Easy Ham Loaf Recipe

This ham loaf is classic comfort food done right. It’s made with ground ham and ground pork mixed with sautéed onions, breadcrumbs, and milk for a tender, juicy slice, then baked and finished with a sticky-sweet brown sugar Dijon glaze that caramelizes on top. It’s the kind of old-school dinner that feels cozy and nostalgic, but still impresses if you're serving it for a family dinner or the holidays.

Why You'll Love This Ham Loaf Recipe

It’s the perfect balance of savory and sweet. The ham brings big flavor, the pork keeps it moist, and the sautéed onions add that slow-cooked depth that makes it taste like you put in way more effort than you did. Then the glaze takes over, brown sugar for sweetness, Dijon for tang, apple cider vinegar for that sharp bite, and ketchup to tie it all together into that glossy, caramelized top layer.

It’s also a super reliable, low-stress bake. Mix everything in one bowl, press it into a loaf pan, and let the oven do the work. The glaze goes on near the end so it sets and caramelizes without burning, and you end up with slices that hold together, stay juicy, and taste even better the next day. Don't just take my word for it, look at what this reader said:

We are definitely gonna make this again soon. It turned out, super tender and moist. -Kyla

And it’s a great “feeds everyone” kind of dinner. Serve it with mashed potatoes, green beans, roasted carrots, or a simple salad, and you’ve got a full meal that feels like a comfort-food home run. 

Ingredients You'll Need

One of my favorite things about this ham loaf recipe is that you only need a couple of basic ingredients to make it.

Anyway, here's what you'll need to make the loaf:

• 1 tbsp. Butter
• ½ cup Onion, chopped
• 3 cups Ground Ham (we cube ours and then run it through a meat grinder)
• 1 cup Ground Pork
• 1 Egg
• ½ cup Bread Crumbs
• ½ cup Milk
• 1 tsp. Salt
• ½ tsp. Pepper

And to make the glaze:

• ¼ cup Brown Sugar
• 1 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
• 2 tbsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
• 2 tbsp. Ketchup

Ingredients Suggestions and Substitutions

How To Make Ham Loaf

Step 1: Prepare The Onion

The first thing before you start to do anything else is to preheat the oven to 350 °F (180ºC).

Next, grab a non-stick skillet, put it over medium heat, and let it heat up for a minute.

Then, add 1 tablespoon of butter, let it melt, and then add the chopped onion. Cook it for about 10 minutes, or until browned.

Once it's done, transfer it to a large bowl.

Step 2: Make The Ham Loaf & Bake

In that same bowl, mix in the rest of the ham loaf ingredients. That would be the ground ham, ground pork, egg, bread crumbs, milk, salt, and pepper.

You can start mixing with a wooden spoon, but you'll eventually have to use your hands to mix all the ingredients and fully incorporate the ground ham, ground pork, egg, and bread crumbs. And it's pretty important for the texture and consistency of this ham loaf, so don't be afraid to get into the meat mixture!

Then, line a loaf pan with some parchment paper and transfer the ham loaf mixture to it, shaping it to make sure it cooks evenly.

Next, put the ham loaf in the oven without the glaze and bake for 1 hour.

Step 3: Prepare the Glaze

While the ham loaf is baking, grab a small bowl and combine the glaze ingredients using a fork or whisk.

With that said, if you want a ham loaf glaze that's not too sweet, you can use a bit less brown sugar for the glaze than I listed above.

Step 4: Glaze & Bake

After 1 hour, remove the ham loaf from the oven and pour glaze on top evenly.

Bake for 20 more minutes or until the glaze caramelizes. Make sure to double-check through the oven window that it doesn't burn.

Step 5: Slice & Serve

Finally, take the ham loaf out of the oven. Give it a few minutes to cool and settle, and then slice it. Serve the glazed ham loaf slices with your choice of sides, and enjoy!

