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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Old Fashioned Ham Salad Recipe

    Published: Jun 19, 2023 by Cara Lanz · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    hand holding up a cucumber slice topped with ham salad
    old fashioned ham salad in a white bowl surrounded by cucumbers, celery, and crackers

    This Old-Fashioned Ham Salad recipe is a savory sandwich spread with ham, hard-boiled eggs, green onions, celery, and pickle relish in a creamy dressing. It's a classic recipe with simple ingredients and the perfect way to use leftover ham. 

    old fashioned ham salad in a white bowl surrounded by cucumbers, celery, and crackers

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    Jump to:
    • Why You're Going to Love This Recipe
    • Ingredients
    • Variations
    • How to Make The Best Ham Salad Recipe
    • More Leftover Ham Recipes 
    • Success Tips
    • FAQs
    • More Delicious Salad Recipes
    • 💌Let's Stay in Touch
    • 📖 Recipe

    What's better than a succulent holiday ham dinner? The leftover ham! 

    It's easy to use in so many different ways, like baked beans, ham fried rice, or rolled up into pinwheel sandwiches ... 

    One of our all-time favorites is this homemade ham salad recipe. 

    It's a simple recipe, and it makes the perfect ham salad sandwich. But we also love it on crackers, sliced veggies, and in a lettuce wrap. 

    Why You're Going to Love This Recipe

    • Great way to make the most of leftover holiday ham 
    • Perfect recipe for baby showers, bridal showers, and entertaining
    • Easy ham salad recipe to make ahead and keep in the fridge for a quick lunch or snack
    • Versatile ham salad spread -- serve with bread, crackers, lettuce wraps, or veggies

    Looking for a great ham recipe for your next holiday meal? Try my Roaster Oven Ham with pineapple brown sugar glaze or Slow Cooker Maple Bourbon Glazed Ham. 

    Ingredients

    old fashioned ham salad recipe ingredients

    Ham. This is our favorite way to use up leftover holiday ham, but you can use any kind of ham, like ham steak or precooked boneless ham from the grocery store. 

    Hard-boiled eggs. The hard boiled eggs are divided in this recipe -- the whites are mixed into the ham mixture, and the yolks add rich flavor to the dressing. 

    Dijon mustard. Dijon has a distinct sharp flavor that's delicious in the dressing. 

    Green onions. Green onions brighten up the flavors in this salad. 

    Celery. Celery adds freshness and a little crunch. 

    Sweet pickle relish. In this ham spread, sweet relish is the perfect complement to the salty ham. 

    Variations

    Miracle Whip. You can use Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise if you prefer the sweeter, spicier flavor. 

    Mustard. Try yellow mustard or one of these Dijon mustard substitutes.

    Onions. Red onion, sweet onion, or any of these substitutes for green onion will also work well. 

    Pickle relish. You can also use dill pickle relish or chopped-up dill pickles or sweet pickles.

    Other mix-ins. Create your own ham salad recipe with mix-ins you love, like diced bell pepper, pimentos, fresh herbs, shredded cheese, a squeeze of lemon juice, or a pinch of cayenne pepper. 

    How to Make The Best Ham Salad Recipe

    1. Chop the ham. 

    Place the ham and egg whites into a large food processor or blender and pulse until the ham is finely chopped to your desired consistency. About 25-30 quick pulses worked perfectly for me in my food processor. Be careful not to over pulse, or it will turn to mush. 

    If you don't have a food processor or high-speed blender or prefer a chunkier texture, finely chop the ham and egg whites into small pieces with a sharp knife. 

    cubed ham and egg whites in a food processor

    2. Make the dressing. 

    Mash the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mustard and stir until combined. 

    mayo mixture, relish, green onions, and celery in a clear bowl

    3. Stir the salad together, chill. 

    Add the celery, green onions, pickle relish, and ham mixture. Stir until combined. Season with black pepper. 

    ham salad mixture in a clear bowl

    Chill for 1-2 hours to allow the flavors to meld and the consistency to firm up a bit. 

    Serve on Ritz crackers, slider buns, plain ol' white bread, or scoop up with sliced veggies. 

    hand holding up a cucumber slice topped with ham salad

    Store leftover ham salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 

    More Leftover Ham Recipes 

    • Roasted Asparagus Salad with Warm Ham Vinaigrette  
    • Slow Cooker Baked Beans with Ham
    • English Pea Salad

    Success Tips

    Be careful not to over-process the ham or it can turn to mush. 

    ​For a chunkier texture, chop the ham and egg whites with a knife. 

    FAQs

    Can I customize the ingredients in ham salad? 

    Absolutely! Ham salad is a versatile dish, and you can customize it to your personal preferences. You can add or omit ingredients based on what you enjoy. For example, you can add diced bell peppers, grated cheese, or different herbs and spices to create your own unique variation.

    ​How long does ham salad last in the fridge?

    ​Store ham salad in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 

    ​What is deli ham salad made of?

    Ham salad is similar to chicken salad, egg salad, or tuna salad, but it's made with ham that's been finely chopped, mayonnaise, sweet or dill pickle relish, and other vegetables. It's typically served cold as a sandwich spread or on crackers.

    ham salad on a cucumber on a white plate with crackers next to a platter with ham salad, veggies, and crackers

    More Delicious Salad Recipes

    • tuna nicoise salad on a white platter
      Easy Tuna Nicoise Salad (Sheet Pan Recipe)
    • English pea salad on a white plate on a white countertop
      English Pea Salad
    • cranberry pecan chicken salad in a white bowl
      Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad
    • tuna macaroni salad in a white bowl
      Tuna Macaroni Salad Recipe

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    Follow Midwestern HomeLife on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, and subscribe via email to receive all of the latest recipes!

    📖 Recipe

    old fashioned ham salad in a white bowl surrounded by cucumbers, celery, and crackers

    Old Fashioned Ham Salad Recipe

    Cara Lanz
    This Old-Fashioned Ham Salad recipe is a savory sandwich spread made with chopped ham, hard-boiled eggs, green onions, celery, and pickle relish in a creamy dressing. It's a classic recipe with simple ingredients and the perfect way to use leftover ham. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe!
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 10 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 10
    Calories 280 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 cups fully cooked ham, chopped
    • 2 hard-boiled eggs, divided
    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
    • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped about ⅓ cup
    • ¼ cup sliced green onions 3-4 green onions
    • ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
    • black pepper
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    Instructions
     

    • Place the ham and egg whites into a food processor. Pulse 25-30 times until the ham is finely chopped. Don't overpulse, or it will turn to mush.
      For a chunkier texture, finely chop the ham and egg whites with a knife.
    • Mash the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mustard and stir until combined.
    • Add the celery, green onions, pickle relish, and ham mixture. Stir until combined. Season with black pepper.
    • Chill 1-2 hours before serving.

    Notes

    Store leftover ham salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 280kcalCarbohydrates: 3gProtein: 11gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 11gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 723mgPotassium: 158mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 185IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 14mgIron: 1mg
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    Hi, I'm Cara!

    I love sharing easy, delicious everyday recipes from the heartland.

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