Updated
When I think of nostalgic recipes, this ham salad is the first one that comes to mind. It’s truly straight out of the 1950s, but it just tastes so good! It’s a must-have for the week after Easter at my house. Diced ham in mayonnaise with sweet relish, mustard, and a host of other goodies. Great for an easy appetizer or sandwich filling.
Pin this recipe for later!
Pin It5-Star Review
“This is yummy! My husband is not a fan of ham salad and even he loved this. I’ll be making this often. Thank you for this recipe.” – Nancy
Easy Ham Salad Recipe
Let your leftover ham do more legwork with this super versatile and utterly delicious ham salad recipe. This is my absolute favorite recipe to make after Easter! I love using leftovers of my honey baked ham or brown sugar glazed ham. In a pinch, you could use canned ham though it does have a different texture.
This spread is delicious as is, but I like to take it up a notch by adding diced bell peppers or carrots for extra crunch or a few tablespoons of jarred pimentos or diced roasted red peppers for depth of flavor.
Sometimes I’ll even add a little bit of pickle juice to turn it into more of a dip consistency, or toss it with some cooked rotini or macaroni to turn it into ham pasta salad.
Ham Salad Recipe
Equipment
- Food Processor
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise plus more if needed
- ¼ cup sweet relish
- 2 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 lb. leftover cooked ham cubed
- 3 tbsp diced celery
- 2 tbsp diced red onion use diced yellow or sweet onion for a little less bite
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- crackers, soft rolls, or bread for serving
Instructions
- Whisk the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Set aside.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sweet relish, 2 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Add the ham, celery, onion, and parsley to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until it’s more finely chopped and combined, then transfer it to the bowl with the mayonnaise mixture. Stir, tasting and adding more mayonnaise or relish if desired to achieve a spreadable consistency, as well as salt and pepper.1 lb. leftover cooked ham, 3 tbsp diced celery, 2 tbsp diced red onion, 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, salt and pepper
- Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving as is with crackers or on bread or rolls as sandwiches.crackers, soft rolls, or bread
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you make this? Leave a comment!
How to Make Ham Salad Step by Step
Gather your ingredients.
Make the dressing: Whisk ½ cup of mayonnaise, ¼ cup of sweet relish, 2 tbsp of grainy Dijon mustard, and 1 tbsp of lemon juice together in a large bowl. Set aside.
Mix the salad: Add 1lb. of leftover cooked ham, 3 tsp of diced celery, 2 tbsp of diced red onion, and 1 tbsp of chopped fresh parsley to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse a few times until it’s more finely chopped and combined, then transfer it to the bowl with the mayonnaise mixture. Stir, tasting, and adding more mayonnaise or relish if desired to achieve a spreadable consistency, as well as salt and pepper.
Chill and serve: Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving as is with crackers or on bread or rolls as sandwiches.
How to Store
Store leftover ham salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Ham salad is notorious for not freezing well, so I do not recommend freezing it.
Serving Suggestions
This spread makes a great dip! I like to serve mine with Triscuits, but it’s also great with homemade tortilla chips, crispy wonton chips, or even sweet potato chips!
Or, serve it up on Hawaiian rolls or rye bread to make delicious ham salad sandwiches! Add a few slices of cheddar cheese and make a ham salad grilled cheese. Savory, creamy, and tangy—this is one addictive sandwich filling!
This is yummy! My husband is not a fan of ham salad and even he loved this. I’ll be making this often. Thank you for this recipe.
I only gave it 3 stars cause I’m not fond of sweet relish. I make mine with ham, onion, mayo, and jalapeno mustard. It’s so good.
Thanks for sharing, Stephanie!
We use dill pickle its the best. Make it the way you want to. I never follow a direction if I don’t like something I change it.