32 Healthy Recipes Using Leftover Ham

Updated January 08, 2021

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 Ham & Chard Stuffed Shells and Green Eggs & Ham Soup for a tasty and filling meal.

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Ham and Broccoli Breakfast Casserole

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

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Ham and Broccoli Topped Baked Potato

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

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Ham & Chard Stuffed Shells

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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 with Italian vinaigrette.

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Classic White Bean & Ham Soup

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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.

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Chicken Cordon Bleu Burger

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The classic flavors of Chicken Cordon Bleu--ham, Swiss cheese and thyme--inspired this easy chicken burger. We like using regular ground chicken, which is a blend of thigh and drumstick meat, to help keep this burger juicy, but feel free to use 100% ground chicken breast if you'd like a leaner burger. You'll cut 20 calories and 1 gram saturated fat. Serve with roasted broccoli.

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Smoky Ham & Corn Salad

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Fresh corn, diced deli ham and crunchy croutons are tossed with a smoky, creamy dressing in this light summer salad. Serve with a crisp glass of rosé and sliced melon.

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Squash & Corn Chowder

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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.

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Apple-Cheddar Ham and Egg Casserole

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

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Green Eggs & Ham Soup

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Would you, could you make this creamy green soup recipe? How about if we told you it's dairy-free--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.

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Lentil & Ham Soup

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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.

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Cajun-Style Barley with Ham

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This Cajun-inspired ham and barley meal is made in one pot for easy cleanup. Serve it with a kale salad for a complete meal. 

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Ham & Gruyère Hash Brown Waffles

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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. 

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Ham & Cheese Scones

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No baking degree 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.

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Creamy Ham and Potato Chowder

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Start your prep work in the afternoon and this slow-cooker chowder will be ready to serve for dinner. Topped with broccoli and shredded cheddar--and full of potatoes, carrots and ham--it's a meal the whole family will enjoy.

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Broccoli, Ham & Cheese Quiche

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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.

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Swedish Yellow Split Pea Soup with Ham

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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.

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Broccoli, Ham & Pasta Salad

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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. Recipe by Nancy Baggett for EatingWell.

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Kohlrabi & Ham Gratin

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If you haven't tried kohlrabi, which tastes like a mild, sweet turnip, this gratin is an excellent place to start--after all, what doesn't taste good with cheese sauce on it? Kohlrabi that are less than 3 inches in diameter will give you the most tender results.

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Ham-&-Cheese-Stuffed Chicken Breasts

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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.

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Ham & Cheese Breakfast Casserole

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This healthy update of a traditionally rich ham-and-cheese breakfast strata is made lighter primarily by losing a few egg yolks and using nonfat milk. Gruyère cheese has a delicious, nutty aroma and flavor, which means that with the relatively small amount in this recipe you still get a big impact. To finish the makeover use nutritious, fiber-rich, whole-grain bread instead of white. The results: plenty of flavor, half the calories and one-third the fat of the original.

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Ham & Swiss Quiche

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This healthy quiche recipe is perfect for entertaining--the quiche can be made ahead and is just as flavorful served warm or at room temperature. Filled with ham, red bell pepper, caramelized onions and Swiss cheese, this healthy quiche with a whole-grain crust is perfect for breakfast or brunch, or served with a light salad for lunch.

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Asparagus & Ham Stuffed Potatoes

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Asparagus adds a touch of spring to this overstuffed ham-and-cheese twice-baked potatoes recipe. Use another vegetable, such as broccoli, if you prefer.

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Sheet-Pan Eggs with Spinach & Ham

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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.

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Pea Shoot & Crispy Ham Salad

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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.

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Shrimp, Ham & Pepper Couscous

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Reminiscent of paella, this one-pan shrimp couscous recipe is flavored with smoky paprika, fennel and garlic. This healthy meal is easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for a dinner party. Diced chicken, scallops or pork could be substituted for the shrimp.

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Island-Spiced Ham Skewers

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For something different at your next barbecue, try these island-inspired ham skewers. Loaded with fruit, peppers, red onion and zucchini, and brushed with a spicy brown sugar-coffee mixture, they are a nice alternative to steak and chicken kebabs.

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Southern Macaroni Salad

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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!

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Green Eggs and Ham Breakfast Burritos

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We really pack the greens into this recipe with zucchini, jalapeño chile peppers, avocado and salsa verde. Throw in some protein packed eggs and low-sodium ham and the result is a delicious balanced breakfast.

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Cucumber Cups with Deviled Ham Salad

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Swap crostini for cucumber cups to hold ham salad in this easy appetizer recipe. Bring these healthy, crunchy bites to your next potluck or serve them at brunch and watch them disappear.

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Cheesy Egg Stuffed Peppers

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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!

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Green Eggs & Ham Frittata

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Our version of green eggs and ham is full of spinach, leeks and dill, along with ham and havarti cheese. Serve with: Roasted red potatoes or hash browns.

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Chopped Ham & Apple Salad with Creamy Parmesan Dressing

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This healthy main-course chopped salad recipe pairs bitter escarole and radicchio with sweet apple, smoky ham and crunchy pecans. But the pairing possibilities are limitless--you can also use cooked chicken and tangerines instead of ham and apples or bell pepper in place of the radishes. Serve with pumpernickel bread toasted with extra-sharp Cheddar cheese.

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