12 Ways To Take Spam To The Next Level
Few grocery store canned meats have had the glow-up that Spam has had in recent years. It remains a polarizing force in today's home kitchens, but regardless of where you land on the Spam spectrum, you can't deny its influence — or its versatility.
Historically, Spam has been the staple of home cooks on a budget; it originated in the 1930s during the Great Depression. Both impoverished Americans and later Allied soldiers in World War II came to rely on Spam as an inexpensive way to keep their bellies full. Spam's presence among the Allied military was what originally brought it to Hawaii, where it has become a prominent ingredient in local food culture. Spam musubi, a Hawaiian snack that wraps sushi rice and grilled Spam in nori, has gained quite the following in the mainland United States thanks to the rising popularity of Hawaiian restaurants across the country.
Spam's appearance in Hawaiian cuisine showcases just how versatile it truly is — it can be added to almost anything to provide a salty smack of flavor and texture. In the same tradition that gave us Spam musubi, here are some tasty examples of how this canned jack of all trades can be used to spruce up your home recipes.
1. Spam fried rice
If Spam musubi has taught us anything, it's that Spam and rice complement one another quite nicely. That said, home cooks who often have leftover cooked rice taking up space in their refrigerator can get a lot of mileage out of a can of Spam and some chopped veggies. All it takes to breathe new life into your leftover rice is to toss some bite-sized Spam cubes into a frying pan with your favorite chopped veggies — peas and carrots are always a good time here — and then throw your leftover cooked rice on top until it soaks up all that flavor.
If you're feeling a little extra, you can beat a few eggs, cook up a thin omelet, and slice it into strips that go on top of the plated dish. A well-seasoned fried egg will do the trick as well — nothing really beats the combo of rich egg yolk and fluffy rice. A handful of chopped scallions, a dash of sesame seeds, or even your favorite hot sauce are all fine ways to add a bit of color and flavor to this simple but flavorful Spam creation.
2. Spam-ghetti carbonara
Much like rice, pasta is something most have on hand in their pantry, and there are few pasta-centric dishes that bring as much flavor-packed joy as carbonara. However, carbonara has a tendency to intimidate casual chefs — once they see the word "pancetta," they may be overly quick to run for that jar of premade pasta sauce. But when you swap out the pancetta for some tiny cubes of Spam, you realize how easy carbonara really is.
All this dish requires is some cooked noodles — preferably spaghetti or angel hair, but you do you — beaten eggs, and a good helping of Spam cubes simmering in a frying pan. All that lovely pork fat will render, turning your Spam into flavorful morsels that taste excellent when tossed with pasta. While it's all hot, toss it up with your beaten egg and add some parmesan cheese — make sure you save a bit of pasta water and add it to your carbonara before serving. Before you know it, you've got a perfectly decent carbonara going — who said Spam couldn't get fancy? That said, if you do want to take your Spam-ghetti carbonara game to the big leagues, why not try adding some kale and hazelnuts to the party?
3. Spam s'more sandwiches
If you've ever hyped up a maple bacon donut, you're ready to explore Spam's impact on the world of dessert. The combination of sweet and salty has been commonplace in desserts ever since the human race discovered how good chocolate is when you sprinkle a bit of kosher salt on top. While Spam's saltiness may need to be used in moderation for desserts, there are plenty of quick, tasty ways it can high-five your sweet tooth.
S'mores are excellent canvases for experimentation, so let's start there. Simply slice a dinner roll in half — King's Hawaiian rolls are ideal, but anything soft and slightly sweet will do the trick — and butter both sides. Heat up a frying pan and toss in a very thin slice of Spam. While it sizzles, set the roll halves in the pan, butter side down. Once the Spam gets crispy and the rolls get toasty, you can start assembling your s'more sandwich with some milk chocolate and a toasted marshmallow. That's right — mixing Spam with leftovers that you don't quite know how to use works just as well with any leftover marshmallows taking up space in your pantry. Before diving in, make sure you have a few paper towels on hand, as this salty, gooey snack does have a tendency to get messy in the best way possible.
