Choose a few classic and creative sides to go with ham. Scroll through the veggies, potatoes, salads, and cornbread recipes to find something perfect for Easter dinner or that Christmas ham.
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Classic and creative ham dinner sides
Ham is an easy and savory main dish to make for dinner. It’s great anytime of year and especially for Christmas or Easter.
Here you’ll find side dishes for a ham that will compliment the main dish perfectly. First: Make your ham, then focus on the ham dinner sides!
Sides to go with ham for any occasion
Here are 45 easy side dishes for ham, whether you’re serving it for a nice Sunday meal or a holiday gathering. For even more, click over to the Easter side dishes that speak to spring.
Ham is also a traditional Christmas meal main dish, and perfect for a New Year’s Day buffet. I love using leftovers for breakfast and for side dish recipes throughout the week as well.
What sides go with ham?
You can choose from classic potato dishes with or without loads of cheese, and beautiful green veggies like asparagus or green beans.
Ham dinner sides range from classics like scalloped potatoes, to glazed carrots, mac and cheese and cornbread. Try creamy spinach or a fresh salad too.
Easy Side Dishes for Ham
Potato Side Dishes
Choose from classic scalloped potatoes with cheese, or crisped gratin. You’ll find delightful mashed potatoes, roasted or baked sides here too.
Potato Gratin With Leeks and Pancetta
You really can’t go wrong when you combine potatoes, ricotta, gruyere, leeks and pancetta. These individual size portions are made in a muffin tin for easy serving, creating a great holiday buffet dish or cocktail party appetizer!
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Shortcut Potato Cheese Casserole
A cozy medley of German Potato salad, two kinds of cheese, herbs, butter and cream sauce. The taste is cheesy and slightly tangy and sweet from the German-style potatoes.
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Mini Potatoes Gratin With Leeks and Pancetta
You can’t go wrong with potatoes, ricotta, Gruyere, leeks, and pancetta. Individual-sized portions are made in a muffin tin for easy serving.
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Sous Vide Fingerling Potatoes
Fingerling potatoes have a quick cook time and broil finished for a crispy texture. The perfect side dish for your favorite ham dinner.
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Golden Carrot and Potato Gratin
Golden Potato and Carrot Gratin is a warm, cheesy dish, spiced with thyme and nutmeg. The rich flavors of the vegetables and spices mixed with the gooey cheese will draw you back for seconds, and most likely thirds.
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Irish Mashed Potatoes
Irish potatoes are a hearty side dish made with creamy mashed spuds, garlic and cabbage. Serve for any time of the year!
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Cheese And Herb Potato Gratin Recipe
Sweet potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, cheese, and lots of herbs come together to make a delicious side dish.
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Garlic Parmesan Baked Potatoes
A crispy, well-seasoned baked potato with a little bit of extra Parmesan on top. So simple to make, all you need to do is toss, bake, then enjoy.
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Swiss Chard Potatoes
The soft red skin from the baby potatoes and vibrant greens of the Swiss chard make this a lovely and colorful side dish!
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Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
This recipe has decadent caramelized onions in a creamy cheddar cheese sauce with simple seasonings. It’s make-ahead and slow-cooker-friendly.
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Mashed-Potato Variations
4 Amazing mashed potato mix ins that will blow your mind! Start with the basic recipe and create flavorful side dishes with just a few ingredients.
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Instant Pot Baked Potatoes
This ham side dish turns out fluffy and fork-tender from the inside and golden and crispy from the outside every time you make them!
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Veggie Sides
Glazed carrots or creamed spinach, plus Brussels sprouts, asparagus and green beans. Vegetable sides for ham dinner are a must.
Pan Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts are crispy and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside. A must side dish for any occasion.
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Pan Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Pan roasting makes these Brussel sprouts crispy and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside. A must side dish for any occasion.
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Asparagus Puff Pastry with Cracked Pepper Cottage Cheese
This puff pastry tart crust gets filled with black pepper cottage cheese and topped with roasted asparagus, plus a chunky red onion and herb vinaigrette. A simple side or appetizer, this flatbread is a crowd pleaser.
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Roasted Rainbow Carrots
Add cranberries and pecans to these colorful carrots. A simple side for your ham dinner.
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Brussels Sprouts Side Dish with Apricots And Pistachios
Save time at dinner by blanching Brussels sprouts up to three days before. Serve these tender veggies with apricots and crunchy pistachios.
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Crispy Parmesan Roasted Asparagus
This asparagus gets an extra dose of flavor from the best crispy, buttery, and cheesy Parmesan cracker crumb topping.
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Garlic Roasted Broccoli with Sweet Dried Fruit and Sumac
Sweet dates and citrusy sumac season this garlic roasted broccoli side dish. Easy to make in the oven, this easy veggie side goes with just about any dinner.
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Pan Roasted Brussel Sprouts
Pan Roasted Brussels Sprouts are crispy and caramelized on the outside and tender on the inside. A must side dish for any occasion.
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Skillet Green Beans With Artichokes And Capers
This recipe keeps the oven free for the rest of dinner, and can be made in a matter of minutes, especially with the pre-trimmed green beans available at the store!
