15 Recipes With Leftover Ham To Rescue That Holiday Fridge

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Leftover ham has a way of sticking around long after the holiday is over. It takes up fridge space, dares you to be creative, and slowly gets ignored until it’s too late. The trick is finding recipes with leftover ham that feel fresh without a lot of effort. You want something easy to throw together that doesn’t taste like day-old dinner. These ideas help clear the fridge and bring something new to the table at the same time.

Easy Cheddar Cheese Scones With Ham

Four triangular scones with diced red peppers and herbs on parchment paper.
Easy Cheddar Cheese Scones With Ham. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

These scones don’t mess around—cheesy, flaky, and stuffed with ham that didn’t stand a chance of staying in the fridge. Great pick when you’re working through recipes with leftover ham but still want breakfast to feel fancy-ish.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cheddar Cheese Scones With Ham

Easy Crock Pot Ham and Potato Soup

A bowl of mashed potatoes mixed with chunks of meat, with a spoon inside. The bowl is speckled, and it rests on a checkered cloth. Salt and pepper shakers are in the background.
Easy Crock Pot Ham and Potato Soup. Photo credit: Upstate Ramblings.

Toss everything in the pot and walk away like a kitchen magician. If you’re hunting for low-effort recipes with leftover ham that somehow taste like comfort in a bowl, this one’s got your back.
Get the Recipe: Easy Crock Pot Ham and Potato Soup

Barbequed Green Beans with Ham

Two white dishes on a wooden table, each containing cooked green beans and orange carrot cubes. Two silver forks rest beside the dishes.
Barbequed Green Beans with Ham. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

Green beans get a glow-up with smoky BBQ sauce and ham scraps that were too good to toss. It’s one of those recipes with leftover ham that somehow pulls double duty as a side and a scene-stealer.
Get the Recipe: Barbequed Green Beans with Ham

Ham and Egg Casserole

A serving of baked casserole on a spatula, featuring layers of melted cheese, chunks of ham, and garnished with chopped green onions.
Ham and Egg Casserole. Photo credit: Erren’s Kitchen.

When you’re not sure what’s for breakfast but you’ve got ham, eggs, and a casserole dish—you’re already winning. This is one of those recipes with leftover ham that feeds a crowd without any fuss.
Get the Recipe: Ham and Egg Casserole

Mini Ham Cheese and Spinach Breakfast Pies

Pastries filled with spinach, cheese, and ham on a baking tray with a knife.
Mini Ham Cheese and Spinach Breakfast Pies. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

These little guys don’t last long—cheesy, protein-packed, and portable. They check every box if you’re into recipes with leftover ham that feel like a win for both breakfast and snacks.
Get the Recipe: Mini Ham Cheese and Spinach Breakfast Pies

Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup

A bowl of creamy soup with ham, potatoes, and shredded cheese on top. Crackers and two spoons on a napkin are beside the bowl.
Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup. Photo credit: One Hot Oven.

You can throw everything in before lunch and act like you cooked all day—no judgment. This one’s a solid bet for anyone looking to stretch leftover ham into something warm and worth repeating.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Ham and Potato Soup

Easy Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe

A bowl of creamy potato salad with ham and vegetables next to a split bread roll on a cloth napkin.
Easy Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe. Photo credit: Recipes From Leftovers.

You’re only a handful of ingredients away from a bowl you’ll want to keep on repeat. It lands squarely in the top tier of recipes with leftover ham, especially when everyone wants seconds.
Get the Recipe: Easy Cheesy Ham and Potato Soup Recipe

Easy Ham and Cheese Sliders

A tray of baked slider sandwiches with melted cheese, topped with a mixture of chopped nuts and seeds.
Easy Ham and Cheese Sliders. Photo credit: Lara Clevenger.

These sliders disappear faster than holiday leftovers. Perfect if you need recipes with leftover ham that work for lunchboxes, midnight snacks, or whatever weird meal happens between lunch and dinner.
Get the Recipe: Easy Ham and Cheese Sliders

Ham Fried Rice

A plate of fried rice with diced ham, peas, carrots, and chopped green onions, garnished on a black plate. Green onions and a green cloth are in the background.
Ham Fried Rice. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

Got leftover rice and ham? You’re halfway there. This is one of those recipes with leftover ham that actually makes your fridge feel like it’s working with you for once.
Get the Recipe: Ham Fried Rice

Keto Baked Eggs Florentine with Ham

A breakfast plate with a poached egg topped with green herbs and two strips of crispy bacon. A fork and knife are on a striped napkin nearby, with part of a newspaper visible in the background.
Keto Baked Eggs Florentine with Ham. Photo credit: Keto Cooking Wins.

This one’s all about baked eggs, spinach, and enough ham to make it feel like a win. Great if you’re dabbling in lower-carb recipes with leftover ham but still want breakfast to actually taste like something.
Get the Recipe: Keto Baked Eggs Florentine with Ham

Easy Breakfast Quesadilla

Breakfast quesadillas filled with scrambled eggs, ham, and cheese, garnished with green onions, served on a plate with fresh strawberries.
Easy Breakfast Quesadilla. Photo credit: Running to the Kitchen.

Cheesy, crispy, and sneakily packed with ham—that’s a breakfast win. Add it to your list of go-to recipes with leftover ham when toast just isn’t cutting it.
Get the Recipe: Easy Breakfast Quesadilla

Old Fashioned Ham Salad

A plate with tuna salad on lettuce, garnished with herbs and black pepper, accompanied by a whole pickle.
Old Fashioned Ham Salad. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

This isn’t your grandma’s ham salad… unless she made a killer one, in which case, carry on. Works great for sandwiches or crackers and definitely earns its spot among recipes with leftover ham that aren’t soup.
Get the Recipe: Old Fashioned Ham Salad

Cheddar Ham Breakfast Pizza

A baked pizza with a slice missing, topped with cheese, diced tomatoes, and bacon bits. Placed on a black tray next to a small plate with a slice, tomatoes, and a green plant.
Cheddar Ham Breakfast Pizza. Photo credit: Call Me PMc.

It’s basically breakfast and pizza teaming up—what more do you want? Easily earns a spot in the hall of fame for recipes with leftover ham that keep mornings interesting.
Get the Recipe: Cheddar Ham Breakfast Pizza

Navy Bean and Ham Soup

A bowl of bean soup with vegetables and pieces of meat, served in a brown ceramic bowl on a white cloth, alongside a metal spoon.
Navy Bean and Ham Soup. Photo credit: Little Bit Recipes.

Thick, hearty, and the kind of thing you’ll want again tomorrow. It’s one of the classic recipes with leftover ham that proves beans and ham were clearly meant to hang out.
Get the Recipe: Navy Bean and Ham Soup

Ham & Cheese Impossible Quiche

A pie with a golden crust is in a dish, with one slice cut out and placed on a nearby plate. Two forks are beside the plates on a table.
Ham & Cheese Impossible Quiche. Photo credit: Cook What You Love.

It magically makes its own crust, which feels like cheating, but we’re not complaining. Add it to your rotation if you’re working through recipes with leftover ham and need something that looks fancier than it is.
Get the Recipe: Ham & Cheese Impossible Quiche

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Sarita Harbour has been stretching her food dollars to feed her family for over 30 years. As a former banker and current freelance writer, she's written boatloads of articles about budgeting, homesteading, gardening, personal finance and more. Her food-related articles have been widely syndicated through AP and MSN. Look for her food features at NBC, The Seattle Times, Yahoo! Life, Chowhound, Tasting Table and MSN.