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So you’ve settled on ham for your special meal, but have you decided on what to serve with ham?
We have ideas here that are tried-and-true side dish recipes we think you’ll love!
Ham is so reliable.
It’s pre-cooked, easy to slice and heat up, and makes for a lovely holiday meal centerpiece, whether whole or in slices.
Ham’s got a long shelf life, and it makes great sandwiches and leftovers.
No wonder it hasn’t gone out of style and people keep serving it up ever since it was first prepared by the Etruscans (some say it was the Chinese) in the 5th or 6th century BC.
So whether it’s for a family gathering or a get-together with your friends, or even for a holiday, this venerable meat staple never leaves a crowd hungry or unsatisfied, especially when you pair it with hearty sides.
So if you’re wondering what to eat with ham, you just stumbled upon the right guide that can spice up your main dish!
From Mashed Potatoes and Lemon Rice to Steamed Green Beans and Blackened Broccoli, these tasty sides for ham are just what you need to satisfy everyone and complete your holiday meal.
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When it comes to making the perfect side dish for meat dishes like ham or pork chops, there is one dish that stands above the rest: Mashed Potatoes.
They’re so light and fluffy.
And how easy can it be to mix potatoes, milk, butter, salt, and pepper?
For an extra creamy and smoother consistency, feel free to add sour cream to the mixture.
It gives a nice little tang to help cut the richness of potato, milk, and butter.
You can also try our Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes, Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, Loaded Mashed Potatoes, and even Vegan Mashed Potatoes.
Some people tend to avoid mashed potatoes because it contains a lot of fat and carbs.
They’re also not exactly keto-friendly.
But if you’re looking for that same comforting and filling dish minus the guilt, the best substitute would be this bowl of creamy mashed sweet potatoes.
Making them only requires a handful of ingredients: sweet potatoes, butter, cream cheese, thyme, cinnamon, and all-spice.
Quick tip: To reduce the cooking time, simply cut them up into smaller pieces before boiling.
If you’re looking for a simple side for your ham dinner dish, then roasted carrots are a perfect choice.
The recipe is so straightforward yet incredibly tasty when you cook it correctly.
It’s packed with the gentle sweetness of carrots, olive oil, fresh thyme, garlic, and balsamic vinegar for a tangy flavor profile.
They can work as a side to pork chops, ham, steaks, or even as an excellent snack.
If you haven’t tried any of the farro dishes, then this next entry is a great recipe to start.
Farro is a grain that’s well regarded as a substitute for pasta and rice.
This large, chewy grain is versatile, but it also complements ricotta cheese and honey.
Like most grains such as barley and quinoa, farro is pretty easy to cook.
You can cook them either in a saucepan or in a rice cooker.
This easy side dish can take your simple ham entree to a whole new level!
The air fryer is a great kitchen appliance that expands your capabilities, works fast, and allows you to cook with less fat. We love ours.
Roasting radishes offer a creamy inside flavor with a crispy outside texture.
They don’t taste at all the same as raw radishes.
Rosemary can be a good substitute if you’re running out of thyme.
This lemon rice recipe features only five ingredients with a less complicated making process.
It can also go well with pretty much anything too.
The perfect blend of rice, lemon juice, garlic, butter, and lemon zest creates a sweet, creamy, and a little tangy flavor.
You can use whatever rice you have on hand for this recipe.
But if you want to add a beautiful aroma to the dish, choose basmati rice.
These steamed green beans are a perfect side dish to partner with your pork chops, lasagna, ham, or baked chicken thighs.
One of the keys to cooking delicious green beans is making sure that the veggies aren’t overcooked.
Once done, they usually turn bright green and give a slight crunch and a deep flavor.
And if you are really looking to save time, we have ideas for Canned Green Bean Recipes, too.
You’ve been warned: This Jiffy corn casserole might snatch the spotlight from your ham main course.
Perfect for holidays and potluck, this yummy side dish is made mainly with canned corn, sour cream, and butter.
However, if you want to shake things up a bit, try adding diced jalapeños to the mix for a spicy flair or incorporate a sweet flavor to the overall dish with a touch more sugar.
