white bread. Get the recipe for Ham and Hard-Boiled Egg Sandwich »
Senate Bean Soup
Senate Bean Soup
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Football Sandwiches
A staple of Junior League cookbooks, these miniature ham sandwiches are doused in a tangy butter-poppyseed sauce and then baked in the oven.
White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese
Sun-dried tomatoes and chopped ham turn up the flavor in this baked pasta. Get the recipe for White Cheddar Macaroni and Cheese »
This savory danish with salty country ham gravy is a glorious mash-up of pastry and homey Southern comfort. Get the recipe for Country Ham and Red-Eye Gravy Danish »
Chablis-Style Ham with Tomato Cream Sauce (Jambon au Chablis)
In this dish, thick-cut ham is doused in a velvety tomato-based cream sauce made with chablis. Get the recipe for Chablis-Style Ham with Tomato Cream Sauce (Jambon au Chablis) »
Ham and Caramelized Onion Pizza
Ham and Caramelized Onion Pizza
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Bel-Air Club Sandwich
Napolitan Spaghetti
This pasta dish was created at the New Grand Hotel in Yokohama, Japan, after World War II to cater to American GIs and soon became a mealtime favorite across the rest of the country.
A fried egg crowns this decadent sandwich of ham enrobed in béchamel and melted cheese. Get the recipe for Egg-Topped Ham and Cheese Sandwich (Croque Tartine Parisienne) »
Spaghetti Fritters with Ham and Smoked Mozzarella (Frittatine di Pasta)
Coiled strands of spaghetti soak up a creamy sauce in these delectable fried ham and cheese fritters.
Swiss Onion Tart
This tart uses a salty, smoky ham known as speck; bacon is a good substitute.
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Monte Cristo
People have strong opinions about the Monte Cristo sandwich, a double-decker of Swiss cheese, ham, and chicken or turkey, battered, fried, and dusted with confectioners’ sugar, served with jelly on the side. Some consider it a marvel; others, an absurdity. Try it with cranberry sauce!
Ham and Cheese Soufflés
Ham and Cheese Soufflés
Ham, Cream Cheese, and Red Pepper Jelly Canapés
These ultra-simple, elegant snacks are served by home cooks in the American South.
Hoppin' John Soup
This soup of black-eyed peas and rice, traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day in the American South, makes good use of leftover holiday ham scraps.
Fancy Sandwich Loaf
Sandwich loaves were popular party foods in the 1940s and ’50s. This updated version combines earthy mushrooms and pistachios with baked ham and fresh asparagus.
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Cubano (Cuban Ham and Cheese Sandwich)
A Cubano is a griddled white roll with Swiss cheese, boiled ham, dill pickle slices, and roasted pork.
Muffuletta
Deli meats and cheese are elevated to greatness with an olive salad in this New Orleans classic.
Southern Ham Salad
Southern ham salad is spiked with pickles and celery.
Though this sumptuous stew is traditionally braised in a clay pot, we found a Dutch oven works very well.
