Stuffing For Ham

A Sweet and Savory Hawaiian Bread Stuffing Made Especially for Holiday Ham

This Stuffing for Ham is a rich, sweet and savory holiday side dish made with soft Hawaiian bread, smoky bacon, caramelized onions, celery and a savory ham broth. Eggs and a little heavy cream give it an almost soufflé-like, bread-pudding texture while plenty of butter helps the bottom and top turn golden and delicious. With that slight crispness we all love.

Unlike a traditional Thanksgiving stuffing made with dry bread cubes, this stuffing is soft and moist inside. The sweetness of the Hawaiian bread balances the salty smoked ham and bacon, making it especially good alongside an Easter ham, Christmas ham or any big holiday ham dinner. Dare I say I have even made a pan to eat alone?

You can also completely assemble it a day ahead and bake it when you are ready, which is the kind of recipe I want when I am already trying to get six other things on the holiday table at the same time.

This Stuffing Was Made for Ham

I love stuffing so much that it is basically the reason I look forward to Thanksgiving.

And I know a lot of you originally found The Tipsy Housewife because of my World’s Best Thanksgiving Stuffing.

That recipe is still one of my favorites, but one day I started thinking about why turkey gets to have all the stuffing fun.

Ham deserves its own stuffing. It has been feeling left out.

The flavors that work beautifully with turkey aren’t necessarily the flavors I wanted alongside a sweet and salty glazed ham.

So I went in a different direction.

Sweet Hawaiian bread.

Smoky bacon.

Caramelized sweet onion.

Mustard.

Celery.

And a broth made with ham base.

The finished stuffing has sweet, smoky, salty and savory flavors that are made to sit right next to a big slice of holiday ham.

Why I Use Hawaiian Bread

The slightly sweet flavor of Hawaiian bread is perfect with ham.

Think about how often you see ham sandwiches served on Hawaiian rolls.

There is a reason that combination works.

The sweetness balances the saltiness and smokiness of the ham and bacon without turning the stuffing into something that tastes sugary.

For this recipe I use two round loaves of Hawaiian bread, the kind usually found near the deli section of the grocery store. You can use the weight equivalent in the rolls if you cannot find the round loaves.

Cut the bread into cubes a couple of hours before you plan to assemble the stuffing and let the cubes sit uncovered on the counter.

We don’t need rock-hard croutons.

We just want the bread to dry slightly so it is ready to soak up all that savory broth.

Better Than Bouillon Ham Base

This is one of the ingredients that really sets this stuffing apart.

I use Better Than Bouillon Ham Base to make the broth.

It adds that deep, salty, smoky ham flavor throughout the bread rather than relying on the actual ham on your plate to do all the work.

Depending on where you live and the time of year, ham base can sometimes be a little harder to find than chicken or beef bouillon.

I usually have better luck finding it around the holidays.

And if you buy a jar for this recipe, don’t worry about having one spoonful missing from a jar that will live in your refrigerator for eternity. You can also use it for bean soup, split pea soup, greens and other recipes where a little smoky ham flavor makes sense.

What Can I Use Instead of Ham Base?

Don’t abandon the entire stuffing because you cannot find one jar of bouillon.

You have options.

My first substitute would be onion Better Than Bouillon because the onion flavor works beautifully with the bacon and sweet onions already in the stuffing.

Vegetable Better Than Bouillon is another good option.

Chicken bouillon will also work in a pinch.

The stuffing will obviously have less pronounced ham flavor, but you are serving it with ham anyway.

One important note: bouillon products can be quite salty. Between the bacon, bouillon and celery salt, there is already plenty of seasoning happening here.

Taste before deciding this needs additional salt.

Use a Good Smoked Bacon

I originally made this with thick-cut cherrywood smoked bacon and loved it.

You do not have to track down that exact bacon.

Look for a thick-cut smoked bacon that has a flavor you enjoy.

There are enough ingredients in this stuffing that I want the bacon to actually announce its presence rather than disappear.

Cook it until crisp, remove the bacon and save about two tablespoons of that bacon fat.