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Roasted Rosemary Carrots
This dish looks beautiful, tastes amazing, and best of all, is incredibly simple to bring together. You’ll have tender, sweet carrots perfumed with the aroma and taste of rosemary leaves that will leave everyone wanting more.
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Roasted Radishes
Oven-roasted radishes make an excellent side dish, especially for meat dishes like chicken and ham.
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Colorful Asparagus and Strawberries
Balsamic and strawberry pair with asparagus for this lovely side dish. It’s a great combination of savory and fruity sweetness.
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Crispy Cornbread Roasted Okra
Skip frying okra. Try this oven-roasted okra instead! It has a crispy cornmeal topping and takes only minutes to prepare.
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Homemade Creamy Spinach
A Boston Market knock-off, this spinach is a perfect side dish to freshen up any meal!
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Beet and Cheese Tartlets
This savory cheese blend is the perfect complement to sweet roasted beets.
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Salads
Choose some light and crunchy things for your ham dinner sides. Greens and flavorful dressings are really lovely in the mix.
Broccoli Stem Slaw
My Broccoli Stem Slaw is crisp, colorful and totally delicious. I make it from simple, everyday ingredients and yet every bite of this salad is full of texture and bright flavors, all of which complement each other. It is the perfect side dish to serve with a barbecue, alongside a family dinner or to take on a picnic. It is also ideal to serve alongside a burger or in a sandwich.
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Shredded Carrot Salad with Apple and Lime
Shredded Carrot Salad with Apple and Lime has a touch of honey, and poppy green parsley to make for a fresh, healthy side dish.
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Beet and Roasted Carrot Salad with Kale, Spicy Pecans and Goat Cheese
Roasted tri-color carrots and kale are delicious with sweet and tangy pickled beets and goat cheese. The candied nuts are a bonus!
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The New Wedge Salad
Turn the classic lettuce wedge salad into a main course by adding diced pancetta, roasted beets and protein-rich hazelnuts.
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Lentil Salad with Pomegranate Seeds
This super simple Lentil Salad with Pomegranate Seeds is perfect for holidays or whenever you’re feeling a little festive.
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Fresh Tomato Salad
Fresh Tomato Salad is enjoyed year-round. Whether using grape, cherry or Roma tomatoes pairing juicy tomatoes with a simple marinade makes for an enjoyable dish.
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Broccoli Stem Slaw
Make this from simple, everyday ingredients–every bite of this salad is full of texture and bright flavors, all of which complement each other. It is the perfect side dish to serve with a barbecue, alongside a family dinner, or to take on a picnic.
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Rolls and Cornbread
Sweet orange rolls or cornbread go so well with ham dinner. Try some gluten-free dinner roll options or stick to the classic yeasted roll.
Make-Ahead Orange Rolls
Make-ahead orange rolls are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. Absolutely the best thing on your dinner table.
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Gluten Free Orange Rolls Made Like Muffins
My take on the classic butterflake orange rolls I make with yeast and wheat flour. These are gluten-free and packed with orange flavor and sweet icing.
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Honey Cornbread Muffins
Need a quick & easy side to serve with soup, chili, or barbecue? Fix these tender & slightly sweet cornbread muffins in only 30 minutes. The combo of honey, buttermilk (or regular milk), sour cream & butter make them moist, rich, and extra comforting.
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Homemade Sweet Cornbread
This sweet and moist cornbread is the best tasting cornbread I've ever made. The corn flavor comes through while being the perfect texture.
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Seed-Topped Dinner Rolls
Everyone loves rolls, and these half whole-wheat half white dinner rolls are addictive.
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Skillet Cornbread
Cornbread is tender and light in the middle and buttery crisp on the outside. Make it in a cast-iron skillet and it will come out perfect every time.
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Honey Cornbread Muffins
Make these tender & slightly sweet cornbread muffins in only 30 minutes. The combo of honey, buttermilk (or regular milk), sour cream & butter make them moist, rich, and extra comforting.
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Mac and Cheese
A crowd pleaser with ham dinner, this side dish is cheesy, hot and comes in so many forms. Try one of these tasty mac and cheese recipes.
Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is an iconic childhood staple for most people who grew up in the States. Even the pickiest kids tend to go crazy for mac and cheese! The crazy thing is this: you don’t even realize that macaroni is a childhood food until well into your adulthood.
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Dutch Oven Mac and Cheese
Creating this creamy, cheesy recipe in the dutch oven makes it easy to fry your bacon and slip right into creating a roux from the excess bacon grease. And of course, clean up is a breeze.
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Homemade Creamy Mac and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese is an iconic childhood staple for most people who grew up in the States.
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Pepper Jack Mac and Cheese
Pepper jack mac and cheese is a creamy, zippy, delicious mac and cheese recipe. Up the heat by adding sliced jalapenos!
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Awesome Side Dish Recipes!
About Tara Teaspoon
I’ve been in the food publishing business for over 20 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television & advertising. Order my new cookbook & stick around for amazing things to eat.
Julie says
Great collection of posts. I bet most of these sides could be used for any holiday (I’m thinking Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners) or with Sunday roast with the family. Love, love , love your Herb and Cheese Potato Gratin recipe. It’s gorgeous!