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What to Serve with Ham

Published: Apr 1, 2023 by Jessica Fisher

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Whether you’re serving ham for a holiday meal or found one on sale to work your meal plan around, you’re going to want some stellar side dishes. While Scalloped Potatoes are certainly a classic side dish for ham, don’t stop there! There are so many great ham dinner sides that you could easily put it on the menu each week and enjoy a different kind of meal.

Ham is perfect for a main dish, but it’s also delicious incorporated into casserole and pasta recipes as a supporting character. Be sure to freeze ham you have leftover so you can easily include it in Ham Pasta, our favorite Denver Scramble, or the very simple Ham and Egg Salad.

dinner table set with platters of ham, potatoes, asparagus, and a bread basket.

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FAQs
Recommended Side Dishes for Ham
Tell us what you think!

Slow Cooker Ham is one of my go-to recipes to serve at Easter dinner, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, but it’s also an easy protein to prepare all year round, especially when you vary the side dishes.

It’s great served in the warmer months as cold meat alongside fresh sugar snap peas, deviled eggs, baked beans, and dinner rolls. Ham is super tasty, served alongside the Thanksgiving turkey with your favorite mashed potatoes recipe or sweet potato casserole and roasted brussels sprouts. It’s a perfect Sunday supper with glazed carrots and green bean casserole in the winter.

FAQs

How should you cut ham?

Typically ham has the best flavor and texture when sliced thinly.

Which wine should you serve with ham?

Fruity wines are a nice match for ham. Consider serving a Chenin Blanc, Grenache or Zinfandel with your ham meal.

What should you serve with ham?

There are so many different side dishes that go well with ham. When you’re planning your ham menu, consider choosing a sweet or savory sauce, a green vegetable, a starchy side, and something for the bread basket.

Recommended Side Dishes for Ham

Consider these easy and budget-friendly side dishes to serve with ham no matter the season.

a white bowl of cranberry sauce with a spoon on a table set with other dinner platters.

Sauces

While ham is often glazed with honey or brown sugar, there’s no reason you can’t also include another sauce or gravy with ham. It works well with both sweet and savory sauces.

Easy Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Ditch the can this holiday season. Cranberry Sauce is incredibly easy to make yourself and it tastes amazing. It also freezes beautifully!

jar of BBQ sauce on table with red checked cloth and a basting brush.

Apricot BBQ Sauce

This easy Apricot BBQ sauce is a perfect pantry staple to make yourself. It brings great sweet and smoky flavor to burgers, pulled pork, and other grilled meats.

apple compote on a spoon over a ramekin of baked apple pieces.

Baked Apple Compote

This Baked Apple Compote is delicious. Apples scented with rich butter and spices cook up tender and full of flavor.

Apple and jars and bowl of Sauce

Slow Cooker Applesauce

This delicious, lightly sweetened Slow Cooker Applesauce practically cooks itself, allowing you time to do other things. Load up the slow cooker and in a few hours, come back to warm, comforting applesauce.

mushroom and onion gravy in a yellow gravy boat on the dinner table.

Mushroom and Onion Gravy

Let bottled and dry mix gravy be relics of the past! This recipe for Mushroom and Onion Gravy stirs up silky and delicious. It's also super freezer-friendly.

Maple Balsamic Dressing

Mix up a little deliciousness in this Balsamic Vinaigrette. This Maple Balsamic Dressing is packed with flavor and couldn't be easier to prepare.

drizzling raspberry vinaigrette on raspberry salad.

Raspberry Vinaigrette Recipe

This simple Raspberry Vinaigrette recipe is perfect on your salad or even as a chicken marinade. Plus, try the delightful variations!

close up of air fryer asparagus on a dinner plate with crock pot ham and scalloped potatoes.

Vegetables

You don’t need to prepare very complicated side dishes for Ham. But since ham is fairly rich, it benefits from some green veggies, like fresh green beans or Air Fryer Asparagus.

close up of air fryer asparagus on white platter.

Air Fryer Asparagus

Air Fryer Asparagus comes together in just minutes and tastes amazing with a sprinkle of Everything Seasoning.

roasted asparagus on baking sheet

Oven Roasted Asparagus Recipe

Oven Roasted Asparagus comes together quickly and easily. Baked in foil packets, the tender shoots are infused with olive oil and lemon.

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Broccoli Cranberry Salad

This slightly sweet Broccoli Salad is full of texture, thanks to pecans, cranberries, and red onions. It makes a delicious side salad.

A plate of veggies and chicken

Lemon Broccoli and Peas

Seasoning vegetables doesn’t have to be rocket science, but can be the difference between okay side dishes and fabulous feasts. With a combo of salt, lemon, olive oil, and just the right amount of heat, this Lemon Broccoli and Peas is out of this world.

A dish of green bean casserole

Really Homemade Green Bean Casserole

Can the canned cream soups. Make a homemade green bean casserole from scratch! It’s tastier; it’s healthier; it’s so much better than the fake food version.

baking dish with green bean casserole

Brussels sprouts and bacon in flowered bowl on red cloth.

Sautéed Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Shallots

A quick sauté of sprouts with bacon and shallots makes for a quick and flavorful side dish. Learn how to make Brussels sprouts good.

close up of brussels sprouts salad in a white bowl on dinner table.

Brussels Sprouts Salad

With a simple honey mustard dressing, this raw Brussels sprouts salad is loaded with pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and apples, the perfect combination of fall flavors. Best yet, it comes together in just ten minutes!

A plate of green beans, potatoes, and salmon

Easy Garlic Green Beans

Containing only five ingredients: frozen green beans, oil or butter, salt, pepper, and garlic, they take about ten minutes to pull together.

carrot salad in white ramekin

Carrot Salad with Cilantro and Pepitas

Shredded carrots get oomph from fresh cilantro, a simple dressing of orange juice and spices with pepitas adding some crunch.

overhead shot of air fryer cauliflower on a white platter on a black table.

Air Fryer Cauliflower

Spice up your life — and your air fryer cauliflower with Cajun-inspired spices. It's an ideal side dish to meats or a fun addition to a Buddha bowl.

close up of roast vegetables on white platter with serving spoon.

Roast Vegetables

Learn how to roast vegetables in the oven, quickly and easily. The result is a tender, caramelized, delicious vegetable side dish perfect to serve in salads or alongside your favorite meat.

sautéed Brussels sprouts on dinner plate with ham, turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy.

Starchy Sides

Since ham is such a homey, comforting meal, serving it with some starchy sides is de rigeur. Consider including a platter of Mexican street corn or a bowl of creamy mashed potatoes in your spread. Roast sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, or a potato salad will also be a hit!

tray of scalloped potatoes on the dinner table with other platters of food.

Scalloped Potatoes Recipe

Thinly sliced potatoes nestle in a bath of cream, half and half, and butter, resulting in the Best Scalloped Potatoes that are also naturally gluten-free.

overhead shot of slow cooker potatoes on square white plate with small tongs.

Slow Cooker Potatoes

Slow Cooker Potatoes are absolutely delicious! Quick prep and hands-free cooking make for super simple crock pot potatoes you’ll want on repeat.

spoon inserted in baking dish full of fluffy make-ahead mashed potatoes.

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes

Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes for the freezer is a great recipe to save time, money, and kitchen clean-up. Stir up a few batches for comfort food in the bank!

close up of a scoop of mashed potato casserole on a flowered dinner plate.

Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole

Need a comfy side dish? Make the Cheesy Mashed Potato Casserole my kids go nuts for. It's very make-ahead and as easy to freeze.

tri-color potatoes cooked and seasoned in a large white bowl.

Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes

Looking for a quick side? Instant Pot Boiled Potatoes are the easy answer. Tender and hearty, they're the perfect side dish for any night of the week.

overhead shot of sweet potato salad in a white bowl on a white table.

Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

This Roasted Sweet Potato Salad is spiced with ginger, cinnamon, and coriander and dotted with dried fruit, roasted onion, and garlic, for a hearty salad packed with flavor.

scoop of sweet potatoes on a fork above a plate of food.

Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Garlic

Enjoy this dairy-free alternative to sweet potato casserole. These savory sweet potatoes are mashed and dressed up with olive oil and garlic for a delicious side dish.

white oval platter of curried potatoes on a red striped cloth.

close up of curried potatoes on platter

Curried Potatoes Recipe

These curried potatoes are super simple to throw together and full of flavor! They are made with just five simple ingredients and ready in about 40 minutes.

bite of potato on fork

Cheesy Stuffed Potatoes Recipe

Enjoy easy convenience with these Ultimate Cheesy Stuffed Potatoes. Loaded with creamy goodness, these spuds are freezer-friendly and very make-ahead.

big white bowl of potato salad on red checked cloth

Deli Potato Salad

This Deli Potato Salad is one of those summer dishes that is filling without heating you up. A traditional potato salad recipe that goes great with grilled meats, sandwiches, and salad buffet meals, it’s a great after-anything kind of snack.

large serving bowl of roast potatoes with red checked cloth

Easy Roast Potatoes

Want an easy potato side dish? This is it. Easy Roast Potatoes are a great accompaniment to cooked meats and vegetable dishes. Perfect for a holiday dinner.

alfredo mashed potatoes pot roast and salad

Easy Alfredo Mashed Potatoes

Mashed potatoes can be a vehicle for gravy — or they can be a flavor experience all on their own. Make a batch of these Easy Alfredo Mashed Potatoes to make your taste buds sing!

A metal bowl of potato salad

Loaded Potato Salad

With spring here and summer just around the corner, it’s time to dust off your repertoire of side salads for picnics and cookouts. Be sure to include this Loaded Potato Salad recipe with smoky bacon and sharp cheddar.

A plate of salad and baked potato with toppings

Crockpot Baked Potatoes

Recipes that let you “set it and forget it” are some of the best. These Crockpot Baked Potatoes are no exception. Come home to a pot full of baked potatoes all set for dinner!

stuffed potatoes on square plate

A close up of jalapeño poppers potatoes

Jalapeno Popper Potatoes

What happens when you combine Jalapeno Poppers with Potato Skins? You get these amazingly good Jalapeno Popper Potatoes, the perfect side dish for any occasion.

raw potato and pepper cubes on lined tray

Roasted Potatoes and Peppers

Put a little spice in your life by adding poblano peppers to oven roasted potatoes, onions, and sweet bell peppers. The result is a hearty side dish you’ll love.

overhead shot of raclette melted over potatoes in a black dish with pickles and ham.

Raclette Recipe

Don't have a raclette grill? No problem. You can easily enjoy a bowl of raclette, potatoes, and ham easily at home.

Whole Grain Mustard Potato Salad

Red Potato Salad with Whole Grain Mustard

Looking for good old fashioned comfort food in the middle of summer? Serve up this Red Potato Salad with Whole Grain Mustard at your next BBQ. It is full of flavor and oh so comforting.

A close up of potato coin

Parmesan Potato Coins

When they bake up golden crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, potatoes are the ultimate comfort food. Try these Parmesan Potato Coins for an ultimate appetizer or side dish.

sweet potato fries on sheet pan

Sweet Potato Fries

These Sweet Potato Fries are super simple make, and they taste great! Bake up a batch in about 30 minutes with no fuss or hassle.

potatoes topped with bacon on a plate

Burning Love Mashed Potatoes

Burning Love Mashed Potatoes is an old Danish dish that uses simple ingredients: potatoes, milk, bacon, and onions, and transforms them into something amazing. These loaded mashed potatoes are a perfect main dish or decadent side.

bowl of dill potato salad on a table with other picnic items.

Dill Potato Salad

Want to make the perfect dill potato salad? This recipe is simple and quick and you can doctor it up however you like.

cheesy potatoes baked in casserole dish

closeup of cheesy hashbrown casserole on a dinner plate.

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole

Also known as Church Potatoes, this Cheesy Potatoes Casserole is ultimate comfort food. It’s easy to prep, freezer-friendly, and absolutely addicting.

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Zucchini and Sweet Potato Hash

Zucchini and Sweet Potato Hash is so delicious! Add some onion and chopped mushroom as aromatics, and you’ll be so pleased you’re eating healthfully!

A plate of eggs and sweet potato hash browns

Sweet Potato Hashbrowns

The traditional “white” sweet potato makes lovely, almost crisp hash browns. This recipe for Sweet Potato Hashbrowns is quick and delicious.

close up of spoonful of stuffing being scooped from baking dish.

Baked Stuffing with Onion and Sage

A classic side dish for roast chicken or turkey is a bread stuffing, or dressing. This Baked Stuffing with Onion and Sage is a major crowd-pleaser and very freezer-friendly.

hand holding square plate with macaroni salad, fruit salad, and a hot dog with mustard.

Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad with Cheese

Stir up this quick and easy, old fashioned macaroni salad recipe in minutes. Studded with celery, red onion, and cheddar cheese, wrapped in a creamy mayo dressing, this pasta's packed with flavor and perfect for picnicking.

close up of spoonful of instant pot mac and cheese.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

The easiest Instant Pot Mac and Cheese recipe comes together in just minutes, tastes great, and feeds a crowd easily. With just three main ingredients, you really can't go wrong!

black bowl of macaroni and cheese topped with green onion, with a spoon.

close up of mac and cheese on white plate.

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Ditch the boxed mac and cheese, you can make your own tastier and better version at home. Use this Stovetop Mac and Cheese and free yourself from mixes!

close up of macaroni on plate with large bowl

Easiest Mac and Cheese Recipe

This is the easiest mac and cheese you’ll ever make. Seriously. I think it rivals the box in both taste and simplicity.

red ramekins with macaroni

Alfredo Mac and Cheese

Mac and Cheese is a classic comfort food, particularly for these cold winter months. Try this version that has a garlicky, Alfredo twist.

overhead shot of large spoonful of corn salad held above a bowl of salad.

Corn Salad

Sweet juicy corn, crunchy pepper, and kicky green onion combine in a delicious corn salad you'll want to enjoy all year long. Serve it as a side salad or as a topping for tacos or nachos.

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Seasoned Corn Off The Cob

Liven up a simple supper with this easy, Seasoned Corn off the Cob. It comes together in minutes and makes for an ideal side dish without the fuss.

baked pumpkin dinner rolls on parchment paper.

Breads

No ham dinner is replete without a bountiful bread basket. Garlic Swirl Biscuits or some simple dinner rolls help round things out as can these yummy breads and rolls.

Cranberry Rolls Recipe

Whole grain rolls dotted with sweet cranberries — what's not to love? Bake a batch of Cranberry Rolls to eat now and one to freeze for later.

pumpkin dinner rolls risen and baked on parchment with everything seasoning.

Pumpkin Dinner Rolls

Homemade pumpkin dinner rolls for your fall or holiday bread basket!

baked sourdough rye boule on paper in dutch oven.

Sourdough Rye Bread

You need just five ingredients to make the tastiest, no-fuss sourdough rye bread: sourdough starter, water, bread flour, rye flour, and salt. You're all set, no kneading required.

Italian rolls on cooling rack

Italian Sandwich Rolls

This Italian roll recipe is perfect for a bread basket for dinner, slathered in butter and only requires 5 simple ingredients! Or these sandwich rolls are great to serve with your favorite cold cuts for lunch.

A close up of pan of cornbread on a table

Buttermilk Cornbread

This Buttermilk Cornbread is so easy to make, super delicious — and it even passes muster with my Southern friends — even if it’s sweet cornbread.

soft pretzels in napkin lined basket

Milk and Honey Cornbread - Bake up a batch of this Milk and Honey Cornbread. It's lightly sweetened and delicious for breakfast or the bread basket.

Milk and Honey Cornbread

Bake up a batch of this Milk and Honey Cornbread. It’s lightly sweetened and delicious for breakfast or the bread basket.

A tray of pretzels

Garlic Herb Pretzels

Make your bread basket more exciting with homemade garlic herb pretzels. They are inexpensive at less than a dollar a dozen and so very tasty!

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Easy Garlic Bread Sticks

You’ll be surprised at how simple it is to bake these Easy Garlic Breadsticks yourself! You may want to make a double batch and freeze the extra.

self-rising flour biscuits stacked.

Self-Rising Flour Biscuits

Enjoy quick and easy self-rising flour biscuits in just minutes! Only three ingredients and you're set for a treat in the bread basket.

biscuits in a basket

Cheesy Jalapeño Biscuit Recipe

Give standard drop biscuits a spicy kick with this Cheesy Jalapeño Biscuits recipe, just the thing to pack your bread basket with flavor.

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits cooling on parchment-lined tray

Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Skip the can of refrigerated biscuits! You can make flaky layers all on your own with this easy recipe for flaky buttermilk biscuits.

stacks of golden brown cheddar biscuits.

Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

These hearty cheddar cheese biscuits are tender thanks to the buttermilk and full of flavor from cheese and fresh herbs.

Easter dinner plate with asparagus, ham, and potatoes, with platters nearby.

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