This Easy Ham Loaf Is A Vintage Recipe That's A Great Use of Leftovers (2024)

Ham loaf may not be the most appetizing name, but my juicy ham loaf with tasty brown sugar Dijon glaze is totally delicious! The tangy-sweet Dijon glaze will get you hooked, and you'll be putting ham loaf on your list of favorite weekly dinners!

Try a new take on meatloaf with this sweet and savory ham loaf the whole family will love!

I feel like ham loaf is one of those recipes that every grandma used to whip up when the whole family was going to sit down for dinner. It’s not difficult to put together, it slices beautifully, and it goes with all the typical weekday dinner side dishes.

Ham loaf has been around forever but it’s not getting the recognition it deserves. Ham loaf and meatloaf may look similar, but ham loaf has a totally different flavor than meatloaf!

The key to a good ham loaf is to use a mix of ground pork and ham. So, if you often have holiday ham leftovers this is a great recipe to keep in your back pocket!

❤️ Why This Recipe Works!

It's tasty! A perfectly baked ham loaf will be right up there with your favorite comfort foods!

It slices perfectly! Meal prep it, make it a sandwich, serve it to your friends, it's an easy meal to dish out.

The whole family will love it! If you haven't tried it, try it with your family. You will all love this savory ham loaf and it will quickly become a new family favorite!

🥘 Ingredients

Most of these ingredients are pretty common, you likely have them in your fridge or pantry. If you have leftover ham from the holidays or a few ham steaks in the fridge, you can dice them up and use them!

Ham Loaf

• 1 tablespoon Butter - Salted or unsalted and melted in the pan. You will use this to sautee the onions and give them some extra flavor.
• ¼ cup Onion - I use white onion, diced small. You want your onion diced as small as possible so it mixes well into the meat.
• 3 cups Ham - Be sure to use ham that is finely diced, or better yet, throw diced ham into a food processor and pulse it a few times to grind it up.
• 1 pound Ground Pork - Ham is very salty and has a light smoky flavor, the ground pork helps to mellow it out so it's not overwhelming.
• 1 large Egg - The glue that holds your ham loaf together.
• ⅔ cup Seasoned Breadcrumbs - Breadcrumbs bind with the eggs to keep the loaf together!
• ½ cup Milk - Milk adds moisture to the ham loaf and keeps it from drying out.
• ⅛ teaspoon Ground Black Pepper - Just a little pepper for taste, no salt. The ham is salty enough- you won't need it.

Brown Sugar Dijon Glaze

• ¼ packed cup Light Brown Sugar - It provides the sweetness for the glaze and helps it caramelize while baking!
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard - When mixed with the sugar it creates the perfect sweet-tangy combo.
• 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar - It helps to balance all the flavors.
• Pineapple Rings and Maraschino Cherries (Optional) - A little something to put on top that is both cute and tasty!

*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*

🔪 Instructions

These simple steps are going to come together in an absolutely tasty family dinner that everyone will love! Plus, it's a really easy recipe to make for a no-fail meal!

1. Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F(175°C)and line a rimmed baking sheet or baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Saute onions. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet or frying pan over medium heat, then saute the diced onion for 4-5 minutes or until it reaches your desired level of tenderness. Remove the onions from the skillet and set aside.
3. Grind ham. Place 3 cups cubed ham into a food processor and pulse until broken up and ground, but not turning into a paste consistency. Transfer the ham into a large mixing bowl.
4. Mix. Add the remaining ingredients( 1 pound ground pork, 1 large egg, seasoned ⅔ cup breadcrumbs, ½ cup milk, ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper, sauteed onions)and mix until well combined.
5. Bake the ham loaf. Transfer the ham loaf mixture to your prepared baking sheet or pan and form into a loaf shape, roughly 8x4-inches in size. Place in the middle of the center rack in your oven and bake for 1 hour at 350°F(175°C)or until the internal temperature of the ham loaf reaches 160°F(71°C).
6. Glaze. Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl(¼ cup light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar)until smooth. Coat the ham loaf with the glaze and top with optional pineapple rings and maraschino cherries then return to the oven for an additional 15 minutes.
7. Serve! Remove the cooked ham loaf from your oven and tent a sheet of aluminum foil over it loosely. Allow the ham loaf to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

This savory, sweet ham loaf is perfect for an easy weeknight dinner! Serve it up with your favorite meatloaf sides!

We often serve this hearty ham dish with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and a couple of veggies like this easy air fryer asparagus or roasted brussel sprouts. Enjoy!

💭 Tips & Notes

• When grinding your ham in the food processor just give it a few good pulses until it is looks similar to ground beef, don't overdo it or it will turn into mushy paste!
• Allowing the ham loaf to rest before slicing is important, if you slice it right out of the oven it may fall apart!
• If you want to make individual loafs, use mini loaf pans! This recipe should make about 4 mini loafs.

🥡 Storing & Reheating

Refrigerate leftovers by placing them in a shallow, airtight dish or Tupperware. Your refrigerated ham loaf will keep for up to 3-4 days.

Ham loaf freezes well! You can freeze your ham loaf after baking or before baking! If you are freezing the raw ham loaf, I recommend waiting until the day you bake it to apply the glaze.

Freeze your ham loaf by wrapping it tightly in foil and placing it in an airtight container or heavy-duty freezer bag. If the ham loaf is already baked, I find it's easier to reheat if you slice it into individual servings and wrap those in foil before freezing!

Frozen ham loaf will keep for 3-4 months in the freezer.

Reheating Ham Loaf

Thaw frozen ham loaf in the fridge overnight. The easiest way to reheat already baked ham loaf is to slice individual servings and heat them in the microwave for about 1½-2 minutes.

If the ham loaf was frozen raw, bake it as instructed above once it has thawed.

🐷 More Great Ham Recipes!

• Leftover Ham Casserole With Broccoli And Cheese
• Cheesy Leftover Ham Pasta
• Creamy Ham And Pea Pasta
• Air Fryer Grilled Ham And Cheese
• Ham And Cheese Omelet Roll

❓ FAQ

📖 Recipe Card