32 Healthy Recipes Using Leftover Ham

Smothered Cabbage with Ham

These healthy and delicious recipes are an easy way to use up leftover ham. From breakfast casseroles to soups to salads, you won't get bored eating your leftovers. Try recipes like Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole and Smothered Cabbage with Ham for a tasty and filling meal.

01 of 32

Smothered Cabbage with Ham

8500628.jpg

Use your leftover ham in this comforting one-pot dish with cabbage and potatoes. The simple flavors get brightened at the end with a splash of cider vinegar.

02 of 32

Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Casserole

Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Casserole

Prepare this easy ham and broccoli casserole the evening before, and in the morning, just pop it in the oven for a delicious breakfast.

03 of 32

Ham and Broccoli Topped Baked Potato

7860886.jpg

Jazz up your simple baked potato with a quickly microwaved topping.

04 of 32

Ham & Chard Stuffed Shells

3759130.jpg

In this healthy stuffed shells recipe, tons of dark leafy chard replaces some of the cheese. Kale and/or collards are good substitutes for the chard as well. Serve with a salad and Italian vinaigrette.

05 of 32

Classic White Bean & Ham Soup

3879403.jpg

This healthy ham and white bean soup recipe is ready in 30 minutes and makes enough for dinner tonight and lunch tomorrow. Just a little bit of ham adds savory flavor and protein without adding too much sodium.

06 of 32

Instant Pot Split Pea & Ham Soup Freezer Pack

5761606.jpg

Prep and freeze all the ingredients for this homey classic ahead of time, and it will be ready to cook and serve any night of the week—no lengthy simmering needed, thanks to the multicooker. Freezing the ingredients in a round container creates the perfect fit for an easy transfer into your pressure cooker without having to thaw first.

07 of 32

Ham-&-Cheese Purses

Ham & Cheese Purses
Jennifer Causey

With easy bread dough standing by in your fridge, you can bake up these savory muffins in just 20 minutes.

08 of 32

Squash & Corn Chowder

3837836.jpg

In this healthy corn chowder recipe, heavy cream is replaced with milk and flour-thickened chicken broth, and we keep sodium amounts reasonable with lower-sodium broth. By making your own homemade creamy vegetable and corn chowder, you'll save up to 300 calories, 20 grams of saturated fat and 500 milligrams of sodium per serving compared to many store-bought or restaurant chowders.

09 of 32

Apple-Cheddar Ham and Egg Casserole

5628443.jpg

This casserole featuring eggs, cheese, ham and fennel would also make a perfect breakfast for a special day.

10 of 32

Green Eggs & Ham Soup

5678395.jpg

Would you, could you make this creamy green soup recipe? How about if we told you it's dairy-free with just flavorful pureed veggies topped with a perfectly poached egg and ham? Trust us, whether you eat it in a box or with a fox, in a house or with a mouse, both you and your kids will love this storybook-perfect soup.

11 of 32

Lentil & Ham Soup

5940752.jpg

No ideas for dinner tonight? This slow-cooker lentil soup is easy to prepare in the morning and will simmer all day while you're at work. Full of aromatic vegetables, brown lentils, diced ham and fresh spinach, this hearty soup will be a real treat after a long day at the office.

12 of 32

Ham & Gruyère Hash Brown Waffles

3879378.jpg

This healthy breakfast-for-dinner recipe skips stirring up a traditional batter and uses frozen hash browns to make crunchy waffles instead. Top the waffles with a little cultured butter and chives or a dollop of whole-grain mustard and serve with a big green salad. Keep the waffles warm in a 250°F oven between batches, if desired.

13 of 32

Ham & Cheese Scones

3758978.jpg

No bakery degree is required for this recipe: These healthy, savory ham-and-cheese scones are as easy to make as a batch of muffins. White whole-wheat flour adds a boost of fiber, and just enough butter gives them great flavor and texture without going overboard on calories. Try them with brunch or alongside your favorite stew.

14 of 32

Ham & Asparagus Quiche

Ham & Asparagus Quiche
Victor Protasio

This spring ham-and-asparagus quiche is perfect for brunch or dinner with a green salad on the side. If you've got leftover Easter ham, let it shine paired with tender asparagus in this crustless quiche. Emmenthal cheese adds a rich, sharp flavor, but Swiss cheese is an excellent alternative.

15 of 32

Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Quiche

Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Quiche
Photographer / Victor Protasio, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke

This quiche recipe is full of broccoli, Cheddar cheese and smoky ham surrounded by a crispy hash brown crust. Look for precooked shredded potatoes in the dairy section or in the produce section—or use frozen hash brown potatoes in this easy quiche recipe.

16 of 32

Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup with Ham

4146988.jpg

This yellow split pea soup has fresh ginger to give it a bright flavor. Use the best ham you can find to get the most flavor.