Pro Tips To Make The Best Ham Loaf

• Don’t skip browning the onions. Cooking them in butter until they’re golden adds sweetness and depth, and it keeps the loaf from tasting “raw onion.” Let them cool a couple minutes before mixing so they don’t start cooking the egg.
• Mix just until combined. Overmixing makes the loaf dense. Use your hands and stop as soon as everything looks evenly incorporated.
• Watch the salt. Ham can be salty, especially smoked ham. Start with the listed salt, but if your ham is very salty, you may want to reduce it slightly. You can always add more at the table, but you can’t take it out.
• Use parchment for easy lift and clean slices. Lining the loaf pan makes it easy to remove the ham loaf without breaking it, and it keeps the glaze from welding to the pan.
• Glaze at the end for the best caramelization. Adding the glaze after the first hour keeps it from burning and gives you that sticky, shiny top. Watch the last 10 minutes closely so it caramelizes without getting too dark.

Storage and Reheating Tips

If this ham loaf is being served for a family dinner or on the holiday dinner table, you probably won't have any leftovers. You can store leftover ham loaf slices in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay good stored like this for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze the leftover ham loaf slices in freezer bags, separating each piece with parchment paper so they don't stick. They'll stay good stored like this for about 3 months.

To reheat the leftover ham loaf, just grab the quantity you need and warm it in the microwave in 1-minute intervals until warm. You could also heat it in a pan on the stove - or in the oven - on low heat until warm. And if you're starting with frozen leftovers, be sure to thaw them in the fridge overnight for even reheating.

Ham Loaf Recipe FAQS

What is ham loaf made of?

Ham loaf is a baked loaf made from ground ham and ground pork mixed with breadcrumbs, milk, egg, and seasonings. It’s often topped with a sweet-tangy glaze that caramelizes in the oven.

Can I make ham loaf without ground ham?

Yes. If you can’t find ground ham, you can grind ham yourself. Pulse chopped ham in a food processor until it looks like coarse ground meat. Don’t puree it or the loaf can turn pasty.

Why do you mix ham with pork for ham loaf?

Ground pork adds fat and moisture. Ham is lean and salty, so pork keeps the loaf juicy and tender instead of dry.

How do I know when ham loaf is done?

It’s done when the center reaches 160°F and the loaf feels firm but still juicy. If you don’t have a thermometer, the juices should run mostly clear and the loaf should hold together when sliced after resting.

Do I have to use the glaze?

No. The glaze adds that classic sweet-tangy finish, but you can skip it if you prefer it savory. You can also use a simple ketchup-style glaze if you want something less sweet.

Why is my ham loaf dry?

Dry ham loaf usually comes from using very lean ham, overbaking, or not enough binder (milk/breadcrumbs). Using pork for moisture, baking to temperature, and letting it rest before slicing helps keep it juicy.

Can I make ham loaf ahead of time?

Yes. You can mix and shape the loaf, cover, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours before baking. You can also bake it fully, then reheat slices gently with a little extra glaze or a splash of broth to keep it moist.

What should I serve with ham loaf?

Mashed potatoes, green beans, scalloped potatoes, roasted carrots, or a  simple salad, all pair perfectly. The sweet-tangy glaze also goes great with buttery sides.

My Final Thoughts

Well, that's how to make ham loaf from scratch! This hearty and flavorful loaf is a delicious and comforting meal great for both family dinners and special occasions like Thanksgiving or Christmas. And, honestly, it comes out amazing every time!

If you make it, it's sure to become a regular part of your dinner rotation like it is in our house! Also, what I love about this recipe is that I can always tweak it a little bit to make it just a little different each time. I love trying different kinds of glazes, spices, and seasonings to come up with different ham loaf recipes.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do. Be sure to let me know in the comments below if you make it and what you think.

More Meaty Recipes

If you liked this savory ham loaf recipe, you should definitely try these other meaty main recipes:

• Deviled ham
  
• Flat iron steak
• Ham and beans soup
• Great Northern beans
• Ham balls
• Chicken meatloaf

Oh, and don't forget to check out our Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok, for some tasty dessert recipes. We post new ones on them almost every day.