30 Standout Side Dishes for Ham to Complete Your Holiday Meal
These ham side dishes will make your dinner plate even more delicious.
Whether you’re planning an elegant holiday dinner or just feel like treating your family to a fancy Sunday night feast, these side dishes for ham will make your menu complete. Of course, the ham will always be the centerpiece of the meal, especially if you use one of these delicious Easter ham or Christmas ham recipes, but complementary sides are essential.
If you’re baking a ham around the holidays, you can’t go wrong with any of these warm and flavorful Christmas side dishes. Though most of them can also accompany all sorts of main meats at any time of year, like for Easter dinner or other celebratory events, these side dishes are specifically curated to delight your taste buds between mouthfuls of ham. You’ll probably want to make more than one to ensure that vegetables and starches are represented in your meal, and of course, you must have some sort of bread or biscuit nearby to soak up any extra sauce. From an aesthetic perspective, it can also be fun to have a colorful holiday table, decorated with bright green snap peas and deep pink roasted radishes sitting beside your golden glazed pork.
You may be leaning towards refreshing platters of rainbow-colored carrots and tasty salads brimming with the best produce of the season or feel like going a cozy, heartier route with the fluffiest biscuits and crispiest smashed potatoes. No matter your preferences, we’ve rounded up the perfect partners to your show-stopping festive ham or weekend roast. Prepare to feast!
Coriander-Maple Glazed Carrots
Coriander, maple and lime make these roasted carrots zesty and full of holiday flavor.
Fresh Green Bean Casserole
Green bean casserole is a classic, comforting holiday side (that still sneaks in some veggies!) sure to warm up any Christmas meal.
Get the recipe for Fresh Green Bean Casserole »
RELATED: 17 Best Casserole Recipes for the Ultimate Comfort Food
Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Brown Butter
Not only does this festive squash side look amazing on your holiday table, but it also tastes like winter warmth with sage and maple flavors.
Get the recipe for Hasselback Butternut Squash with Maple Brown Butter »
RELATED: 36 Irresistible and Easy Butternut Squash Recipes You Need to Make
Lime and Aleppo Pepper Green Beans
A lighter option for a green bean side with a bit of a spicy, fruity twist.
Colcannon
These mashed potatoes with cabbage and greens are the ideal buttery-yet-bright pairing for salty ham.
Get the recipe for Colcannon »
RELATED: 58 Easy Potato Recipes For Weeknight Dinners, Thanksgiving and More
Sautéed Spinach with Garlic and Lemon
Simple, satisfying and healthy, this spinach side dish is surprisingly delicious for how few ingredients it requires — and it's vegan!
Get the recipe for Sautéed Spinach with Garlic and Lemon »
RELATED: 70 Vegan Recipes so Good, You'll Forget About Meat and Cheese
Brown-Butter Brussels Sprouts
Pour this rich brown butter with almonds and golden raisins over your roasted Brussels sprouts for the perfect healthy-ish holiday side.
Roasted Asparagus Salad with Feta Vinaigrette
When it comes to Easter ham, you can't go wrong with asparagus! The spring veggie is the perfect match.
Get the recipe for Roasted Asparagus Salad With Feta Vinaigrette »
Shaved Carrot and Radish Salad
With rainbow carrots on the side of pink ham, your dinner plate has never been prettier!
Get the recipe for Shaved Carrot and Radish Salad »
RELATED: 33 Fresh, Colorful Spring Salads That'll Make It Easy to Eat Your Veggies
Potato Salad with Vinaigrette
Think beyond mashed potatoes and serve this bright, zippy potato salad instead.
Roasted Asparagus with Creamy Feta
Salty feta meets sweet asparagus in this slam-dunk side that everyone will be talking about.
Charred Snap Peas with Creamy Tarragon Dressing
Bust out your trusty cast-iron skillet to give these greens an extra bite of flavor.
Get the recipe for Charred Snap Peas with Creamy Tarragon Dressing »
RELATED: 7 Best Cast Iron Skillets and Pans, According to Kitchen Pros
Mixed Green and Herb Toss Salad
That's it. We officially declare edible flowers the MVP of your holiday.
Rustic Sour Cream and Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
Problem solved: Add all of your go-to baked potato toppings right into the bowl for the ultimate creamy, cheesy side.
Get the recipe for Rustic Sour Cream and Cheddar Mashed Potatoes »
RELATED: 46 Easy Mashed Potatoes To Help You Find the Ultimate Holiday Side
Lemony Asparagus, Beans and Peas
Keep it classic this Easter with this tangy trio of greens.
Garden Greens and Pumpernickel Panzanella
Summer watermelon isn't here yet, but these watermelon radishes will pretty-up your plate instead.
Get the recipe for Garden Greens and Pumpernickel Panzanella Salad »
Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Caper Gremolata
For a refreshed take on a staple side, smash potatoes instead of mashing or baking 'em.
Get the recipe for Crispy Smashed Potatoes with Caper Gremolata »
Tahini-Lemon Quinoa with Asparagus Ribbons
Balance out the sticky-sweet ham with this refreshing salad made with chick peas, quinoa and zoodles.
Get the recipe for Tahini-Lemon Quinoa with Asparagus Ribbons »
RELATED: 50+ Zucchini Recipes That Are Easy, Healthy and Delicious
Buttery Rosemary Rolls
If it has butter in the name, you know it's gonna be good. Make 'em and see.
Parsnip Potato Mash
The best way to trick your kids into eating more than one vegetable? This dish.
Samantha (she/her) is an Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, where she writes about tasty recipes, must-try food products and top-tested secrets for home cooking success. She has taste-tasted hundreds of products and recipes since joining GH in 2020 (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.
Loren Cecil joined the Good Housekeeping team as a freelance contributor in November 2021 after interning in the Test Kitchen while in graduate school. She has an undergraduate sociology degree from Tulane University and a Masters in Journalism from NYU. Her gourmet mom and four years in New Orleans fostered her passion for food and cooking, which she uses to craft mouthwatering write-ups for the Food Department.
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