47 Side Dishes for Ham to Complete Your Holiday Dinner

1/47
Dauphinoise Potatoes
We consider potatoes to be essential side dishes for ham, but the question is: which potatoes. Combining intricate layers of cream-simmered Yukon Gold potatoes with grated Gruyère, rosemary, thyme, and Dijon mustard gives you a gratin that just might become your new tradition. See recipe.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine
2/47
Glazed Carrots
This simple vegetable side dish adds a touch of sweetness to your holiday spread—and only requires 30 minutes total time. See recipe.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
3/47
Our Favorite Mac and Cheese
Creamy macaroni with a light, crunchy topping: this is the mac and cheese dreams are made of. A hit of ground mustard gives it a flavorful kick. See recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
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4/47
Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Pancetta and Garlic
Four ingredients (plus salt and pepper) are all it takes to get this family favorite on the table. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka
5/47
Our Favorite Mashed Potatoes
These mashed potatoes are light and fluffy yet rich and creamy, with just a hint of garlic and thyme. They’re just waiting to be paired with a big slice of ham. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Rhoda Boone
6/47
Green Bean Casserole With Crispy Fried Onions
A mix of wild mushrooms dresses up this creamy holiday side dish, but it’s the lightly spiced fried onions that will keep everyone’s attention. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
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7/47
Quick and Easy Collard Greens
Slicing collard greens into ribbons means they cook quickly. Feel free to double the recipe if you’re hosting a larger crowd. See recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele
8/47
Sweet Potato Sonker With Milk Dip
This North Carolinian dish has a bottom crust and a lattice top. In the center: tender sweet potato rounds. Is it a side? A dessert? We love it whenever it arrives at the table. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Laura Rege
9/47
Funeral Potatoes
No gathering is complete without these creamy potatoes topped with buttery, crunchy cornflakes. This easy casserole recipe is beloved in Texas and has deep roots in the Mormon community. See recipe.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
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10/47
Simple Classic Stuffing
Who says dressing is just for turkey? The fragrant herbs in this recipe go just as well with a ham dinner. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
11/47
Cheesy Corn Spoon Bread
This creamy, cheesy garlicky spoon bread is made with creamed corn and finely ground cornmeal, plus sour cream for tang and a cup of Fontina cheese. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
12/47
Parmesan-Roasted Cauliflower
Nutty roasted cauliflower gets even better with a dose of fresh garlic and grated Parmesan cheese—but then, what doesn’t get better with garlic and Parmesan? See recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
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13/47
Green Beans Amandine
This classic green bean dish rounds out your holiday meal nicely. Toasting the almonds in butter adds a nutty richness that’s perfectly balanced out by a squeeze of lemon juice added at the end. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
14/47
Make-Ahead Dinner Rolls
Cold rolls have nothing on these hot and fluffy versions, which get parbaked in advance, then brushed with butter and browned in the oven right before serving with a gorgeous glazed ham. See recipe.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
15/47
Lyonnaise Potatoes
Getting caramelized onions involved in your potato side dish is definitely a good move. This classic side—which we learned from the French—is the perfect choice for a special occasion. See recipe.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine
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16/47
Sweet Potato Casserole With Easy Candied Pecans
If your ham glaze has a touch of sweetness, it’ll cozy up nicely to this not-too-sugary sweet potato casserole. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
17/47
Hasselback Potatoes
Maximize the crispy edges on your holiday potatoes this year, and you’ll never look back. The secret to getting it right? Chopsticks. See recipe.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Sean Dooley
18/47
Skillet Cornbread
The most important step in making this quick cornbread is preheating your skillet. Don’t skip it. See recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
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19/47
Maple-Roasted Delicata Squash
The smart move in this easy recipe? Roasting winter squash with maple syrup underlines its natural sweetness. Just add a simple salad and some rolls or biscuits and your meal is complete. See recipe.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
20/47
Beet Salad With Pickled Mushrooms and Caramelized Shallots
This version of the Ukrainian salad known as shuki features beets, mushrooms, sherry vinegar, shallots, honey, garlic cloves, tarragon, extra-virgin olive oil, and black pepper. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
21/47
Kale and Brussels Sprout Salad
This vibrant green salad gives your palate a break from all the rich dishes on the table. Thinly sliced brussels sprouts, chopped almonds, and Pecorino effortlessly jazz up a few bunches of Tuscan kale. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
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22/47
Creamed Dried Sweet Corn With Onion and Chives
You don’t need fresh corn to make this luscious side dish: It starts by soaking dried sweet corn in milk and cream overnight. Then it’s simmered until nice and thick. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Anna Surbatovich, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
23/47
Roasted Sweet Potato and Delicata Squash With Cranberry Agrodolce
Sweet and sour cranberry sauce and starchy squash play well with the richness of a roast ham. We also love how this dish adds a burst of color to your holiday dinner table. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Anna Billingskog
24/47
Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
Your stovetop may be otherwise occupied, which means it’s time to get out the Instant Pot and put it to work on this mashed potatoes recipe. See recipe.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine
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25/47
Shaved Carrots With Charred Dates
You don’t have to stick to starchy sides for ham. Here, crunchy carrots tossed in a tangy-sweet dressing meet soft and blackened dates for literally everything you’d ever want in a single bite. See recipe.
