As much as I love ham, I almost love the leftovers more so I can make this recipe!
This ham salad recipe is a mixture of very finely chopped ham and mayonnaise with our favorite add-ins! I love chopped pickles (or sweet relish) and a tiny squeeze of mustard.
A few seconds in a food processor and a handful of tasty mix-ins, serve this with crackers or as a sandwich on bread.
An Old Fashioned Favorite
It seems like every family has its own version of ham salad. Growing up we always made it using canned ham (I still love it that way) but more often I make it with leftover ham.
- Just 3 ingredients plus your favorite add ins (like pickles, sweet pickle relish, mustard or onions).
- Can be made with leftover ham or canned ham. This is a great way to enjoy leftover Easter or Christmas ham.
- Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for a few days for quick snacks and lunches.
- Great for sandwiches or with crackers.
This ham salad spread recipe is super easy however we use leftover ham making it incredibly delicious! We love serving it during lunchtime in the summer with some cucumber salad and homemade chicken salad sandwiches!
How to Make Ham Salad
Homemade ham salad is a quickie lunch fix, whether you have a food processor or not. Here’s all you do:
- Very finely dice the ham or whirl it in a food processor.
- Transfer the ham to a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients (per the recipe below).
- Serve the ham mixture in rolls or on bread or even put it out for guests to dip crackers into. To keep it low carb, wrap it in lettuce wraps or serve it over salad.
Really, that’s all there is to it!
Ham Salad Variations
Get creative! Start with a base of ham and mayo and then add your favorite flavors. I personally skip the salt since ham is salty but Here are some variations on this simple ham salad recipe:
- Snacking and lunches: Serve it on bread, a slider bun, or crackers with a side of potato chips.
- Feeding a crowd? Make your leftover ham stretch farther by mixing it with diced, hard boiled eggs.
- Only have a little ham salad left? Blend it to a finer consistency with a little pickle juice, put it in a small bowl, and serve it as a dip.
- Grilled ham and cheese on rye. Combine the ham mixture with some shredded cheddar cheese and grill it. The flavors will melt together for a yummy lunch.
- Turn it into a meal. For dinner, use your basic ham salad recipe as the basis for a macaroni salad with ham, or ham pasta salad. Dice in some sweet gherkins or dill pickles, and add a dollop of Dijon mustard for some tangy flavors.
- Diced onion and bell pepper, or jars of pimento or roasted red pepper also combine well in a ham macaroni salad. Use rotini or penne if you are making ham pasta salad.
More Ways to Use Leftover Ham
- Scalloped Potatoes and Ham – the best side ever
- Ham and Corn Chowder – my personal favorite
- Ham Bone Soup (Slow Cooker) – great for leftovers
- Ham and Cheese Sliders – An easy lunch idea
How to Freeze Ham Salad
Ham salad is best served chilled. It keeps just a few days in the fridge.
If you plan to keep it longer than that, it can be frozen in an air-tight container. Remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight and drain any liquid. Stir in a spoonful of fresh mayonnaise if needed.
More Easy Salads for Sandwiches
- Best Egg Salad Recipe
- Shrimp Salad
- Classic Chicken Salad
- Avocado Egg Salad
- Classic Tuna Salad
Did you enjoy this Ham Salad Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Ham Salad Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked ham diced
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup celery diced
- black pepper to taste
Optional Add Ins
- 3 tablespoons sweet relish
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard or dijon
- ½ cup chopped dill pickles
- 1 green onion finely sliced
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
Instructions
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Place diced ham in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop. You want it fairly fine but not a paste.
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Place in a bowl and add remaining ingredients until creamy and smooth.
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Serve with crackers or use to make ham salad sandwiches.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Ham, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine American
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Delicious
Excellent recipe! I’m alittle heavy handed on the Food Processor and opt for using a pastry blender instead. I’ve made this with left over ham as well as canned SPAM. I love “freezer meals” and before adding the mayo I package it for the freezer. After thawing I add mayo to make my sandwich. Works for me. I do add the hard boiled egg because that’s how my Mother did it. Sweet relish, gerkins and dill pickles are all great and used depending on what’s in my refrigerator. Thanks for the recipe.
I am glad you enjoyed it, John! Those sounds like delicious additions.
I’ll be honest, the idea of ham salad always kind of grossed me out. However, with so much leftover from Easter (frozen), I needed more than just soups.
This is delicious! This recipe turned me into a ham salad fan! We like onion and dill, so that’s what I used.
Thank you for the great recipe! Was great immediately but even better the next day. Highly recommended recipe :)
Thank you so much, Lissa!
This was just what I was looking for!