What sides with ham

[BlueThingie]

I'm hosting Boxing Day and I'd like to do a baked ham with roast potatoes. What other sides would you do and would you do a sauce? I'm worried it's going to be dry (not the ham, the meal as a whole).

Thanks!

I usually do scalloped potatoes with ham - the creamy sauce goes really well. Usually something like purple sprouting broccoli and if it's just after Christmas, red cabbage as I always make far too much!

Bubble and squeak is the obvious choice, with plenty of mustard and chutneys.

Also am thinking no starter as my DB is coming with toddlers and IIRC having a starter is a bit of a pain with small children- do you agree? But might do some canapes. Thank you!

Thank you for these ideas. I've never done scalloped potatoes before- do they come out a bit like dauphinoise? Definite yes to mustards and chutneys!

We always have ham on Boxing Day. I usually do it with a cheese and chorizo bake (one I pick up from sainsburys usually), pickles/chutneys, part baked rolls, and it always go down well.

I would do a cheesy potato dish and then roast another vegetable. Maybe a salad with some apples, a nice sprinkle of blue cheese and a vinaigrette for a bit of contrast and brightness.

Hot spiced red cabbage

Dauphinoise potatoes ( I love Nigella's bread sauce flavoured ones). Or cauliflower and broccoli cheese if you want roast potatoes.

Macaroni and cheese works beautifully with ham

I've never done scalloped potatoes before- do they come out a bit like dauphinoise?
I do them with milk rather than cream so they're not so heavy. This one is a lovely recipe and goes really well with ham.

https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/scallopedpotatoesswithcaramelizeddonionsandd_gruyere/

ham, duck egg and dripping chips is our boxing day meal but otherwise potato gratin and green beans or brocolli.

I make cauliflower cheese with mine I also have Branston pickle and pickled onions and I buy red cabbage ready made just for me.

I like red cabbage with ham, and I usually do the red cabbage cooked with sliced onion, grated apple, and spices.

Creamy leeks

I always do ham on Boxing day and always do cranberry sauce, cauliflower cheese, carrots glazed with honey and butter and peas.

I prefer it even to Christmas day tbh! I think I might have to have it this week, not sure I can wait another 2 months!

Cheesy leeks might be nice with that. Or cauliflower cheese.

No suggestions from me but wanted to say I love the suggestions above and have been adding to the list of recipes I want to make 🤤

Cauliflower cheese
Swede and sweet potato mash
Any left over braised red cabbage

I enjoy boxing day dinner more than Christmas.

I do Jansson's Temptation with ham, plus leftover red cabbage from the day before.

It's similar in idea to doing scalloped potatoes.

www.nigella.com/recipes/guests/shaun-hills-janssons-temptation

There are a lot of recipes for it out there, I do the potato in slices as I can't be bothered to make the batons, I just use normal anchovies and it is fine - you could miss them out if you don't like them but there is not a strong anchovy flavour it just adds something nice to the whole dish.

I always do a parsley sauce with ham. And I like it with baked potatoes because they are good at absorbing the sauce.

Cauliflower cheese is always my favourite ham accompaniment.

Another vote for cauliflower cheese.

Or chips, peas, fried eggs and a pineapple ring

Definitely canapés/nibbles rather than starter with young kids.

Id personally do a selection of sauces and sides, red cabbage, apple sauce, mustard, mustard sauce, roast potatoes, potato gratin… You could add cold options, potato or pasta salads. The creaminess of them will go nice with ham.

I don’t usually like creamy or cheesy potatoes but I do really Aldi’s potatoes gratin. You just pop it in the oven or microwave to cook. Definitely an easy side.

I do love cooking but find my life is so much easier buying ready made or easy cook foods when hosting.

Colcannon and parsley sauce is a classic combination with ham, and difficult to improve on. Personally, I wouldn't serve roast potatoes with ham, as too dry a combination.
Other dishes that would work well with ham are cauliflower cheese, leeks in cheese sauce or buttered, macaroni and broccoli in cheese sauce. Or for something a bit different, ratatouille or aubergine parmigiana.