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
26/47
Cheesy Potato and Kale Gratin With Rye Croutons
Everything for this casserole cooks together in cheesy, creamy harmony. Leaving the potatoes unpeeled bumps up nutrients and cuts the prep time too. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
27/47
Haricots Verts With Herb Butter
Make this lemon, tarragon, and parsley butter up to three days ahead and then toss with hot blanched green beans for an easy last-second side. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
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28/47
Twice-Baked-Potato Casserole
Twice-baked potatoes are a labor of love. Twice-baked potato casserole is a comfort food dish that everyone will love—but no one has to fuss over. And if you’re prepping a million other things for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, ease is the name of the game. See recipe.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine
29/47
Escarole, Pear, Parmesan, and Basil Leaf Salad
Fresh basil and pears team up in this crisp, refreshing salad—another one of our standout side dish recipes for your holiday ham dinner. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
30/47
Roasted Carrots and Red Onions With Fennel and Mint
Have roast vegetables ever looked quite so appealing? Give the carrots, fennel, and onion plenty of room on your sheet pan—that’s the key to getting nicely browned edges. See recipe.
Photo by Christopher Testani
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31/47
Sweet Potato Biscuits With Benne Seeds
Nutty benne seeds add crunch to these softly sweet biscuits. You may want to make a double batch so you can use them as a vehicle for any leftover ham the next day. See recipe.
Photo by Andrew Thomas Lee
32/47
Frisée, Radicchio, and Fennel Salad With Mustard Vinaigrette
Toss together feathery, pale-green frisée, along with tender, purple-red slices of radicchio, thin semicircles of crisp fennel, and a light mustard vinaigrette to make a gorgeous interplay of colors, textures, and flavors. See recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
33/47
Butternut Squash and Creamed-Spinach Gratin
Finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a generous dose of heavy cream transform butternut squash and spinach into a rich, bubbling dish that feels like a nice change from standard potatoes au gratin. Bring it to a holiday potluck and watch it disappear. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Olivia Mack Anderson
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34/47
Roasted Asparagus With Garlic
If you’re serving ham in spring, perhaps as part of an Easter dinner, there’s nothing better than this easy side dish of fresh spears of asparagus, prepared simply. See recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
35/47
Parker House Rolls
There’s butter in the dough, there’s butter brushed on top before baking. But yes, you’ll probably want to smear some more butter on the fluffy rolls when you pull them open and pile in the honey-glazed ham. See recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
36/47
Roasted Cauliflower With Sesame
This cauliflower roasts in a coating of coriander and oregano, then gets dressed in a powerhouse mix of tahini, miso, and red wine vinegar. It’s a simple side that’s packed with flavor. See recipe.
Photo by Bobby Fisher
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37/47
3-Ingredient Roasted Carrots With Pistachio Pesto
Whatever you do, don’t throw out your carrot tops. These often-unused greens shine in a nutty pesto drizzled over sweet roasted carrots. If you can’t find carrots with the tops intact at your grocery store, try a local farmers market. Then all you need is your baked ham and maybe a dish of scalloped potatoes. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Katherine Sacks
38/47
Broccolini-Cheddar Gratin With Rye Breadcrumbs
One warning about this dish: You just may fight your own relatives for the bits of cheesy goodness stuck to the bottom of the pan. See recipe.
Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
39/47
Roasted Onions With Vinegar
For a dish that’s guaranteed to become one of your favorite sides, place whole yellow onions on a baking sheet and roast for 40 minutes. When they’re finished, let them cool before halving them, removing the papery layer, and then separating the insides. Drizzle with oil and vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and serve alongside your festive main dish. See recipe.
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott
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40/47
Flaky, Buttery Biscuits
You’ll fold and stack the dough to create the flaky layers of these biscuits. Split them open, place a slice of ham inside, devour, and repeat. See recipe.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
41/47
Roasted Cauliflower With Parmesan-Panko Crumble
A make-ahead Parmesan and panko crumble adds savory crunch to this large-format side dish. Yielding 20 servings, this recipe will feed a crowd. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Laura Rege
42/47
Parsnip Confit With Pickled Currants
Everyone will appreciate the sweet and earthy flavor that these parsnips add to the meal. Seek out small ones, which are less likely to have a woody core. See recipe.
Photo by Michael Graydon & Nikole Herriott, Prop Styling by Kalen Kaminski, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich
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43/47
Dinner Rolls Six Ways
Start with this simple roll recipe, then play with the variations. We like ham with the garlic-dill version, but you can’t go wrong with freshly ground black pepper and rosemary either. See recipe.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
44/47
Fall Squash and Leek Bread Pudding
You can simplify this side dish by using just one cheese, but the blend of all three (Emmental cheese, Comté, and aged Gouda) will earn it celebrity status. See recipe.
Photo by Laura Murray, Food Styling by Judy Mancini
45/47
Herby Barley Salad With Butter-Basted Mushrooms
Any chewy grain, such as wheat berries, farro, or even brown rice, can replace the barley in this hearty recipe. The final touches on this side dish are fried shallots and shaved Parmesan. See recipe.
Photo by Christopher Testani
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46/47
Collard Green Gratin
We love this dish with collard greens, but you can also make it with the same amount of curly or Tuscan kale. Thyme and Parmesan-scented bread crumbs, mixed with a few ounces of thinly sliced ham, make a stellar topping. See recipe.
Photo by Gentl & Hyers
47/47
Charred Asparagus With Citrus Bagna Cauda
The one–two punch of citrus zest and juice balances all the anchovy richness in this dressing for asparagus. If you’re looking for side dishes for ham when those sweet spears are not in season, sub in broccolini instead. See recipe.
Photo by Alex Lau