This Blackened Broccoli is so easy to make, flavorful, and makes the perfect accompaniment for smoked meat (especially ham) plus Asian-inspired dishes such as Asian Turkey Meatballs.
To brighten up the dish, try squeezing some lemon juice on the broccoli florets at the last minute of preparation.
This versatile side dish should enliven any entree, especially a lovely slice of ham.
The recipe comes together in less than 15 minutes, and you don’t even need to have many ingredients. Simply dress asparagus with olive oil, season it, then roast.
And vy-oh-lay!
Red pepper flakes, cayenne, and grated parmesan are just a few of the possible condiments that elevate the taste of this roasted asparagus.
The creamy flavor profile of this spinach-based recipe should keep everyone coming for more.
Fresh spinach is combined with milk, parmesan cheese, butter, and flour, then seasoned with ground cumin, salt, and black pepper.
Don’t be afraid to be creative; replace whole milk with heavy cream for an even richer taste.
There’s nothing quite as delicious with your ham meal as this green bean casserole.
Maybe the most famous vegetable holiday side EVER, the blend of butter and fresh green beans adds a depth of flavor to the overall dish.
It’s a casserole that blends flavors and textures beautifully.
What’s more, the recipe complements ham, roasted holiday turkey, and a cozy pot roast.
And the microwave makes this ready in a snap.
And, of course, you want reheating directions.
The utter beauty of Hasselback Potatoes is that you only truly need…potatoes.
The “Hasselback” part is really in the way they are cut and presented, a recipe from a Swedish restaurant in the 50s.
That said, these are cooked until crisp in an air fryer, slathered in butter or oil with salt, and a parmesan cheese garnish.
And they are positively stunning!
Pineapples have always been paired with ham.
As a glaze, or sliced into discs and served together as a sauce, they’ve always been a thing since time immemorial.
This grilling recipe elevates the pineapple into a side on its own which is still a perfect partner for ham!
The result is aesthetically pleasing grill marks, a sweet glaze, and your familiar juicy pineapple underneath it all!
This time-tested classic has always been a favorite of many!
Made with romaine lettuce and homemade croutons topped with light dressing, caesar salad is perfect for lunch or dinner when served with ham.
Also included are the instructions on how to make the croutons!
Sautéed Apples
Tender apples in a buttery pan sauce. Ham’s oldest and best friend.
Baked Cinnamon Apples
Soft cinnamon-baked apples. Sweet against salty ham, and the house smells incredible.
Pineapple Avocado Salsa
Pineapple and avocado in a fresh salsa. Spoon it straight over the ham.
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes with cheese all the way through. Holiday ham’s required companion.
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Oven fries with crispy edges and sweet middles. They love salty ham.
Skillet Creamed Corn
Creamy stovetop corn in one skillet. Sweet corn plus ham is basic math.
Microwave Glazed Carrots
Glazed carrots from the microwave while the oven handles the ham. Holiday logistics, solved.
Butter Dip Biscuits
Buttery drop-style biscuits with zero rolling. Ham biscuits happen whether you plan them or not.
No-Mayo Carolina Coleslaw
A tangy no-mayo slaw. Cuts the salt and richness of a ham dinner.
Apple Carrot Slaw
Crisp apples and carrots in a bright slaw. Fresh crunch for the ham plate.
The bottom line
It can indeed be challenging to find the right side dishes for ham, particularly when you aren’t prepared enough for a holiday.
But since you found this guide, we have great hope that you’ll never get confused again when it comes to choosing which ham side dishes you’re going to serve.
Do you have recipes on hand that fit as sides for ham?
Feel free to share it with us!
When you are looking for sides for ham, you want to complement that smoky, salty flavor profile, and that is generally a lightly sweet, creamy mouthfeel.
Check out even more recipes that highlight foods that will go with any picnic butt, whole ham, spiral-cut ham, smoked ham, ham slices, and more: Asian Pear Recipes, Purple Potato Recipes, Jackpot Biscuit-Cornbread Stuffing, and Tater Tot Casserole Recipe.
