Ham tastes best with one comforting starch and one bright vegetable or salad. Mustard green beans are the strongest all-purpose side because their crisp bite and sharp dressing cut the meat's salt and fat.
Scalloped potatoes, Brussels sprouts, cabbage slaw, and roasted carrots also fit well.
Let the ham style guide the rest of the plate. Sweet glazed ham needs bitter or acidic sides, smoked ham benefits from fresh fruit and greens, and salty country ham needs mild dishes with little added salt.
Mustard green beans are the best overall side for ham. Add scalloped potatoes for comfort, cabbage apple slaw for a cold contrast, or Brussels sprouts when a sweet glaze needs a bitter green edge for a balanced holiday plate.
What Are the Best Sides for Ham?
Choose sides that correct the ham instead of echoing it. Acid, green vegetables, and crisp textures keep cured meat lively, while one mild starch catches glaze and pan juices without repeating sweetness.
| Rank | Side | Why it fits | Best for | Prep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mustard green beans | Sharp dressing cuts cured meat salt | Any ham | Easy |
| 2 | Scalloped potatoes | Creamy slices catch glaze and pan juices | Holiday dinner | Medium |
| 3 | Roasted Brussels sprouts | Bitter browned leaves control a sweet glaze | Glazed ham | Easy |
| 4 | Cider roasted carrots | Fruit acid sharpens naturally sweet roots | Family meal | Easy |
| 5 | Cabbage apple slaw | Cold crunch balances tender salty ham | Buffet | Easy |
| 6 | Macaroni and cheese | Creamy pasta suits lean ham and families | Comfort menu | Medium |
| 7 | Roasted sweet potatoes | Caramelized roots pair with smoky ham | Smoked ham | Easy |
| 8 | Cornbread | Tender bread stretches a casual meal | Casual dinner | Medium |
| 9 | Tangy baked beans | Acidic beans support strongly smoked ham | Cookout | Medium |
| 10 | Lemon asparagus | Fresh green spears brighten carved meat | Spring meal | Easy |
| 11 | Roasted cauliflower | Toasted florets add a lighter warm side | Lighter plate | Easy |
| 12 | Minted peas | Sweet peas cook during the carving rest | Fast green side | Easy |
| 13 | Soft dinner rolls | Small rolls make a buffet easier to serve | Large crowd | Easy |
| 14 | Citrus fruit salad | Juicy acid freshens a brunch plate | Brunch | Easy |
| 15 | Vinegar potato salad | Sharp potatoes suit outdoor and smoky meals | Outdoor meal | Medium |
1. Mustard Green Beans
Green beans keep a clean snap beside tender ham, and mustard dressing brings the acid that cured meat needs at the table.
Use a light vinaigrette rather than a creamy sauce so the vegetable stays sharp.
This side works for weeknights and holidays because it cooks quickly.
Hold the salt until you taste the ham and dressing together.
Dijon works in a smooth dressing, while whole grain mustard gives more texture. If whole grain mustard is unavailable, mix Dijon with a small spoonful of mustard seeds rather than adding sugar.
2. Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped potatoes catch glaze and give lean ham slices a soft, creamy partner.
Their mild flavor suits a formal dinner where ham remains the clear centerpiece. Bake them before carving and let the dish settle for easier serving.
Pair them with a green side because two creamy dishes make the plate heavy.
3. Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Brussels sprouts offer bitter green flavor and dark roasted edges that counter a sweet glaze without adding another sweet sauce.
Lemon or cider vinegar at the end gives them a cleaner finish. They fit a holiday oven menu but need room on the pan to brown.
Do not coat them with bacon when ham already supplies smoke and salt.
Broccoli rabe is the best Brussels sprout substitute when the glaze is very sweet because its bitterness is stronger. Roasted cabbage wedges are milder and easier for a mixed-age table.
4. Cider Roasted Carrots
Carrots echo a honey or brown sugar glaze without repeating its sticky weight. Apple cider adds enough tartness to keep their natural sweetness in check.
Roast thick pieces so they stay firm beside soft ham. This pairing needs a bitter or green side when the glaze is very sweet.
