My favorite super simple recipe for a traditional ham salad is perfect for making sandwiches or ham salad spread on crackers! With just a few tasty mix-ins and a little time in the food processor, you’ll have an easy lunch in minutes!
Put your leftover ham to good use with this super simple, super tasty ham salad recipe!
Right up there in terms of taste and versatility with chicken or tuna salad, ham salad is perfect for snacking and easy lunches! The old-fashioned method of making ham salad involved using canned ham, but here we are going to use diced or cubed ham.
Not to knock tradition, but I find that the texture of canned ham is too soft and tastes mushier than using the real thing. Plus, if we can avoid all the added preservatives, why not?
Perfect use for those holiday ham leftovers, ham salad is one of my favorite go-to recipes in the weeks following Thanksgiving or Christmas! It's so simple and quick, which is exactly what I'm looking for after all that holiday cooking.
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Scoop it onto a hamburger bun or some white bread with a handful of potato chips and lunch is served!
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
It's quick! This recipe requires no actual cooking and is done in about 10 minutes!
It's great for serving! Ham salad is great for baby showers, luncheons, or get-togethers. Just offer it up with a few crackers!
It's delicious! With a little mayo, dill pickle, and Dijon mustard, ham salad is the perfect balance of creamy, tangy goodness. Plus, a handful of celery gives it the perfect crunch!
🥘 Ingredients
- 1 pound Ham - Already cooked ham, diced up or cubed. It should equate to 1½ cups or 10 ounces.
- 1 cup Celery - I dice my celery fairly small so it mixes in well, but if you like bigger pieces that is perfectly fine.
- ½ cup Mayonnaise - I prefer the full-fat mayo for flavor, but if you have light mayo on hand (or just prefer to use light mayo) it will work as well.
- ¼ cup Dill Pickle - If you've had ham salad before you have likely had it made with pickle relish. You can use pickle relish here, or just dice up some dill pickles!
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard - Dijon is a tad bit more spicy and tangy than regular yellow mustard and it helps balance the creamy sweetness of mayo.
- Ground Black Pepper - To your taste. No salt in this recipe because the ham is salty enough on its own!
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
My creamy ham salad is made in just 3 easy steps! A food processor is the easiest way I've found to get your ham to the right consistency, but you can also use a food chopper or dice it up very small by hand if you do not have one.
- Prep. Put 1 pound of cooked, diced ham into your food processor. Pulse just until it breaks down, being careful not to overdo it as it can turn into a gummy paste.
- Mix. Transfer the chopped ham into a medium mixing bowl and add in all remaining ingredients (1 cup celery, ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup dill pickle, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, a pinch of black pepper to taste). Stir until everything is evenly distributed and you're left with a smooth ham salad mixture. Add more mayo if you'd like it creamier.
- Chill and serve. Cover the bowl with cling wrap and chill it in the fridge before serving with some crackers or on a sandwich!
Ham salad is a great summer dish, but you can enjoy it any time of the year! It's a nice change of pace from the usual chicken or potato salad that you see everywhere around that time.
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Make a deviled ham salad by adding in 1 or 2 chopped hard-boiled eggs!
- Sweet relish can be used in place of dill relish. If it is too sweet for your taste, add in a little more Dijon mustard!
- If you aren't working with holiday leftovers, you can purchase already cooked ham steaks from the grocery store and they will work perfectly!
- Once the ingredients are combined, you should have about 3 cups of the ham salad mixture. This should make roughly 8 sandwiches, depending on how much ham salad you like per sandwich.
- Ham salad tastes best after you let it chill in the fridge for an hour or two prior to serving so all the flavors have time to meld together.
🥡 Storing
Ham salad is served chilled and because it contains mayonnaise it should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours or it may spoil.
When storing leftovers, place the ham salad in an airtight container in the fridge and it will keep for up to 3 days.
Ham salad should not be frozen as the mayonnaise tends to separate and will ruin the dish.
😋More Easy Lunches!
- Fish Stick Sandwich
- Pinwheel Sandwiches
- Lil Smokies Pigs In A Blanket
- 4 Ingredient Potato Soup
- Air Fryer Grilled Ham & Cheese
❓ FAQ
Sure! For a less calorie-dense version, switch out the mayonnaise for a full-fat Greek yogurt. Add in 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil), and a little salt and pepper to taste. Be cautious not to use too much salt!
Club crackers are traditionally served with ham salad but there are plenty of other tasty options. Crispy, crunchy Triscuits are great, but my personal favorite would have to be buttery Ritz crackers! Serve with a dip spreader because Ritz tend to crumble when dipped.
Ham salad is surprisingly versatile. Mix it with a little olive oil, lemon juice, and a cup of cooked pasta for a tasty pasta salad. You can also make a variation of a grilled ham and cheese sandwich by mixing in a little shredded cheddar and toasting it like you normally would a grilled cheese!
📋 Recipe
Ham Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb ham (cooked ham, cubed or diced - 1 ½ cups or 10 ounces)
- 1 cup celery (diced)
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup dill pickle (chopped, or use relish)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Pulse the cooked, cubed ham in a food processor to reach a broken-down texture (but not too much as the ham will turn to a gummy paste).1 lb ham
- Transfer the chopped ham into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients (chopped celery, mayonnaise, dill pickle, Dijon mustard, and ground black pepper). Stir until evenly distributed and you have a smooth ham salad mixture. Add more mayonnaise for a creamier consistency if desired.1 cup celery, ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup dill pickle, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ground black pepper
- Cover and chill before serving, then enjoy with some crackers or as a ham salad sandwich.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
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