4. Spam slices for instant ramen
Those packages of instant ramen may evoke memories of dorm-room dinners, but there's no shame in keeping your post-collegiate pantry stocked with this cheap, tasty meal. Where some might see instant ramen as a one-note meal, others see a blank canvas, prime for accessorizing. This is where another pantry staple known as Spam comes in. While your water is boiling, break out a frying pan with a little butter and throw down a few slices of Spam. Let them sizzle until the edges get nice and crispy and then drop them into your ramen after you've dumped in the seasoning packet. If it's a more bite-sized Spam experience you're looking for, slice the meat into cubes before tossing them in the pan and letting them get nice and crispy.
Spam works well with pretty much any flavor of instant ramen you have lying around, but it's particularly enjoyable when tossed with pork-flavored ramen. The subtleties of the ramen flavor create some nice complementary notes with the crispy Spam bits. Surprisingly, seafood-flavored ramen also works really well here if you're after more of a surf-and-turf flavor profile.
5. Spam in a blanket
Pigs in a blanket are a classic snack for either a game-day spread or a quick breakfast bite. For those who want their interpretation of this classic to stand out from those rows and rows of cocktail weenies or sliced hot dogs, it's time to bring some Spam to the party. Swap your sausages or hot dogs with rectangular slices of Spam – whether you're using homemade dough, fluffy pancakes, or a can of precut crescent rolls, this combo packs a nice, salty punch for your snack bar.
The easiest way to make Spam pigs in a blanket is pretty straightforward — simply slice your Spam into rectangles, wrap them in some triangles of Pillsbury Crescent Roll dough, and follow the crescent roll cooking directions. Of course, this preparation is only the tip of a very large Spam-flavored iceberg when you consider all the other ingredients you can add. For example, you could make your pigs Hawaiian by either rolling some grilled pineapple up with the Spam or topping them with a pineapple relish when they come out of the oven.
6. Spam and pineapple stuffing
The Thanksgiving table often features a turkey as its centerpiece, but there's no reason our beloved canned meat can't make an appearance. Spam enthusiasts who'd like to see the product make more of a leap into Thanksgiving feast-dom can take a crack at a Hawaiian-inspired pineapple stuffing.
This dish starts by toasting some ripped-up Hawaiian rolls and then baking them together with some chopped, sautéed onions, Spam, and fresh or canned pineapple. For an extra hit of tropical flavor, sprinkle a bit of toasted coconut on top once it comes out of the oven. The end result is a sticky, savory, and sweet combination that fits right in with the candied yams.
While it's an excellent addition to the side dish table, stuffing your bird with this delightful mélange can impart plenty of citrusy and porcine flavor to your main course, as well. And although Spam and pineapple stuffing will be a hit at any Thanksgiving table, its ease of preparation and fantastic flavors make it a great side dish for any night of the week, too.
7. Budae jijigae, or army base stew
After Allied soldiers ate more than 100 million pounds of Spam during World War II, it managed to get around pretty well for a canned meat. Its presence on military bases across the world meant that it ended up being incorporated into the cuisines of several different cultures. The South Korean soup called budae jijigae, or "army base stew," is a prime example of this phenomenon.
Budae jijigae rose to prominence during the Korean War when food — especially meat — became scarce in South Korea. Desperate citizens would line up to either purchase or dumpster-dive for leftover food from American military bases. Spam was often among these hauls, so it found its way into a noodle soup made with mushrooms, kimchi, hot dogs, ramen noodles, and pretty much anything else. The dish became a local comfort food, and it's still served in South Korean restaurants today.
Budae jijigae is essentially a noodle soup that starts with chicken stock and is seasoned with chili paste. As the broth simmers, the cook can start adding whatever ingredients they like, so don't hesitate to throw some crispy fried Spam into the mix along with a hard-boiled egg, tofu, or some cruciferous veggies like cabbage or bok choy.