Then cook the onion right in the bacon fat.

We cannot waste that flavor!

Cook the Onion Low and Slow

This recipe uses one very large sweet onion.

After the bacon comes out of the skillet, add the diced onion to the reserved bacon fat and cook it gently.

Don’t rush it.

You want the onion soft, sweet and beginning to caramelize.

Then add the finely diced celery and celery leaves.

Once the vegetables are soft, add the celery seed, mustard seed, brown sugar, black pepper, celery salt and onion powder.

Cooking the seasonings briefly in the bacon fat wakes everything up before the liquid goes into the pan.

Then add the grainy mustard and ham base.

This is where the kitchen starts smelling like you actually know what you’re doing.

Yes, This Stuffing Is Supposed to Be Wet

I need to emphasize this because if you are accustomed to traditional stuffing, you may think something has gone terribly wrong.

It hasn’t.

This stuffing is very moist before baking.

The Hawaiian bread absorbs the broth mixture and becomes extremely soft.

What you do NOT want is a bowl of bread floating in broth.

Add the broth mixture gradually and stir as you go.

The bread should be thoroughly saturated, but you should not see a big pool of liquid at the bottom.

If your particular bread has absorbed as much as it can and you still have broth remaining, stop adding liquid.

Make sure you get all those onion and celery pieces into the stuffing even if that means straining them from the remaining broth.

Then add your cooked bacon.

Why Eggs and Heavy Cream Go Into the Stuffing

Once the bread mixture has cooled down somewhat, whisk together the eggs and heavy cream.

Then stir that into the stuffing along with half of the sliced chives.

This is what makes the texture of this stuffing so different.

Instead of baking into separate dry bread cubes, the center becomes soft and cohesive.

I have described it as soufflé-like, although bread pudding might be an even better comparison.

The top gets golden.

The edges get buttery.

The inside stays soft, rich and custardy.

That texture is on purpose and for a reason.

Butter on the Bottom AND the Top

There is a whole stick of butter in this recipe.

Before anyone sends me a message about it, please remember that we are making holiday stuffing with bacon and heavy cream.

We passed the exit for sensible decisions several miles ago. Plus we all know I love nothing more than butter. Well, except for canned potatoes.

Slice approximately half the butter into thin pats and distribute them across the bottom of your 9×13-inch casserole dish.

Add the stuffing.

Then slice the remaining butter and distribute those pats across the top.

The butter underneath gives you rich, buttery edges and bottom while the butter on top helps create that beautiful golden finish.

Do not message me about the butter.

I will butter shun you.

Make This Stuffing the Day Before

This may be one of my favorite things about the recipe.

Holiday cooking is so much easier when every single dish doesn’t need your attention at exactly the same time.

You can completely assemble this stuffing up to 24 hours before you need it.

Spread it into the buttered casserole dish, add the butter on top, cover the dish and refrigerate.

When you are ready to bake it, take the casserole out of the refrigerator ahead of time so it can lose some of that refrigerator chill before going into the hot oven.

Then bake according to the recipe.

This makes it especially useful for Easter and Christmas when your oven already has a ham occupying most of the real estate.

How Do I Know When Stuffing for Ham Is Done?

Bake the stuffing covered at 375°F for approximately 30 minutes.

Then remove the foil and continue baking for approximately another 15 minutes.

You are looking for a golden top and a center that is set.

If you gently press the center, it should feel soft and slightly springy rather than wet and loose.

Remember that this is supposed to have a soft center.

Do not keep baking it in an attempt to turn it into dry bread cubes.

That isn’t what we’re making. We are making a beautiful ham stuffing. Crispy bits on the edges, soft and butter and a puffy texture in the middle.

Build a Holiday Ham Dinner

This recipe deserves a little holiday dinner gallery because someone making Stuffing for Ham probably isn’t planning on eating stuffing by itself.

Start With the Ham

My Shaved Ham With Coca-Cola Sauce is sweet, tangy and smoky and would be delicious alongside this stuffing.

If you are making a traditional whole or spiral ham, save those pan juices and make my Ham Gravy.

