44 Best Side Dishes For Ham: What To Serve With Ham

When it comes to the main dish, ham is a popular choice for many families during the holidays. But are you wondering what to serve with ham? If you are planning a festive feast, or simply want some great ham side dish ideas, look no further. Here you will find plenty of delicious inspiration for sides and appetisers!

Christmas is a time for family, friends and food! No matter where you are spending it, great food is part of the magic of the holiday season.

One of the most common dishes served during the festive season is Christmas ham.

But don’t worry – these ham side dishes aren’t just for Christmas or Easter ham! They are just as good for any day of the year when you are cooking up a ham dish for the family!

For more ideas on what to serve with your favourite dishes, check out these side dish ideas for fish, side dishes for pulled pork, tacos, pizza, chicken wings and side dishes for soup.

What To Serve With Ham – The Best Christmas Ham Side Dishes

Glazed ham is one of the Christmas dishes we most look forward to in our family.

Here in Australia, we have very hot summer Christmas days and growing up, we always served the ham and other meats cold, with lots of salads.

These days I love the Christmas tradition we have adopted from my husband’s family with a baked glazed ham cooked on Christmas day. And he certainly makes a memorable Christmas ham!

While he focuses on that important signature dish, it’s up to me to come up with what to serve with Christmas ham each year.

Chances are if you are here, you’re wondering the same thing, perhaps looking for traditional sides, some new ham side dishes to try or preparing for your first ever Christmas entertaining.

Before you go, make sure you check out these leftover ham recipes as well, just in case you find yourself with a heap of yummy sweet ham left afterwards!

Here are some of the best side dishes to serve with ham:

Hot Side Dishes For Ham

These hot side dishes for ham are the perfect dishes to compliment your main course, with traditional vegetable recipes and unique flavours to add plenty of new favourites to your meal. Check out these hot side dish ideas:

Sweet Potato Casserole – The best sweet potato casserole recipe is one that’s served up sweet and salty with a delicious, crunchy streusel topping! You’ll love this mashed sweet potatoes recipe and the nutty brown sugar crunch on top!

Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts – Brussels Sprouts that are oven roasted and tossed in a tasty balsamic pomegranate reduction.

Green Bean Casserole – Fresh Green Bean Casserole is a classic recipe covered in french fried onions is a creamy, crunchy, classic Thanksgiving side dish that nobody seems able to resist despite full plates and full bellies!

Roasted Butternut Squash With Bacon – This Roasted Butternut Squash with Bacon is the perfect side dish for the holidays! Flavorful and seasonal, this one will be a hit!

Cheesy Potato Casserole – Cheesy Potatoes in a casserole, made with mashed potatoes, bacon, and cheese. It’s the perfect side dish for the holidays or any weeknight meal!

Corn Casserole – This easy corn casserole recipe is a classic side dish made with Jiffy mix and just 5 other ingredients. A perfect comfort food side for Christmas dinner.

Warm Brussels Sprout Salad – Warm Brussels sprout salad recipe! A flavorful vegetarian shaved Brussels sprout salad with crisp apples, pecans, creamy blue cheese, and an apple cider vinaigrette.

Collard Greens au Gratin – Collard Greens au Gratin combines a lusciously creamy sauce topped with a cheesy panko crust. With each bite, this side dish is full of crunch and creamy goodness that is sure to make this southern veggie the star of your holiday table.

Mini Gratin Dauphinois Potato Stacks – Cheesy Mini Gratin Dauphinois Potato Stacks – these little gems are like mini individual serves of au gratin potatoes, made in a muffin tin!

Cranberry Pecan Wild Rice – Cranberry and pecan wild rice is a colourful and festive holiday side dish.

Gouda Smashed Potatoes – These golden potatoes are drizzled with olive oil and garlic and baked until crispy and then topped with gouda and warmed until the cheese is warm and melted. Gouda Smashed Potatoes are the perfect holiday side dish that will impress your guests.

Christmas spiced red cabbage – This Christmas spiced red cabbage is very slowly braised with red onion, chopped apples, dried cranberries, cinnamon and ground allspice – it’s a vibrant, flavourful addition to your festive table!

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole – Hashbrown Casserole is always a welcomed dish at my house. Everyone loves potatoes. Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole is the perfect side dish made with shredded hashbrowns, cheddar cheese soup, sour cream, and onion. Quick and easy and perfect for a crowd.

Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes With Panko Topping – Creamy Garlic Mashed Potatoes are infused with fresh garlic, topped with buttery panko bread crumbs and baked into a golden-crusted creamy casserole. A perfect mashed baked potatoes recipe for the holidays and entertaining.

Parmesan Parsnips – Take parsnips to the next level with parmesan cheese. This new spin on a classic British side dish, Parmesan Parsnips, are luxuriously crunch, salt and sweet.

Roasted Parmesan Green Beans Recipe – This delicious recipe for Roasted Parmesan Green Beans uses fresh green beans and makes for a perfect side dish this Christmas!

Quick Stovetop Honey Glazed Carrots – These honey-glazed carrots are an easy and delicious side dish that takes only 15 minutes to cook. The carrots are deliciously sweet with a hint of savoury. The honey brown sugar orange glaze coats these tender carrots beautifully and adds a wonderful flavour.

Roasted Asparagus – Looking for a quick and easy recipe for the best-roasted asparagus? This is a great addition to your menu and a perfect beginner oven-baked asparagus recipe with additional ideas and variations.

Summer Squash Casserole – Summer Squash Casserole is a classic savoury southern casserole dish that uses fresh yellow squash and is easy to make. It is full of cheesy goodness and has a crispy panko topping.

Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes – Smooth and creamy, easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes are the perfect side dish for dinner, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Packed with flavour from fresh rosemary and garlic, quick, easy and healthy. A sweet potato recipe everyone will love!

Cheesy Mashed Potato – Try this easy, creamy, and Cheesy Mashed Potato Recipe. Perfect for a Christmas side dish or just when you want a really great potato dish. This recipe fits perfectly with any special meal!

Broccoli Casserole – Tender broccoli and creamy mushroom sauce, topped with cheese and a crispy cracker topping – this side dish is a classic for a good reason! This is easy comfort food, that everyone in the family is sure to love.

Potato Gratin – These are the most incredible potatoes au gratin! Easy to make and they compliment ham, Turkey and beef extremely well. You can even make them ahead.

Sweet Potato Souffle Casserole – Sweet Potato Souffle Casserole is light and fluffy but uses less sugar than similar recipes and it has a secret ingredient that just makes the flavour explode! And the best part? This holiday side dish can be made up to 2 days ahead to help keep you sane during busy holiday meals!

Brussels Sprouts with Horseradish Cream Sauce – Steamed Brussels sprouts with Horseradish Cream Sauce pairs beautifully with prime rib, beef tenderloin, Christmas ham or turkey! Make the sauce ahead of time to save you time on the day.

Bacon-Wrapped Green Bean Bundles – Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles are loaded with a herby, buttery flavour and a hint of sweetness! This easy green bean recipe is an excellent addition to your holiday dinner table, and perfect if you’re not a fan of the traditional Green Bean Casserole. These Bacon Wrapped Green Beans can easily be made to suit dairy-free, low carb, paleo, and Whole30 diets. They’re also naturally gluten-free!

Cold Side Dishes To Serve With Ham

If you live in the southern hemisphere, cold side dishes might be your preference with your main dishes of ham as a great way of celebrating during the summer months. Here are some of the easiest side dishes to try:

Asparagus, Bean and Broccoli Green Salad with Goats Cheese Dressing – Perfect for prepping in advance and eating with Christmas dinner, this green bean and asparagus salad with goats cheese dressing is a family favourite.

Avocado Egg Salad – Enjoy your favourite egg salad flavours with the addition of creamy avocado for a quick and easy salad side dish.

Pomegranate Apple Greens Salad With Walnut-Crusted Goat Cheese – Pomegranate Apple Mixed Greens With Walnut-Crusted Goat Cheese elevates salad to a new level with homemade pomegranate vinaigrette and nutty cheese rounds! Our mixed greens recipe with its homemade vinaigrette and easy-to-make nut crusted cheese rounds is the perfect holiday salad!

Root Vegetable Salad – Spiralized beets and parsnips tossed with toasted pecans, dried cranberries, blue cheese crumbles and balsamic vinegar make this roasted winter root vegetable salad an explosion of seasonal flavours.

Greek Yogurt Deviled Eggs – A classic Christmas or Easter side dish with a healthy twist, yet the same creamy delicious flavour you love.

Creamed Spinach – Ready in 20 minutes, this Creamed Spinach recipe is an easy, tasty side dish for any meal. Perfect for holiday dinners or serving with steak. Simple ingredients make this spinach creamy, cheesy, and so delicious!