5. Cabbage Apple Slaw
Cabbage and apple provide cold crunch, fresh juice, and gentle acidity. The slaw travels well and holds its texture longer than a delicate leafy salad.
Use a vinegar dressing for smoked or glazed ham. Dress it near serving time if you want the cabbage at its crispest.
Shredded cabbage holds well overnight when stored dry, but cut apple browns and releases juice. Prep the cabbage first, then slice and dress the apple on serving day.
6. Macaroni and Cheese
Macaroni and cheese creates a familiar comfort plate and appeals to a mixed-age crowd. Its creamy texture works best with lean ham and a sharp green vegetable.
Keep the serving small because cheese and cured meat both bring salt.
Skip scalloped potatoes when macaroni fills the starch role.
7. Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes suit smoky ham because their earthy sweetness softens char and salt. Chili powder or black pepper can keep the side from tasting like another glaze.
Cut them into wedges for crisp edges and easy portions. Choose plain white potatoes instead when the ham coating is already very sweet.
Whole sweet potatoes store better than peeled pieces, so leave the prep until the day before at most. Chilled roasted wedges can reheat, but they lose some edge and need an uncovered pan.
8. Cornbread
Cornbread catches pan juices and adds a tender crumb without another creamy sauce. A modest amount of corn sweetness feels natural beside smoked ham.
Serve one small square per person at a casual dinner. Add slaw or greens so bread and meat do not own the whole plate.
9. Tangy Baked Beans
Baked beans make ham feel at home at a cookout or relaxed buffet. Mustard and vinegar should lead the sauce because extra brown sugar can make the combination cloying beside an already glazed ham.
Use this filling side when you are not serving potatoes or macaroni. Bacon is unnecessary because the ham already gives the meal cured flavor.
Baked beans are a strong make-ahead choice because their sauce protects them during reheating. Cool leftovers in a shallow container, then reheat only the amount needed for the next meal.
10. Lemon Asparagus
Asparagus brings a fresh green snap and cooks in the final part of meal preparation.
Lemon lifts both the vegetable and sliced ham without another sweet note.
This side is strongest for spring dinners and smaller groups.
Thin spears cool quickly, so bring them to the table close to carving time.
Buy asparagus close to the meal and keep the cut ends from drying out. Spears that bend easily will not give the crisp contrast this pairing needs.
11. Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower develops nutty browned edges while keeping a mild center.
It supports strongly smoked or peppered ham without adding more starch. Spread the florets out so steam can escape.
A pale side benefits from parsley, paprika, or lemon for color and contrast.
Keep cut cauliflower dry and cold if prep begins early. Moist florets brown slowly and can pick up a strong cabbage smell before roasting.
12. Minted Peas
Peas add quick sweetness and bright green color, while mint gives them a fresh aroma. They can cook while the carved ham rests under a loose cover.
Use little butter and no extra cured meat. Peas soften fast, so stop cooking as soon as they are hot.
13. Soft Dinner Rolls
Dinner rolls help guests make small ham sandwiches and stretch a buffet.
Their plain flavor also handles mustard, chutney, or glaze left on the plate. Count rolls as the starch and skip another bread.
Warm them briefly rather than using valuable oven space for the whole meal.
14. Citrus Fruit Salad
Orange, grapefruit, and pineapple bring juicy acid to a brunch ham. The fruit feels fresher than a syrupy canned mix and gives the plate a cold element.
Drain excess juice before serving near hot food. Use less pineapple when the ham has a strong pineapple glaze.
15. Vinegar Potato Salad
Vinegar potato salad is lighter and sharper than a mayonnaise-heavy version. It suits outdoor meals because the tang stands up to smoky ham.
Serve it warm or at room temperature for the clearest flavor.
Do not pair it with scalloped potatoes or sweet potatoes at the same meal.
For advance prep, chill the potato salad promptly and keep it cold until the serving window. The vinegar tastes brighter after a rest, but potatoes become soft when they sit in excess dressing.
Which Sides Fit Glazed, Smoked, or Country Ham?
