Easy Hawaiian Hash Bake (Perfect for Leftover Ham!)

 

 

If you love easy comfort food with a fun twist, this Baked Hawaiian Hash is about to become a new favorite. It’s the perfect blend of sweet, savory, and hearty — a cozy, family‑friendly dish that turns simple ingredients into something wonderfully satisfying. Tender cubes of sweet potato and cubed ham bake together under a sweet layer of pineapple which has been kissed with a sprinkle of brown sugar and rich butter.

This is the kind of recipe you pull out when you want dinner to feel warm and comforting without spending hours in the kitchen. It’s budget‑friendly, great for using leftover ham, and the flavors are so cheerful and bright that it works beautifully any time of year — especially after holidays when you might have a lot of ham that you want to use up.

Whether you serve it as a weeknight dinner, a brunch side, or a potluck dish that everyone will talk about, this Baked Hawaiian Hash delivers big flavor with minimal effort. One pan, simple prep, and a golden, bubbling finish that makes the whole kitchen smell amazing.

 

As most of you know I really like to try out vintage recipes. This recipe that I am sharing comes from an old meat cookbook that my mother once called Martha Logan's Meat Cookbook. Martha Logan was a prominent figure in the cooking industry, known as the spokesperson for the Home Economics Department of Swift & Company. She was actually a fictitious character, much like Betty Crocker, who was created to act as an authority figure for homemakers, providing advice and recipe booklets on cooking and food preparation. Real or not, I have always loved the recipes in this book.

I copied out quite a few of them when I was a young bride and new homemaker to use in my own kitchen, and then when mom passed, I managed to procure a copy of the same book. I have no idea what happened to the original book.

I love Vintage recipes. I think that in many cases they provide a decent backbone for pretty much any recipe you might want to cook, that you can build upon, and today's recipe for Baked Hawaiian Hash was no exception. It made for a delicious and novel way to use up leftovers from my Easter ham. 

What you have here is a delicious combination of smoky, salty ham and the gentle earthy sweetness of sweet potatoes, with a chef's kiss of pineapple juice.  Topped with pineapple, brown sugar, and butter prior to baking, it makes for a warm and cozy casserole. It smelled amazing while it was cooking, and tasted really delicious.

I always like to make something the way as written the first time I make it. This was very tasty. I can see it being even better by perhaps adding some diced green peppers and onions to the ham and potato mixture. You could cut the pineapple juice with some of your favorite barbeque sauce for another level of flavor that would be quite appealing.

The topping was perfect just as is. I did add a smattering of finely chopped spring onions to bring a bit of color to it for photography purposes.  It did add another layer of flavor, lively and bright, but gentle enough not to overpower anything.

I highly recommend this recipe to anyone who is looking for a delicious and unique way to use up some leftover ham!! Quick, easy, delicious and economical.

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

BAKED HAWAIIAN HASH 

There is nothing out of the ordinary here. Simple ingredients done well.

• 2 cups (206g) chopped ham or cooked pork
• 2 cups (400g) chopped cooked sweet potato
• 1/2 cup (120ml) pineapple juice
• 1 tsp prepared mustard
• 4 slices canned pineapple, well drained (I used a small can of crushed pineapple well drained)
• 2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
• 2 TBS butter
• finely chopped spring onions to garnish (optional)

  

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS

I used ham leftover from the dinner ham that I had purchased the other day. Some of it was used in a ham steak recipe and then some for this recipe. I did trim off all of the tough skin as I didn't think it would work well in the casserole.

I didn't have any cooked sweet potato so I peeled a large sweet potato, cut it into 1/3 inch cubes and then cooked it in the microwave until tender with just a bit of water. I then drained it and proceeded as per the recipe.

I did not have pineapple slices so used crushed pineapple. Just make sure in either case that you drain it really well. (Reserve the juice!)

I used Dijon mustard. I love the heat that it brings to the table, especially with ham.

 

HOW TO MAKE

BAKED HAWAIIAN HASH

This is very quick and easy to make.

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 7 by 11 inch shallow casserole dish well. Set aside. (I used salted butter to butter the dish. Using butter rather than cooking spray adds additional butter flavor.)
2. Combine the pineapple juice and the mustard in a bowl, whisking well together. Fold in the sweet potatoes and the ham. Pour into the baking dish, smoothing the top over. (I didn't have any leftover cooked sweet potato, so I peeled and chopped a sweet potato and then cooked the chopped sweet potato in the microwave with a bit of water until tender. Once tender, I drained it well and then continued with the recipe.)
3. If using pineapple slices, lay them decently spaced on top of the casserole dish. If using crushed pineapple, sprinkle it all over top of the casserole dish. (I think you could dot the top with maraschino cherries as well, or even toasted pecans, and that would be lovely.)
4. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over top and then dot with the butter.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until heated through and beginning to color. (This smells amazing while it is baking.)
6. Sprinkle with spring onion, if using, and serve hot.

