15 Thanksgiving Ham Recipes That Promise to Steal the Show
These Thanksgiving ham ideas *might* just be better than turkey.
Sure, the Thanksgiving turkey holds the lead role on the table every year, but it can be difficult to prepare correctly, especially when there’s so much pressure on you to prep and serve the ultimate Thanksgiving dinner. Enter: Thanksgiving ham, with glazes, sauces, and plenty of leftover ham recipes that pair with cranberry sauce just as well as turkey. So if you’re wondering if you can eat ham on Thanksgiving, the answer is a resounding yes, please!
While it doesn’t need to replace the classic roast poultry that everyone looks forward to, these holiday ham recipes offer up options that are simpler to prepare and easy to add to the table for larger crowds. Glazed ham, spiral ham, or baked ham can be the star of your Thanksgiving festivities along with turkey. Its savory, salty flavor is the perfect vehicle for a sweet and spicy sauce, using mustard, jams or even maple syrup, and it is the perfect partner to green bean recipes, easy mashed potatoes, even the crowd-pleasing turkey stuffing you serve every year.
Bonus: Ham is usually purchased pre-cooked, so you don’t even need to know how to cook ham in order to serve it. Just pop it in the oven and heat it up until warm! Since you won’t need to stress about making sure it's fully cooked, you’ll have extra time to prep the mouthwatering Thanksgiving appetizers and Thanksgiving desserts. Plus, with large hams, there is always enough for leftovers, so bring on the ham sandwiches, pizzas and so much more.
Pineapple-Glazed Ham
Our new take on this holiday favorite uses ginger beer for spicy-sweetness and just a little soy sauce for that special something. Not your Grandma's recipe!
Get the recipe for Pineapple-Glazed Ham »
RELATED: 25 Best Side Dishes for Ham
Apricot-Mustard Ham With Herb-Roasted Root Vegetables
Make this gorgeous glazed ham nestled in root vegetables the centerpiece of your Thanksgiving table.
Get the recipe for Apricot-Mustard Ham With Herb-Roasted Root Vegetables »
Baked Ham With Root Beer Glaze
This showstopper, studded with cloves and coated in a soda glaze, will put your typical turkey to shame.
Get the recipe for Baked Ham With Root Beer Glaze »
RELATED: 24 Thanksgiving Turkey Recipes That Will Wow Your Guests
Sweet and Sticky Apricot Glazed Ham
Brush a three-ingredient sauce over store-bought ham for the easiest-ever Thanksgiving main.
Ham With Bee-Sting Glaze
Spiced honey adds a sweet kick to your Thanksgiving table.
Apricot and Spice Glazed Ham
Jazz up store-bought apricot jam with white wine vinegar and ground ginger to give this ham a real kick of flavor.
Brown Sugar and Mustard-Glazed Ham
This classic ham is the perfect protein to serve with any classic Thanksgiving side dish.
Get the recipe from Woman's Day »
RELATED: 55 Thanksgiving Side Dishes That Will Steal the Show
Root Beer-Glazed Ham
Try using cola or Dr. Pepper to sweeten up this glaze.
Orange-Red Pepper Jelly-Glazed Ham
Red wine vinegar adds sharpness to this sweet and fruity sauce.
Creamy Fettuccine With Leeks and Ham
Cream cheese stirred into the sauce gives this family favorite extra creaminess and a hint of tanginess. It's the perfect vehicle for leftover ham.
Pineapple and Ham Fried Rice
The best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. Enter this sweet and salty rice made with your roast ham.
White Pizza With Brussels Sprouts and Ham
Turn your leftovers into the ultimate pie the whole family will love.
Get the recipe for White Pizza with Brussels Sprouts and Ham »
Flatbread Cubano Sandwiches
Sandwich leftover ham with gooey cheese and salty pickles for the ultimate Black Friday lunch.
Skillet Turkey Pot Pie
Use up two leftovers in one cozy 30-minute dinner that makes the perfect easy weeknight meal.
Ham and Cheese Salad Pizza
All of your fave sandwich ingredients become one crowd-pleasing pie.
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.
Watch Next
The Most Popular Thanksgiving Side Dishes
Everything That Went Down During My Reddit AMA
56 Best Thanksgiving Wishes and Short Messages
100 Clever Thanksgiving Instagram Captions