17 of 32

Broccoli, Ham & Pasta Salad

3856398.jpg

A great make-ahead entree, this lightened-up pasta salad is loaded with broccoli and peppers. Smoky ham and sweet raisins give it plenty of punch. Enjoy the leftovers for a fuss-free lunch.

18 of 32

Muffin-Tin Omelets with Broccoli, Ham & Cheddar

7808991.jpg

Let your muffin tin help you meal-prep a week's worth of protein-rich muffin-tin eggs with the classic combo of ham, Cheddar cheese and broccoli to stash in the fridge or freezer for those extra-busy mornings.

19 of 32

Ham-&-Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Ham & Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Making a pocket in the chicken breast to hold the stuffing is easy with a good, sharp, thin-bladed knife. Browning the chicken in a skillet before baking gives it a beautiful golden color, and finishing in the oven ensures that it cooks evenly throughout.

20 of 32

Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Sheet-Pan Eggs

Broccoli Ham and Cheese Sheet Pan Eggs
Casey Barber

This riff on broccoli, ham and cheese omelets adds all the same flavors to a big batch of easy-to-prep eggs, thanks to your sheet pan. With this simple recipe, you can easily meal-prep breakfast for the week. Serve them as is or in a sandwich.

21 of 32

Collard Greens with Ham Bone or Ham Hocks

8388840.jpg

Mable Clarke, a South Carolina cook and activist, serves this collard greens recipe at monthly fish fries to support the Soapstone Baptist Church in the community where she grew up. There, farmers markets overflow with big, leafy collards that are typically simmered with ham stock to make up this traditional Southern side dish. Clarke uses premade ham stock, but it can be hard to find. We adapted the recipe with chicken broth and a ham bone or hock. As the bone simmers, it adds flavor to the broth and yields enough meat to serve with the collards.

22 of 32

Scalloped Potatoes and Ham

5177923.jpg

Instead of using just potatoes in this casserole, we've cut the carbs by using a trio of potato, turnip and sweet potato slices.

23 of 32

Sheet-Pan Eggs with Spinach & Ham

Sheet Pan Eggs with Spinach & Ham

Making a big batch of eggs has never been easier with this one-pan oven-baked eggs recipe. Whether you are making brunch for a crowd or just want to meal-prep healthy breakfasts for the week, you'll have 12 servings ready in just 45 minutes.

24 of 32

Pea Shoot & Crispy Ham Salad

7782567.jpg

Pea shoots are the tender leaves and stems of sugar snap pea plants—not to be confused with the more delicate pea sprouts, which, like microgreens, are the sprouted seeds. Turn leftover ham into a crouton-esque topping with a quick sear in a hot pan.

25 of 32

Southern Kale

3756310.jpg

Kale becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender in this recipe. Assertive garlic and salty country ham stand up to kale's bold flavor.

26 of 32

Ham & Potato Casserole

7575317.jpg

This easy casserole is a kid-friendly recipe that the whole family will love. The simple flavor profile will complement just about anything and thanks to convenience products like preshredded potatoes, you won't spend hours in the kitchen mixing it up.

27 of 32

Southern Macaroni Salad

7892454.jpg

Bring this quintessential Southern macaroni salad, made with whole-wheat macaroni, celery, peas and ham, to your next picnic or barbecue. It's the perfect salad to feed a crowd!

28 of 32

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

5397882.jpg

All the delicious flavors of your favorite chicken Cordon Bleu—salty ham, melty cheese, tangy mustard—with no tricky assembly required. This healthy comfort food recipe would be perfect for a potluck.

29 of 32

Slow-Cooker Cassoulet

4027932.jpg

This classic French stew recipe is typically made with a variety of meats and simmered over the course of multiple days. In this easy, streamlined cassoulet, the slow cooker makes it a breeze to have a healthy dinner on the table when you get home.

30 of 32

Cheesy Egg Stuffed Peppers

Cheesy Egg-Stuffed Peppers

Bake up omelets in a pepper for a healthy, veggie-packed breakfast. Sweet bell peppers are filled with a cheesy egg filling with all the fixings of a classic Denver omelet. If you're cooking for a crowd, this recipe is easy to double!

31 of 32

Mini Quiches with Sweet Potato Crust

4694635.jpg

Shredded sweet potato hash browns make up the healthy crust of these gluten-free muffin-tin quiches. This grab-and-go breakfast is super-easy to prep ahead and keep stashed in the fridge or freezer. Serve them for brunch or eat them on busy weekdays.

32 of 32

Slow-Cooker Split Pea Soup with Garlicky Croutons

7240919.jpg

Fans of split pea soup will love this version that requires almost no hands-on time. If you sop up every last drop of this slow-cooker split pea soup, fantastic; if you have leftovers, even better—it might just be tastier the next day once the flavors have melded. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.

Was this page helpful?

Related Articles