16 Best Ham Recipes

Ham is a staple in every carnivore's kitchen — and for good reason. The reliably tender cut of pork leg can be counted on to pack a flavorful punch of smokiness and saltiness in savory dishes. You can usually find it perfectly paired with a range of cheeses (a classic combo on cold cut sandwiches) or stealing the show when presented as a grand, glazed, and spiral-sliced masterpiece on a family dinner table.

But while ham serves as an everyday go-to for quick lunches and one-pan dinners, it can also be incorporated into all sorts of different recipes — from soups to salads to fancy-pants French classics like chicken cordon bleu and croque-madames.

So if you have some leftovers on your hands or are simply in search of a fresh new way to enjoy your favorite cut of pork, you've got plenty of options when it comes to hamming it up, whether it's cured, smoked, sliced, or diced.

Turn your next family feast into a delicious Hawaiian holiday by combining the sweet and savory flavors of pineapple and ham. This crowd-pleasing recipe calls for a hefty 10-pound, bone-in ham, which delivers up to 13 servings, so it's great for large groups.

The ham is topped with pineapple rings, drenched in a sweet glaze consisting of brown sugar, pineapple juice, and pineapple preserves, and then slow-cooked in a smoker for up to five hours. In the end, you'll have a perfectly tender and juicy hunk of ham that's ready to slice up and enjoy. It may be a bit time-consuming, but it's worth it.

Recipe: Smoked Pineapple Ham

Care to add a little French flair to your brunch? You can't go wrong with a croque-madame — a gussied-up ham and cheese sandwich topped with béchamel sauce and a fried egg.

Despite its fancy name, you certainly don't have to be a professional chef to whip one up — although you might feel like one while making the béchamel (don't worry, we'll walk you through it). If you're craving a more refined way to enjoy your sliced ham beyond a typical cold cut sandwich, this is it.

Recipe: Croque-Madame With Tillamook Vintage Extra Sharp White Cheddar

If you love to pair your French toast with bacon in the morning, this sweet and savory Monte Cristo sandwich is about to become your delicious new best friend. Consider it an all-in-one twist on the breakfast staple, featuring layers of ham, provolone cheese, and fruity fig jam.

Everything is combined between rich and fluffy slices of challah bread, which then get soaked in a batter of milk, eggs, and cinnamon. It's all fried in butter and topped with a dusting of powdered sugar, resulting in a decadent dish that supplies a full spectrum of flavor with every bite.

Recipe: Savory And Sweet Monte Cristo Sandwich

Mini sliders do well as a game day snack or backyard hors d'oeuvre since they're easy to grab, go, and enjoy in just a bite or two. And while you'll typically find them in burger form, this ham and cheese version is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.

Featuring sturdy pretzel buns and a chewy filling of salty ham slices and gooey melted Swiss, these petite sandwiches are best served warm out of the oven, topped with a generous amount of tangy stone ground mustard. It's almost as if you're combining all three sports stadium favorites — pretzels, burgers, and hot dogs — in one.

Recipe: Baked Ham And Swiss Cheese Sliders

Impress the guests at your next dinner party with a serving of homemade chicken cordon bleu. The beloved classic serves as a surprisingly simple way to elevate a plain chicken breast by stuffing it with ham and cheese, coating it in breadcrumbs, and frying it.

The crispy outside acts as the perfect complement to the soft and gooey ham and cheese filling, while the smokiness of the ham livens up the milder flavor of the white meat chicken. As the French say, bon appétit!

Recipe: Classic Chicken Cordon Bleu

No matter the season, you'll want to curl up and get cozy with this rich and aromatic soup. It is chock-full of ham, beans, veggies, and, as its name suggests, plenty of herbs. The light and botanical flavors of rosemary, thyme, and bay leaves find a savory anchor in the smokiness of the added ham hock, which becomes more tender as it stews until the meat practically falls off the bone.

Add in the heartiness of the cooked legumes, and you have yourself a comforting concoction that'll leave your belly full and your taste buds happy.

Recipe: Herby Ham And Bean Soup

If you don't have a trip to Paris planned anytime soon, a taste of this bistro classic is just the thing to hold you over. A croque monsieur could be considered the French version of a grilled cheese — it's a toasted sandwich stacked with melty Gruyère, plus the delicious additions of savory sliced ham and creamy béchamel sauce.

Instead of frying it up in a stovetop pan, however, the sandwich is baked and then broiled, which gives the outer layer of béchamel and cheese a crisp and golden crust that melts in your mouth.

Recipe: Classic Croque Monsieur

Traditional chicken cordon bleu comes coated in crunchy breadcrumbs, but if you're in search of a keto-friendly or gluten-free version of the dish that fits your dietary needs, look no further. This inventive recipe features the same white meat chicken breast stuffed with our go-to ingredients — yummy ham and gooey Swiss — but swaps out the breadcrumbs to create an equally crispy and flavorful crust using a blend of Parmesan and almond flour as a coating.

After a quick pan fry and trip to the oven, these chicken, ham, and cheese roll-ups are ready to serve. And you don't have to be a keto-eater to enjoy them.

Recipe: Keto Chicken Cordon Bleu