And yes, I would spoon Ham Gravy over this stuffing.

Add a Potato

My Cheesy Onion Mashed Potato Casserole is another make-ahead side dish, which makes it especially useful for a holiday dinner.

Don’t Forget Something Green

Add my Classic Green Bean Casserole and you have the kind of holiday plate I want to sit down in front of.

Build Your Holiday Ham Dinner

Click each image to get the recipe.

Stuffing for Ham Versus Thanksgiving Stuffing

These are two completely different animals.

My World’s Best Thanksgiving Stuffing is the more traditional savory stuffing made with sausage, onions, celery and mushrooms.

This Stuffing for Ham is softer, sweeter and smokier.

The Hawaiian bread, bacon and ham base were specifically chosen to complement ham.

If you are serving turkey, I would make the Thanksgiving stuffing.

If you are serving ham, I would make this.

If you are serving both turkey AND ham and decide to make two kinds of stuffing, I support your journey.

I also have a Butter Stuffing that is delicious and a unique stuffing that is a Chicago Style Stuffing.

How to Store Leftover Stuffing

Allow leftovers to cool and transfer them to a covered container or cover the casserole dish tightly.

Store in the refrigerator.

Because this stuffing is already quite moist, it reheats very well.

How to Reheat Stuffing for Ham

For a larger amount, cover the casserole dish with foil and reheat it in the oven until hot throughout.

Remove the foil for the last few minutes if you want to crisp the top again.

Individual portions can also be reheated in the microwave.

I like to add a tiny pat of butter before reheating because apparently the original stick wasn’t enough for me.

Can I Freeze Stuffing for Ham?

Yes, but I prefer freezing this stuffing after it has been baked.

Let the stuffing cool completely and portion it into freezer-safe containers.

You can freeze individual portions or a larger amount depending on how you plan to use it.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat covered in the oven until hot throughout. Remove the cover toward the end if you want to restore some of the crispy texture on top.

The texture may be slightly softer after freezing because this is already a very moist stuffing, but the flavor will still be delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Is My Stuffing So Wet Before Baking?

It is supposed to be very moist. The Hawaiian bread absorbs the savory broth and the eggs and heavy cream help the stuffing bake into a soft, cohesive texture. You should not, however, have a large pool of liquid sitting underneath the bread.

Can I Make Stuffing for Ham the Day Before?

Yes. Completely assemble the casserole, cover it and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. Take it out ahead of baking so it can lose some of its refrigerator chill.

What Can I Substitute for Ham Better Than Bouillon?

Onion Better Than Bouillon would be my first choice. Vegetable or chicken bouillon can also be used, although the finished stuffing will have less ham flavor.

Can I Use Regular Bacon?

Yes, but I recommend a flavorful smoked bacon. Thick-cut applewood, cherrywood or another smoked bacon works especially well.

Do I Have to Use Hawaiian Bread?

Hawaiian bread is an important part of the sweet and savory flavor of this particular recipe. You could experiment with another soft, slightly sweet bread, but the flavor and amount of broth absorbed may be different.

Why Do I Need to Dry the Bread First?

Allowing the bread cubes to sit uncovered for at least two hours removes some moisture and helps them absorb the flavorful broth mixture.

Can I Leave Out the Bacon?

You can, but bacon provides a significant amount of smoky flavor and its rendered fat is used to sauté the vegetables. If omitting it, sauté the onion and celery in butter instead.

Can I Use Milk Instead of Heavy Cream?

Heavy cream adds richness to the custard-like portion of the stuffing. Whole milk can work in a pinch, but the finished stuffing may be slightly less rich.

How Do I Know When the Stuffing Is Done?

The top should be golden and the center should be set and slightly springy when gently pressed. The inside will remain soft and moist.

Can I Freeze Stuffing for Ham?

Yes. I prefer baking it first, cooling it completely and then freezing it in airtight freezer-safe portions.

What Should I Serve With Stuffing for Ham?

Serve it with baked or glazed ham, Ham Gravy, mashed potatoes or a potato casserole, green beans, roasted carrots and other traditional Easter or Christmas side dishes.