Sweet Glazed Ham
Use a bitter green or a vinegar-dressed vegetable beside glazed ham. That contrast stops honey, maple, or brown sugar glaze from turning every bite sweet.
Keep carrots and fruit restrained when both already appear in the glaze. One sweet side can fit, but it needs a sharp vegetable beside it.
Smoked Ham
Smoked ham pairs well with apple slaw, citrus fruit, sweet potatoes, or tangy baked beans. Fresh fruit acid clears the smoke, while a mild starch catches salty juices.
Avoid adding bacon to vegetables and beans. More smoke does not create more contrast.
Black Forest ham brings a firmer cured texture and a pronounced smoky flavor, so cold slaw or asparagus often works better than another roasted dish. Use that sharper plan when the ham is sliced thin and served cool.
Country Ham
Country ham can taste much saltier than a typical glazed holiday ham. Use unsalted scalloped potatoes, plain peas, fresh fruit, or lightly dressed greens to soften the intensity.
Serve smaller ham slices and let the sides carry more of the plate. Strong cheese sauces, salted rolls, and cured toppings can push the meal too far.
Which Ham Sides Can You Make Ahead?
Protect oven space by finishing the cold sides first. Slaw and vinegar potato salad can be prepared before the ham heats, while beans tolerate reheating and roasted vegetables need the final stretch of dry oven heat.
- Prep the cold sides. Shred cabbage, mix dressing, and chill potato salad before oven work begins.
- Cook the holding dishes. Bake beans or scalloped potatoes early, then cover them while the ham finishes.
- Save dry heat for vegetables. Roast Brussels sprouts, carrots, sweet potatoes, or cauliflower on open pans near serving time.
- Use the ham rest. Warm rolls and finish green beans, peas, or asparagus while the meat rests before carving.
Covered baked beans stay moist, but roasted vegetables soften under foil. Hold those foods differently instead of placing every pan in the same warm oven.
Warm rolls for only a few minutes during the ham rest. Bread left in the oven through carving dries at the edges and competes with the meat for attention.
A whole holiday ham can support three or four sides because each guest takes a smaller portion of each. For ham steak, one vegetable and one starch are enough, and the smaller meal does not need a buffet plan.
Keep leftovers separate when possible. Ham juices soften slaw and roasted edges, while a clean container leaves each side useful for a different next-day meal.
Color helps guests read the buffet quickly. Pair pale potatoes and sliced ham with dark greens, orange carrots, or red cabbage instead of serving four beige casseroles.
Keep sauces separate from the carved meat and sides. Mustard, chutney, and glaze let guests adjust sweetness or sharpness without coating vegetables that already have their own dressing.
When children and adults share the meal, season one vegetable mildly and put stronger mustard or vinegar at the table. This keeps the base menu flexible without cooking two complete sets of sides.
Save These Ham Side Dishes
Keep the rankings and ham-style pairings ready for your next family meal.
Ham Side Dish FAQ
What is the best side dish for ham?
Mustard green beans are the best all-purpose choice because crisp vegetables and sharp dressing balance salty cured meat.
How many sides should you serve with ham?
Two sides work for a weeknight. A holiday meal can use two vegetables, one starch, and bread when the crowd wants more choice.
What goes with sweet glazed ham?
Choose Brussels sprouts, mustard green beans, cabbage slaw, or asparagus. Their bitter or acidic flavor controls glaze sweetness.
What cold side goes with ham?
Cabbage apple slaw is the strongest cold side because it holds its crunch and adds vinegar and fresh fruit.
Should you serve two potato dishes with ham?
No. Choose scalloped, roasted sweet, or vinegar potato salad, then give the second side job to a green vegetable.
Carrie is a food writer and editor with more than 15 years of experience. She has worked for some of the biggest names in the food industry, including Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and Martha Stewart Living.
As the Editor in Chief of EpicureDelight, Carrie oversees all of the content on the site. She also manages the team of contributing writers and editors, who help to create delicious recipes, helpful tips, and informative articles that you’ll find on the site.
A native of the Chicago area, Carrie is passionate about all things food. She loves trying new restaurants and experimenting with new recipes in her kitchen. She’s also a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, so she knows a thing or two about food!
