Ham salad is a deli favorite that’s easy to make at home! It’s perfect for school or work lunches, and it’s a great way to use up leftover ham.

Close up image of ham salad served in a large white round bowl.

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If you love creamy deli salads like potato salad and macaroni salad, 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 can be customized to suit your tastes—or the tastes of the picky eaters in your family! Some common additions include pickles, onions, celery, mustard, and dill. You can also add shredded cheese, chopped hard-boiled eggs, or crumbled bacon if you want to double up on the pork.

Top down image of ham salad served in a large white bowl with Ritz crackers on a larger serving plate.

Best Ham Salad Recipe

Ham salad can be eaten as is, but it’s often served as a sandwich filling, too. Watching your carbs? Skip the bread, and serve it with lettuce cups instead! You could also stuff it into a pita, or roll it up in a tortilla. The world is your oyster, friends.

The best thing about ham salad is that it all starts with leftover ham. (And you know when you make a big spiral ham for the holidays, there are always leftovers!) It’s the perfect way to reuse extra food and make it into something brand new!

Ingredients to make ham salad.

Ingredients for Ham Salad

See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Variations

  • Swap the sweet relish for diced pickles—sweet pickles or garlicky dill pickles, whichever you prefer!
  • Not a fan of celery? If you want a crunchy element but not the flavor of celery, you can use water cashews instead.
  • If raw onion isn’t your jam, substitute milder green onions or chives.
steps to make ham salad.

How to Make Ham Salad

  1. Chop the solid ingredients: Add the ham, celery, onion, and egg to a food processor, and pulse 15 to 20 times or until everything is a fine mince.
  2. Finish: Transfer the ham mixture to a large mixing bowl, and stir in the relish, mustard, lemon juice, and mayonnaise. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Ritz cracker being dipped into the ham salad.

Quick Tip

Don’t turn on your food processor and walk away! Pulsing gives you more control so you can stop when all the ingredients are chopped but haven’t turned into a paste. Stop once in a while to scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl, too.

How to Store Leftover Ham Salad

Leftover ham salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serving Suggestions

You can serve ham salad with crackers, put it on a croissant or bread to make a sandwich, scoop it into lettuce cups, or just grab a spoon and dig in! Any way you like to eat tuna salad or chicken salad will work for this recipe too, too.

FAQs

Can you freeze ham salad that has mayonnaise in it?

No, freezing this recipe isn’t a good idea. While it’s safe to freeze ham salad with mayonnaise, the mayo will separate and affect the quality of the dish.

How long is prepared ham salad good for?

Prepared ham salad is good for up to 3 days in the fridge. After that, it starts to lose its flavor and texture.

Is ham salad made from bologna?

No, bologna slices won’t have the same taste or texture as ham.

Can you make ham salad with spiral-sliced ham?

Yes, 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. 

More Favorite Salad Recipes

A bowl of ham salad surrounded by crackers.

Ham Salad

Ham salad is a deli favorite that’s easy to make at home! It’s perfect for school or work lunches, and it’s a great way to use up leftover ham.
3.50 from 4 votes
Course: lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 – 8 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Equipment

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

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 102mg | Sodium: 1169mg | Potassium: 251mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 103IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @kasey_allthingsmamma or tag #allthingsmamma!

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About Kasey Schwartz

For over 15 years, Kasey Schwartz, the mastermind behind All Things Mamma, has been the ultimate go-to for mouthwatering family recipes. Her work has been featured on Today.com, Buzz Feed, Better Homes and Gardens, and more, making her your go-to mom next door for all things delicious and family-friendly.

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