This easy Ham Salad recipe features chunks of ham, celery, onion, and egg tossed with a tangy mayonnaise dressing!
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Love creamy deli salads like potato salad and macaroni salad? Then, you’ll love this ham salad recipe, too!
Never had it before? Well, ham salad is a dish made from chopped ham, mayonnaise, and various other ingredients. Everyone seems to have their favorite mix-ins, and I share mine below!
Yep, this versatile dish is one of those glorious recipes that you can customize to fit even the pickiest eater’s tastes. Some common additions include pickles, onions, celery, mustard, and dill. You can also add shredded cheese, chopped hard-boiled eggs, or crumbled bacon to double up on the pork.
The best thing about ham salad is that it all starts with leftover ham. The perfect way to use up leftover spiral ham from the holidays, it ensures no food goes to waste and you never get bored with leftovers!
Ingredients for Ham Salad
To print: see recipe card below
- 1 pound cooked ham – I use leftover holiday smoked ham, Crock Pot Ham, or Baked Ham with Maple Dijon Glaze.
- 1 stalk celery
- 1/2 medium onion – White, yellow, or red are all fine; for a milder flavor, use a sweet onion like Walla Walla or Vidalia.
- 1 hard-boiled egg – Here’s how to make a hard-boiled egg!
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish (or dill pickle relish)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 cup mayonnaise – Learn the difference between Miracle Whip and Mayonnaise.
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice – No lemon? You can use apple cider vinegar or white vinegar instead.
- Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
Variations
- Swap the sweet relish for diced pickles—sweet pickles or garlicky dill pickles, whichever you prefer!
- Not a fan of celery? Use water cashews instead.
- If raw onion isn’t your jam, substitute finely chopped milder green onions or chives.
Directions for How to Make Ham Salad
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- Combine: Add the ham, celery, onion, and egg to a food processor. Pulse 15-20 times or until everything is a fine mince but not a paste. Scrape the bowl frequently to make sure all the ingredients combine evenly!
- Season: Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Then, add the relish, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!
Quick Tip
Don’t turn on your food processor and walk away! Pulsing gives you more control. That way, you can stop before the ingredients turn into a paste. Stop once in a while to scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl, too.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this ham salad on its own with crackers, celery sticks, or carrots for dipping. You can also transfer the ham mixture to a croissant or bread to make a sandwich. Or, serve it in a lettuce wrap for a lighter option.
Any way you like to eat tuna salad or chicken salad will work for this recipe, too.
How to Store Leftover Ham Salad
Store leftover ham salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
I do not recommend freezing this recipe!
Quick Tip
If preferred you can make ham salad with spiral-sliced ham. However, the texture of the dish will be different, because the ham will be in thin slices.
Ham Salad
Equipment
- food processor
- Large mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked ham diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- ½ medium onion diced
- 1 hard boiled egg
- 1 Tablespoon sweet relish
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add the ham, celery, onion, and egg to a food processor and pulse 15-20 times or until everything is a fine mince but not a paste, scraping the bowl frequently to make sure nothing is stuck to the walls.1 pound cooked ham, 1 stalk celery, ½ medium onion, 1 hard boiled egg
- Remove from the food processor and into a large mixing bowl. Add the relish, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise and stir with a spatula to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with crackers.1 Tablespoon sweet relish, 1 Tablespoon Dijon, 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
Nutrition
Did you make this easy Ham Salad Recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
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