8. Spam-filled pandesal
Cooks in the Philippines discovered Spam much in the same way that native Hawaiians and Koreans did, and today, a bit of grilled Spam with eggs is a common sight at the Filipino breakfast table. It's even become common to see Spam served up in several other methods, one of which is Spam-filled pandesal.
Pandesal is a soft, fluffy roll popular in Filipino cooking, and it's not uncommon to use sliced pandesal as a sandwich. Among the most popular fillings for a pandesal sandwich is grilled Spam.
Like Spam in a blanket, whipping up your own pandesal and then stuffing it with Spam only scratches the surface of what this sandwich can be. The pandesal's fluffy texture helps it soak up all that Spam flavor, but a bit of cheese, cabbage, or even a fried egg can really send this sandwich over the top. For something a bit more sweet and salty, caramelize your spam in some brown sugar before placing it on the pandesal for an unexpectedly delicious snack.
9. Spam and egg casserole
A gooey breakfast casserole that you can prep and refrigerate the night before pretty much guarantees a good day. Typical breakfast casseroles will use sausage, ham, or pancetta, but Spam can impart a lovely, salty kick to those heaping, fluffy egg casseroles while paring down your prep time.
Breakfast casseroles are popular because they're a great way to stretch cost-effective ingredients for a meal or two. As Spam's continued affordability makes it an economical ingredient, swapping out the more expensive proteins for some cubed Spam is a great way to save money without skimping on flavor.
For best results, tossing your Spam cubes in a hot pan with some butter or olive oil before they go into the casserole gives your protein a nice, crispy char. However, your casserole will turn out just dandy if you add the cubes right out of the can so that they can roast with all your other casserole ingredients.
10. Spam fries
When Burger King created chicken fries, we as a society abandoned the idea that french fries had to be limited to vegetables. Whereas preparing the fast food icon's chicken fries requires whipping up some kind of breading, Spam fries are tasty without such accompaniments. All you need are a can of Spam, an air fryer, and some deft knife skills. Once the slicing has concluded, your Spam fries can be loaded up into an air fryer, where they become hot and crispy.
This basic preparation typically yields delicious results on its own, but if you're looking for ways to improve your methods, consider dusting the Spam fries with a bit of your favorite seasoning before popping them in the fryer. Of course, fries of any variation are incomplete without something to dip them in, and the sky is the limit here. A sweet brown sugar glaze will do wonders here, as will a bit of sriracha mayo.
11. Spam sliders
Sliders are one of those meals that seem quick in theory but often take longer to prepare because of the protein involved. Whether it's pulled pork, grilled chicken, or simply a hamburger patty, cooking everything until it's just right is a pretty considerable time commitment. Since it's no secret that King's Hawaiian rolls and Spam are lifelong chums, whipping up some Spam sliders is a great way to celebrate the hamburger's tinier cousin.
Those needing to cook up a quick feast for a barbecue, tailgate, or potluck can get a lot of mileage out of a can of Spam, sliced into squares and then tossed into a pan for a quick char. Add some pineapple rings to the pan for a little caramelization and then pile both the Spam and pineapple on a toasted King's Hawaiian roll. A thin slice of melty Swiss cheese on top will take this simple slider unexpectedly close to gourmet territory.
12. Explore Spam's variety of flavors
The versatility and gastronomic potential of regular Spam is only the beginning. Every item on this list could be further customized by exploring Spam's full roster of flavors. With a wide variety of Spam flavors on the market, the combinations are nearly endless.
For example, you could spice up your Spam fries by using jalapeño-flavored Spam and then topping them with nacho cheese — the existence of Spam fries implies the existence of loaded Spam fries, after all. Those attempting to bake their own pandesal can check out Spam infused with seasonings commonly used with tocino, a Filipino-style bacon, for something a bit closer to what one might experience in the Philippines. From there, you can try Spam with Bacon to help your breakfast casserole taste more bacon-centric and Hickory Smoke Spam to ramp up your Hawaiian stuffing, and there are lighter options of Spam with less sodium than the original if you're looking to cut the salt content of your meals.