Shaved Brussels Sprout Salad with Kale & Apples – Shaved Brussels sprout salad is a nutritious party in a bowl! Kale, pomegranate, apples, cranberries, and sunflower seeds are tossed in apple cider vinaigrette, making this Brussel sprout salad sweet, savoury, and texture galore!

Pomegranate Couscous Salad – Pomegranate couscous salad is a bright and fresh side dish that is perfect as a light and festive side dish for the holidays. It is a great make-ahead salad recipe that can be served with almost any entree.

Christmas Salad with Citrus-Champagne Vinaigrette – A vibrantly beautiful salad that’s truly fit for a celebration! You can even shape it like a gorgeous Christmas wreath for a showstopping, edible centrepiece!

Garlic & Herb Homemade Whole Wheat Dinner Rolls – You can make super soft and fluffy healthy whole wheat dinner rolls at home easily. No one will ever believe that these are made from 100% whole wheat flour. Fresh garlic and herbs make them even more tempting.

Winter Pear, Pomegranate & Swiss Salad – Winter Pear, Pomegranate & Swiss Salad is a gorgeous way to use some of the best fruits of the season and perfect for any holiday dinner. The homemade Poppy Seed Dressing that goes with it is a family recipe that has been passed down and it makes a wonderful DIY Christmas gift for friends & neighbours.

Kale Salad with Cranberries – Kale and cranberry salad to serve as a side dish salad with your holiday main course meal.

Bacon & Feta Frittata – This easy oven baked frittata recipe can be made ahead and serve cold with your meal. You can also serve it hot if you prefer making it a great option for any meal.

Instant Pot Recipes

If you need to maximise your oven space for your ham dinner, this is a great time to whip up some delicious ham side dishes in your instant pot or pressure cooker. Here are some great options that are perfect for special occasions or an everyday family dinner:

Instant Pot Red Potatoes – Looking for a simple and comforting side dish you can quickly whip up for as a Christmas side dish? This dump and start Instant Pot Red Potatoes ticks all the boxes and is ready in less than 25 minutes!

Instant Pot Asparagus with Garlic Lemon Pepper – The easiest and most delicious Instant Pot Asparagus with Garlic Lemon and black pepper. Bye-bye mushy, soggy, or undercooked pressure cooker Asparagus. You will love just the perfectly crispy tender texture of this Instant Pot Asparagus that is ready in less than 15 minutes with lemon zest flavours.

Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese – This delicious instant pot ribs recipe is a very easy and yummy dinner the family will love. Find out how to make ribs in the instant pot!

Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli and Rice – This Instant Pot Cheesy Broccoli and Rice is an easy and delicious side dish for just about any meal! Thanks to your pressure cooker, it’s ready in a flash and only requires a handful of simple ingredients that you probably already have on hand.

Instant Pot Herb & Garlic Mashed Potato – Herb and Garlic Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes! Quick, easy, and impossible to mess up. Perfect for weeknight dinners or holiday entertaining.

Instant Pot Green Beans with Bacon and Mushrooms – These Instant Pot Green Beans with Bacon and Mushrooms are so good, you won’t even want to eat the main dish!

Sauces and Dressings

Don’t forget the accompaniments for your ham recipe, whether you are making baked ham, smoked ham or enjoying a ham steak! These sauces and dressings are the perfect condiments to go with ham and a great way to add a little extra something to your holiday meal!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce – A simple recipe for fresh and easy homemade cranberry sauce. Made with real whole cranberries and just 3 other ingredients, this is an easy traditional must-have for your next holiday dinner.

Mustard Sauce – This mustard sauce is a must-have when you’re serving up some delish ham! It’s easy to make and perfect for dipping in or on top of sandwiches with your leftover ham or leftover turkey.

What Other Meat Goes With Ham?

If you are looking for ideas to add extra meat dishes to your dining experience, there is no bad option for what meat goes with ham!

Popular choices, especially around the holiday season, are roast turkey, roast chicken or roast pork. You can also incorporate other dishes with beef, bacon, duck or veal.

Having a variety of dishes is always a great option, just so long as you don’t end up with too many extras and leftover ham.

Food is one of the best parts of Christmas (or Easter dinner), and ham is an integral dish. Even when enjoying a hearty meal of ham outside of the holiday season, you want to make sure you’ve got some great sides to pair with it! There are so many side dishes you can serve with your ham to make it even more delicious.

Don’t forget dessert! Find plenty of sweet Christmas dessert recipe ideas!

Which of these side dishes for ham will you choose?

Find more recipes for entertaining and family meals: