With ham, sweet relish, dill pickles, mayo, and a hint of dijon mustard this Ham Salad recipe is quick and easy to make. Turn it into a ham salad sandwich for lunch or serve as a spread with crackers for a snack.
The Best Ham Salad Recipe
Similar to tuna salad and chicken salad, this ham salad recipe makes a quick and easy lunch or snack. In fact, it’s a great alternative for those who aren’t fans of tuna salad (or at least don’t want to take tuna to work/school).
Made with dijon mustard, sweet relish, and dill pickles it’s packed with flavor and takes less than 10 minutes to make. As a bonus, it’s the perfect way to use any leftover Christmas ham (or Easter ham) when you’re tired of eating plain leftovers.
This has become a family favorite and the boys often request it for lunch or as an afternoon snack served with crackers!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This easy ham salad has become a staple in our home – here’s why I think it will be in yours too!
- Quick & easy. From start to finish, this recipe takes just 10 minutes – and you can dive in immediately!
- Perfect for packed lunches. This salad spread stays fresh for several days, so it’s perfect for packed lunches for school and work!
- Great way to use up leftover ham. If you have any leftover ham from Christmas or Easter, this recipe is a great way to use it.
What You’ll Need
This ham salad recipe is made with just a handful of ingredients that you likely have in the fridge. See the recipe card for measurements.
- Cooked ham – Any cooked ham will work for this recipe, whether it’s from the deli or leftover ham.
- Mayonnaise – The base of the ham salad spread.
- Celery – Diced celery adds some crunch to the salad.
- Black pepper
- Sweet relish & chopped dill pickle spears – Both add depth to the flavor and texture of the salad.
- Dijon mustard – Adds a bit of spice to the salad.
- Green onion
- Dill pickle juice – Thins out the mayonnaise a bit and adds more pickle flavor.
How to Make Ham Salad
This recipe is perfect for a last minute lunch or snack because it comes together in just a few minutes.
- Pulse the ham. Pulse the ham in a food processor until finely chopped (but not a paste).
- Combine the ingredients. Mix all ingredients, except the celery, together in a bowl until smooth and evenly combined. Fold in the celery.
- Enjoy. You can chill the ham salad for a bit or serve it immediately.
Tips for Success
This ham salad recipe is super easy to make but here are a few tips for making it even easier (and better)!
- What if I don’t have a food processor? If you do not have a food process, you can use a knife to finely chop the diced ham.
- Adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Ham has enough salt that the recipe does not require salt. Feel free to add more pepper and salt to satisfy your taste but taste test first. You can add salt but not remove it!
- Adjust the amount of liquids used. The amount of mayonnaise and pickle juice can be adjusted depending on the type of ham you use. Some ham contains a higher water content and you may not need as much liquid for this spread.
- Chill first. While you can serve this up immediately, I recommend making it at least a few hours in advance so it has some time for the flavors to meld.
- Add some extra ingredients. Hard boiled eggs would be great added into the salad to turn it into a ham egg salad. You could also add boiled macaroni for a ham macaroni salad.
What to Serve with Ham Salad
The most common way to serve this is as a ham salad sandwich. You can use regular white bread, serve it open-faced on French bread, or even croissants.
Another popular way to serve ham salad is as a spread with crackers, like Ritz crackers, saltines, or whole grain crackers. It makes a great snack that way!
And for a low carb option, you can always serve it up on a lettuce wrap!
How to Store Leftovers
- Fridge. Ham salad can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
- Freezer. It is not recommended to freeze ham salad, as the ham will release extra moisture when it thaws and the spread will become watery.
More Easy Lunch Recipes:
Ham Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked ham diced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup celery diced
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons sweet relish
- 3 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 3 dill pickle spears chopped
- 1 green onion sliced
- 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
Instructions
- In a food processor, pulse the ham a few times until finely chopped. You will want it finely chopped but not a paste.
- Add finely chopped ham to a large bowl and mix in mayonnaise, black pepper, sweet relish, dijon mustard, pickle spears, green onion and pickle juice. Mix until smooth.
- Fold in celery and mix until all combined. Ham salad is now ready to serve.
Last Step:
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5 comments on “Ham Salad Recipe”
You can also grind with meat grinder. Bologna also makes a great sandwich spread.
Sounds really good and will be making it real soon
sounds good just bought a ham for 1 person; will make a lot of this
This is from my childhood. My Mom made this all the time. She used Bread and Butter Pickles chopped up and a bit of the juice. No dill. I really love this. I have some ham leftover from Easter dinner. Guess what I am making for lunch tomorrow?
17 March 2024. Have ham for Easter today, 2024. Anxious for 18, 19 March to come about. Looking forward to ham salad more than traditional Easter ham. Cheers from Kentucky