Flavorful & Easy: Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad – The Ultimate Leftover Ham Recipe

Transform your mealtime with this vibrant and hearty Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad! It’s a delightful fusion of cubed cooked ham, fluffy rice, and the distinctive tang of Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad. Enhanced with a hint of fresh dill, crisp red bell pepper, and zesty banana peppers, this salad is bursting with flavor and color. Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch, a satisfying side dish, or an innovative way to use up leftover ham, this recipe is a true winner. Grab your fork and get ready to enjoy a refreshing and incredibly easy dish that everyone will love!

The arrival of spring often means gatherings, delicious meals, and, inevitably, leftover ham. It also marks a perfect time to celebrate the convenience and flavor of Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad! Why not combine these two culinary staples to create an exceptional salad recipe? Our Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad is quickly becoming a household favorite, offering a versatile dish that can effortlessly transition from a light side to a satisfying main course. Prepare to bring a smile to your face and your tummy with this simple yet profoundly flavorful creation!

This post is proudly sponsored by Paisley Farm Foods. My enthusiasm for their high-quality products and the opinions shared in this article are authentically my own.

Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad: Your Pantry Essential for Quick & Healthy Meals

For those who appreciate both exceptional taste and ultimate convenience, Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad is a true pantry hero. I always keep a few jars on hand, not just because it’s incredibly delicious, but also for its unparalleled ease of use. You can literally pop open a lid and enjoy it straight from the jar as a quick, wholesome lunch or a no-fuss side dish. But its utility extends far beyond that. Over the years, this versatile five-bean salad has become a secret ingredient, elevating many of our family’s most cherished recipes.

What makes Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad so special? It’s much more than just a tasty pickled bean medley. It’s a low-calorie option, entirely gluten-free, and crafted with all-natural ingredients. Hailing from Willoughby, Ohio, Paisley Farm is a company with a rich history, having been in the business of pickling vegetables since 1945. This long-standing commitment to quality and tradition is evident in every jar, offering a delicious and dependable product that families have trusted for generations. Their blend of green, kidney, garbanzo, pinto, and wax beans, accented with freshly diced onions and red peppers, provides a unique sweet pickled taste that makes it fantastic on its own or as a flavor-packed addition to other dishes. It’s also a great source of plant-based protein, thanks to the chickpeas (garbanzo beans) it contains, making it an excellent choice for health-conscious eaters.

Creative Recipes for Leftover Ham: Maximizing Your Holiday Feast

Whether it’s Easter, Christmas, or any special occasion involving a delicious roast, leftover ham is almost always a delightful inevitability. In my household, Easter has traditionally been “my holiday,” meaning our extended family gathers at our home, where a glazed ham always takes center stage, often accompanied by my grandma’s famous Polish sausage and sauerkraut. As someone who tends to cook enough to feed a small army, finding creative and appealing ways to utilize leftover ham is always a welcome challenge!

Classic options like Ham & Cheese Sliders or a rich Ham & Smoked Gouda Quiche are undeniably crowd-pleasers. However, with the vibrant energy of spring in the air, my culinary focus often shifts towards lighter, fresher, and healthier meal options. This is precisely where our Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad shines. It offers a refreshing departure from heavier post-holiday meals, providing a wholesome and satisfying way to reinvent your leftover ham into something entirely new and exciting, perfect for the season.

Essential Ingredients for a Perfectly Balanced Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad

One of the beauties of this Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad is that it primarily uses common pantry staples and readily available fresh produce. Everything came together effortlessly to create this incredibly colorful, flavorful, and complete meal. Here’s a detailed look at the simple yet impactful components:

• Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad – This is the star of the show! I used one entire 24-ounce jar. It’s important to drain the liquid thoroughly and give the beans a quick rinse under cold water to remove any excess brine, ensuring a fresh taste in your salad. The medley of beans provides a fantastic texture and a sweet, tangy foundation for the entire dish.
• Leftover Ham – Diced, cooked ham is ideal here. Smoked ham works exceptionally well, lending a wonderful depth and smoky flavor that truly elevates the salad. Don’t feel limited to “leftovers” though! If you don’t have any on hand, a ham steak can be quickly cooked and diced, or you can ask your deli counter to slice some thicker pieces for you to cube.
• Rice – For ultimate convenience, I opted for Minute Rice, as it’s what I had readily available. However, any type of cooked rice will work beautifully – white rice, brown rice, fragrant Jasmine, or aromatic Basmati. The key is to have fully cooked, separate grains of rice to ensure a good texture in the salad. Warm rice, when tossed, allows the flavors to meld wonderfully, but it’s just as delicious chilled.
• Green Onions – Using the entire green onion, thinly sliced, adds a mild oniony bite and a fresh, crisp texture. If you prefer a milder flavor, or for an elegant alternative, fresh chives would also be a delicious addition. They provide a subtle aromatic quality without overpowering the other ingredients.
• Red Bell Pepper – A vibrant red bell pepper, finely chopped, contributes a delightful sweetness, a satisfying crunch, and a beautiful pop of color to the salad. It’s a classic salad ingredient that always brightens up a dish.
• Pickled Peppers – For that extra “zing” and a touch of heat, pickled peppers are essential. I used hot banana peppers for a noticeable kick, but you can easily adjust the spice level to your preference by using mild banana peppers. Other excellent choices include pickled jalapeños for a spicier profile or peperoncini for a slightly brinier, tangier note. These add a fantastic layer of flavor and a pleasant acidic contrast.
• Fresh Dill – The bright, herbaceous flavor of fresh dill is a revelation in this salad. It adds a wonderful garden-fresh aroma and taste that complements the ham and beans perfectly. If fresh dill isn’t accessible, a smaller quantity of dried dill can be used, though fresh is highly recommended for its vibrant impact.

