There's nothing better than a homemade ham dinner and a couple of your favorite side dishes to go along with it! Check out our favorite way to cook a ham, plus the best side dishes to pair with it. We also include crowd-pleasing bread and delicious dessert ideas!
A delicious, homemade ham dinner is one of our favorite ways to sit around the table with our family and enjoy each other's company. Whether you're meal planning for Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or a normal Sunday dinner, it's always good! However, it can be a struggle to plan such a big meal, as well as overcoming the boredom of the same old side dishes…
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GREAT news: Ham is super versatile, so your ham dinner will never be boring again! We've got a ton of side dish ideas that go well with ham to help you change things up a bit. We're also sharing some amazing ideas for breads, salads, and even yummy desserts! Are you ready to get to it?
THE BEST WAY TO COOK A HAM
Cooking a ham is really so simple… You're basically just seasoning it and heating it up since most hams are already pre-cooked.
That said, sometimes things get in the way. Maybe it's the middle of the summer and turning your oven on for that long makes you want to cringe! (Nobody wants to waste money on their electric bill cooling the house AND oven heating it at the same time.)
Or maybe you need the oven space to make all of these tasty side dishes we'll be sharing with you in a few. Whatever the reason, don't worry! You may never want to throw your ham in the oven ever again! Why? Because…
COOKING A HAM IN THE SLOW COOKER IS THE WAY TO GO
Seriously, it is so. stinkin'. easy. to cook a ham in the slow cooker! You basically throw that ham plus brown sugar and water into your slow cooker and let it do its thang. It's really the easiest ham recipe that you'll ever find! Plus, it makes the best leftovers. Yes, please!
OUR FAVORITE HAM DINNER SIDE DISHES
Why get stuck in the same old ham dinner rut? Mix things up and try out different sides! Or, if you've run out of the usual side that you serve with ham, no worries — just swap with something you already have and need to use! Here are some of our favorite side dishes you definitely need to try out.
POTATO SIDE DISHES TO PAIR WITH HAM
Potatoes are so cheap, are a great way to feed a crowd, and you likely already have some in your pantry just waiting to be used! Whether they're Idaho, sweet, red, Yukon gold, or anywhere in between, they won't go to waste here. Serve them up in a nice white serving dish if you're feeling extra fancy! Some potato ideas we love with ham:
- Loaded Twice-Baked Potatoes
- Scalloped Potatoes
- Mashed Potatoes
- Sweet Potato Casserole
- Baked Potatoes
- Roasted Red Potatoes
- Potato Wedges
- Hash Brown Casserole
- Garlic Parmesan Fingerling Potatoes
The list is endless, really! That's why it's always good to keep your pantry stocked with potatoes. Plus, they're cheap, crowd-pleasing staples, regardless of the occasion.
PERFECT VEGETABLE SIDE DISHES FOR HAM
For more nutrients and variety, you can't go wrong with any of these easy vegetable side dishes. The hardest part will be deciding which ones you want to make first!
- Strawberry Spinach Salad
- Oven-Roasted Carrots
- Steamed Broccoli
- Baked Okra
- Squash Casserole
- Corn on the Cob
- Green Bean Casserole
- Cheesy Vegetable Medley
- Roasted Brussel Sprouts
- Buttery Peas
Pro Tip: Roast pretty much any vegetable in the oven, and they'll become your new favorite! The key is making sure they don't cook for too long, or else they'll turn from tasty to overdone in a short amount of time. Line your pan with a nonstick silicone mat to keep clean up a BREEZE!
HAM DINNER BREAD OPTIONS
Is it really dinner if you don't have bread?! We didn't think so. It really helps stretch the meal further, especially when you're feeding a crowd. Plus, there's just something about bread that makes a meal feel that much more homemade! Try your hand at making your own, you won't be disappointed.
- White Bread
- Hawaiian Rolls
- French Bread
- Biscuits
- Cornbread
- Whole Grain Bread
- String Cheese Stuffed Crescent Rolls
- Crescent Rolls
- Homemade Rolls + Honey Butter
- Rustic Bread
Who's ready to get to work? Whether you make your bread in a bread machine, make it by hand, or even score some bread dough in the refrigerator case at the store, you'll be proud to serve it to your family.
DELICIOUS HAM DINNER DESSERTS
Let's be honest, sometimes the dessert is what makes the dinner! It can be something small or something fruity, as long as it's made with love and tastes delicious! 😉 Try these out and see which ones are your family's favorite!
- Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Apple Crisp
- Fruit Salad with Cool Whip
- Lemon Bundt Cake
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cherry Cheesecake
- No-Bake Strawberry Cream Pie
- Mixed Fruit Drizzled with Honey
- Snickers Apple Salad
Oh man, is your mouth watering?! Just make sure you have plenty of people to share the love with so you aren't tempted to eat it all by yourself. 😉
So, are you prepared to make a delicious, homemade ham dinner for your family now or what?!
But enough about us: What sides, bread, and dessert are you going to try first? Let us know in the comments!
Have you checked out ShelfCooking.com yet? Our brand new site is dedicated to helping you cook delicious, homemade, down-home-cooked meals for your family without spending too much time in the kitchen!
Basically every parent's dream, right? Join our Shelf Cooking Community today!
Looking for more great ideas?
- Set your grocery budget and stick to it!
- Get some great tips on how to grocery shop and save money.
- Come see how we stock up at Costco and budget for the big store!
Now go ham it up!
Love this. Thanks for sharing and thanks for the constant motivation to be a better me! One of my New Years resolutions was to have family friends over for dinner at least one family a month and it’s already April and I have only done this once…bc my house isn’t the way I want it, blah blah …nothing is perfect. But you’re right it doesn’t matter. The company is really all that matters ….not the extra coffee table in the living room bc I have too many baby swings/exercausers in the family room or the crumbs on my floor. I have to let go of it or time will pass and so will the experiences. ?
I want to try this now! Yummy!
This looks yum. Can’t wait to try it.