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• Read through the recipe several times before you begin to help familiarize yourself with any ingredients, techniques or equipment needed.
• Assemble all of your ingredients before you begin so that you don't leave anything out by accident.
• Make sure you drain your pineapple really well, be it rings or crushed. I squeeze all of the moisture out of the crushed pineapple with my hands.
• Don't overcook. You don't want the ham drying out.
• Use a shallow casserole dish so as to give you more of a surface area to gild.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CAN THIS BE MADE AHEAD OF TIME?

Yes, you can absolutely put this together ahead of time ready to throw into the oven when you want to eat.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE CUT IN HALF?

Yes, you can cut the recipe in half very easily.  Cook times would remain pretty much the same.

CAN I DOUBLE THIS RECIPE?

Certainly. Simply multiply everything by two and use a larger casserole dish. It may take a bit longer for everything to heat through and cook.

DO I NEED TO USE HAM?

You can also use leftover cooked pork and or chicken.

CAN THIS BE FROZEN?

I do not recommend freezing this recipe. Ham has a tendency to absorb moisture in the freezer, creating too many ice crystals and a texture once thawed that is not very palatable. At least that is my experience.

WHAT CAN I SERVE WITH BAKED HAWAIIAN HASH?

This is a hearty casserole loaded with ham, sweet potatoes and pineapple. It would work very well with some steamed rice on the side. Or you could enjoy it with a side of baked beans and perhaps some cornbread. 

  

A FEW OTHER LEFTOVER HAM RECIPES

TO ENJOY

 A few more delicious ways to use up some leftover ham. Nobody will complain about being fed leftovers when you pop this in front of them!

SLOW COOKER POTATO & HAM CHOWDER - This tasty soup recipe is built on simple, homely ingredients — tender potatoes, savory chunks of leftover ham, sweet onion, garlic, and a fragrant mix of thyme and rosemary — all simmered low and slow in chicken stock until everything becomes soft, rich, and full of flavor. The magic happens when a portion of the soup is blended and stirred back in, giving the chowder its signature velvety texture without needing a roux. A splash of cream at the end brings everything together into a silky, comforting bowl that tastes like it’s been simmering on the stove all afternoon. Every spoonful is creamy, smoky, herby, and deeply satisfying — the kind of chowder that begs for warm rolls, buttered toast, or a handful of crackers on the side.

CREAMY HAM & CHEESE CASSEROLE - Ham & Cheese Casserole is everything we love about classic comfort food: creamy, cheesy, cozy, and wonderfully thrifty. It’s the perfect way to turn leftover ham into a brand‑new meal that feels hearty and satisfying. Tender egg noodles are folded together with smoky cubes of cooked ham, a creamy sauce made from condensed chicken soup and milk, and a handful of green beans for color and texture. A generous amount of strong cheddar melts through the casserole. Topped with a buttery cracker crumb topping and more cheese for a golden crunch crust. Quick, easy and budget friendly.

 

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Yield: 4 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Baked Hawaiian Hash

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 30 MinTotal time: 40 Min

This tasty casserole makes four delicious servings when served with sides. I recommend baked beans and some crusty rolls. This is sweet and salty. Very tasty and simple to make. A great repurposing of leftovers. It smells amazing too.

Ingredients

• 2 cups (206g) chopped ham or cooked pork
• 2 cups (400g) chopped cooked sweet potato
• 1/2 cup (120ml) pineapple juice
• 1 tsp prepared mustard
• 4 slices canned pineapple, well drained (I used a small can of crushed pineapple well drained)
• 2 TBS soft light brown sugar, packed
• 2 TBS butter
• finely chopped spring onions to garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. Butter a 7 by 11 inch shallow casserole dish well. Set aside.
2. Combine the pineapple juice and the mustard in a bowl, whisking well together. Fold in the sweet potatoes and the ham. Pour into the baking dish, smoothing the top over.
3. If using pineapple slices, lay them decently spaced on top of the casserole dish. If using crushed pineapple, sprinkle it all over top of the casserole dish.
4. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over top and then dot with the butter.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until heated through and beginning to color.
6. Sprinkle with spring onion, if using, and serve hot.

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