Not everyone loves leftovers, especially if you have to use them more than one night in a row, right? What if you could transform it into a brand new meal each and every time? Make up your meal plan with these simple leftover ham recipes that the family is sure to love and even ask for again!
How to Store Leftover Ham
When you have leftover ham, it’s important to store it properly so you can use it for meals in the future. Improper storing of ham can lead to the ham going bad and bacteria growth.
- For fully cooked ham leftovers, do NOT leave at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.
- Wrap leftover ham thoroughly before storing
- If putting leftover ham in fridge, shelf life is 3-5 days
- If planning to use leftovers after shelf life of fridge, freezer shelf life is 3-4 months
Leftover Ham Recipe Supplies (you can create multiple items with some of these items on hand)
- Storage Containers (for additional leftover ham)
- Cheese
- Pasta
- Eggs
- Vegetables (leftovers work perfect)
Leftover Ham Recipes
Ham and Potato Soup is a wonderful comfort food soup and the perfect recipe for meat and potato lovers!
While this recipe actually takes 4 hours, you can tweak it to make it on the stovetop for a faster result. Cut down the ingredients to the ones you know your family will eat and it makes it even easier to make.
Everyone loves mac & cheese! Throwing in some diced leftover ham just adds a pop to it! Sneak in the ham with something the kids already enjoy and it's a win-win meal! You can turn it into a casserole dish and add it all together and bake. Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top for an added crunch.
Now once they see green it may be a harder sell BUT it's worth it. Get them to try something new and "fancy" with this easy-to-make quiche recipe! You only need a few ingredients (you most likely have everything you need at home already). Cook time is less than one hour!
Another super easy sell for the whole family, PIZZA! This is a great last-minute dinner recipe to make with leftover ham! The kids can help prep it and it takes only 20 minutes or less to bake in the oven!
Boil your alfredo noodles and add in your sauce, veggies (smaller the better), and ham, and you've got a meal! You can lower your costs by using other leftover veggies and store brand alfredo sauces. Dice or cut your ham into small strips (the width of your noodles).
Now if you've never tried a cheese ball this combo may sound a bit odd but it's totally worth it. Cheese balls are commonly used as appetizers, so if you have a family gathering planned for after the actual holiday meal this is perfect! Grab some crackers or veggies to dip into your cheese ball!
l that you can make up and then freeze for the family to eat as they want! It's a super quick 20 minute or less meal you can make with eggs, ham, and cheese (optional).
A good casserole dish you can combine and throw in the oven to finish is perfect! You can create a brand new meal with your leftover ham by making this dish! Simplify this recipe by adding your sliced potatoes, chicken broth, (other seasonings), and diced leftover ham into your casserole baking dish. (Do this in layers)
This soup recipe is one for those cold winter days for sure. It's also a meal that needs some prep work and takes a bit longer than the other meals. You need to soak your beans overnight and once you add your ham, beans, tomatoes, and other veggies, it all needs to simmer for 2-3 hours before it's ready to eat. BUT you can also throw it together in a crock-pot and let it cook during the day so it's ready by dinner time.
Yes, throw in some veggies to the mix and create a meal they'll love! It seems adding cheese to any meal instantly makes it a win with the kids, right? This easy-to-make casserole features your basic ingredients and adds in sour cream and cream of chicken soup, all items that are inexpensive when buying store brands!
Need breakfast ideas to use up that ham? Try these easy-to-make ham and cheese frittata muffins. You just need eggs, diced ham, and cheese! (You can add diced kale or spinach as well). Put the mix into silicone baking cups and bake for just 15 minutes or less!
This easy-to-make leftover ham recipe can be used for dinner or breakfast AND it only takes 6 ingredients to make. Prep time takes 15 minutes and baking takes 30 and you have a meal in less than an hour!
If you like a little spice to your meal, this recipe is perfect! One batch makes about 6 cups of food! You can use other leftovers to add in and clean out the fridge! Plus this meal is done in under 30 minutes!
This recipe is a bit different as it requires you to take your ham and grind it into what looks like hamburger. After that, it's super easy to just make them into round ham ball shapes and bake for one hour. Then you can serve them as is or add cheese, break crumbs, etc.
Casseroles are a super easy and quick dinner idea. Combine leftover ham, veggies of choice, and potatoes into a casserole dish and bake for about 50 minutes. (If your ingredients are already cooked it won't take as long)
One batch of these 7 ingredients yields 10-12 biscuits! Super easy recipe to bake from scratch! A key trick to making these biscuits is don't over mix! You'll be adding the ham and cheese in so there's plenty of time to mix in the flour.
You likely have most if not all of the ingredients you need to make this ham version of a shepherd's pie already! You can use leftover ham, potatoes, and more. It takes just over an hour to go from prep to complete and ready to eat!
While waffles and ham are two words that don't normally go together, now they do! You can make a ham and cheese waffle version that's easy for everyone to grab and eat on the go!
Create your own homemade ham & cheese hot pockets with leftovers! You can even make these for the kids to take for their school lunch too. One batch of ingredients makes 8 pockets!
Make a fancy dish on the cheap with leftovers! Use pasta you have on hand, diced tomatoes, leftover ham, cream of chicken soup, and a few other ingredients to complete this meal is just 20 minutes!
More Leftover Ideas: