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.
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.
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!
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Naturally Sweetened Apricot BBQ Sauce
Since it contains no sugar, this easy BBQ sauce is good for those watching their sugar intake and works for the Whole 30 diet. It’s great on burgers, pulled pork, pork chops, chicken or anywhere you want a little sweet and smoky.
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Baked Apple Compote
This Baked Apple Compote is delicious. Apples scented with rich butter and spices cook up tender and full of flavor.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Raspberry Vinaigrette Recipe
This simple Raspberry Vinaigrette recipe is perfect on your salad or even as a chicken marinade. Plus, try the delightful variations!
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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.
Air Fryer Asparagus
Air Fryer Asparagus comes together in just minutes and tastes amazing with a sprinkle of Everything Seasoning.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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!
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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.
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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.
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Raclette Recipe
Don't have a raclette grill? No problem. You can easily enjoy a bowl of raclette, potatoes, and ham easily at home.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Classic Potato Salad
Want to make the perfect potato salad? This recipe is simple and quick and you can doctor it up however you like.
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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!
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Sweet Potato Hashbrowns
The traditional “white” sweet potato makes lovely, almost crisp hash browns. This recipe for Sweet Potato Hashbrowns is quick and delicious.
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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.
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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.
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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!
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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!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Homemade pumpkin dinner rolls for your fall or holiday bread basket!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Cheese and Herb Biscuits
Easy and elegant breads can make a party out of a ho-hum night. Enliven your supper time with these deliciously simple Cheese and Herb Biscuits.
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