Effortless Preparation: How to Make Your Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad

Preparing this Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad is so incredibly simple, it hardly feels like cooking! The process truly couldn’t be easier. All you need to do is combine all of the prepped ingredients into a large mixing bowl, give them a good toss until everything is thoroughly incorporated, and then it’s ready to serve. We particularly enjoy this salad when the rice is still warm upon mixing, as it helps the flavors to meld beautifully. However, it’s equally fantastic when chilled, making it a perfect make-ahead option for picnics, potlucks, or meal prepping.

One of the most appealing aspects of this salad is that it requires absolutely no additional dressing. The Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad brings so much inherent flavor, along with the other vibrant components like fresh dill and pickled peppers, that a separate dressing simply isn’t needed. This not only simplifies the preparation but also keeps the dish light and allows the natural tastes of each ingredient to truly shine. It’s a testament to how quality ingredients can create a complete and satisfying flavor profile without extra fuss.

This delightful salad is perfectly satisfying all on its own as a light yet filling meal. Alternatively, it serves as a beautiful and flavorful side dish that complements a wide array of main courses. We’ve found it pairs wonderfully with savory dishes like BBQ Pork Sandwiches, but it would also be excellent alongside grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or even a simple burger. Its refreshing taste and colorful appearance make it a fantastic addition to any spring or summer spread, adding a touch of homemade goodness to your table.

Love It? Pin It! Save This Delicious Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad Recipe for Later

Don’t let this incredible Five Bean Ham & Rice Salad recipe get lost in your bookmarks! Make sure to save it for future meal planning and inspiration. Simply pin it to your favorite Pinterest recipe board before you navigate away. This way, you’ll always have easy access to this vibrant, flavorful, and incredibly versatile dish whenever you need a quick meal idea, a healthy side, or a brilliant way to use up that leftover ham.

Unlock More Flavor: The Versatility of Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad in Your Kitchen

Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad isn’t just a delicious standalone side; it’s a versatile ingredient that can dramatically enhance a variety of dishes. Beyond its role in this Ham & Rice Salad, its unique blend of green, kidney, garbanzo (chickpeas), pinto, and wax beans, combined with diced onions and red peppers, brings a distinctive sweet pickled flavor to any recipe. It’s not only tasty but also a low-calorie, healthy, dairy-free, and gluten-free option, packed with plant-based protein, particularly from the nutrient-rich chickpeas.

While fantastic straight from the jar, its sweet pickled taste lends itself incredibly well as an additive to heartier meals. Imagine the depth it brings to a comforting bowl of chili, adding texture and a tangy counterpoint. It also works wonders in a savory ground beef & noodle skillet meal, infusing it with a complex flavor profile that transforms an ordinary dish into something extraordinary. Its ability to integrate seamlessly while adding significant flavor makes it a culinary secret weapon for busy home cooks.

For instance, incorporating Paisley Farm Five Bean Salad into a hot taco dip provides an unparalleled depth of flavor and texture that you simply wouldn’t achieve from using a plain can of refried beans. It adds a gourmet touch and a fresh, zesty kick that makes every bite memorable.

Ready to explore the full range of Paisley Farm products? You can easily find where to pick up their delicious Five Bean Salad or any of their other fabulous pickled vegetables by visiting their official website. For ongoing culinary inspiration, fantastic recipes, and updates throughout the year, be sure to follow Paisley Farm on their vibrant social media channels: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest. Dive into a world of flavorful possibilities!

DISCOVER ALL MY PAISLEY FARM RECIPES HERE

Now that you’re equipped with all the inspiration and details, let’s create this vibrant, wholesome, and incredibly satisfying salad, shall we? Happy cooking!