Ham Salad
Ham Salad is the PERFECT way to use up leftovers, made with ham chopped and mixed with mayo, dijon, celery, and onion, served on a sandwich or with crackers!
If you made a big spiral ham for the holidays and need to use up the leftovers, this is the ultimate way to do it! This classic ham salad recipe is tangy, savory, and creamy – just like tuna or chicken salad. You can serve this with gluten free crackers, or on gluten free slices of bread for ham salad sandwiches! Plus this southern classic comfort food is budget-friendly!
I make this recipe using leftovers from my Slow Cooker Spiral Ham. If you’re looking for more ways to use up leftovers, try my Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole, or this Crockpot Corn Chowder with Ham!
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Great for Leftovers – This is a really quick and easy way to use leftover holiday ham the day after!
Fast & Easy – Toss everything in the food processor and you’re done in minutes. No cooking required!
Incredible Flavor – Creamy mayo, sharp dijon, crunchy pickles and celery, and black pepper turn leftover glazed ham into something totally new!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Ham. This is a great way to use up leftover spiral ham from a holiday dinner the night before! Another option is to use a fully cooked ham steak, which you can buy at the grocery store year-round.
Mayonnaise. This adds a creamy texture to the ham. Alternatively, you can use plain greek yogurt for a lighter texture.
Mustard. A small amount of dijon mustard adds just the right flavor to compliment the salty flavor of the ham. You can also use yellow mustard.
Pickles. I like the dill flavor in the pickles with this recipe, but these are optional. You can also use sweet pickle relish. This gives the salad a delicious crunch!
Onion. I use finely chopped yellow onion, but red onion or white onion would also work.
Celery. Some finely chopped celery stalks adds a nice crunchy contrast to the rest of the ingredients.
Pepper. I add this for flavor. You won’t need kosher salt, because the ham is already salty enough. Add more black pepper as-needed after everything is mixed together.
Kitchen Tools
For this recipe you’ll need a large food processor, but you can also get away with a knife, a mixing bowl, and a cutting board.
How to Make Ham Salad
Time needed: 10 minutes
- Pulse the ham in the food processor.
Add your cooked leftover ham to the food processor and pulse a few times, until the ham is broken into smaller pieces.
- Mix everything together.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor, pulsing until everything is evenly mixed together. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the food processor as-needed. Don’t over-blend—you want a bit of texture.
- Chill and serve.
Add to a medium bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning as-needed. Chill for 30 minutes for best flavor (optional).
Recipe Variations
- Try making this spicy with some red pepper flakes, hot sauce, pickled jalapeños, banana peppers, spicy mustard, or a dash of cayenne pepper. Or swap the dill pickles for spicy pickles for a spicy tangy flavor. This is more of a deviled ham salad with these bold flavors.
- Try adding some chopped hard boiled eggs – great if you have some leftover deviled eggs you need to use up!
- Add a handful of shredded Swiss cheese for more flavor! Or melt a slice of Swiss on top for a hearty ham salad sandwich melt.
- Try adding some fresh herbs like fresh dill, fresh parsley, chives, or green onions.
- Add even more fresh veggies like shredded carrots, zucchini, cucumber, or bell peppers! Or go the sweet route with chopped apples or grapes.
- Use honey mustard, honey, or maple syrup to give this a sweet flavor.
- Try serving this with lettuce leaves for a low carb lettuce wrap!
Recipe Tip! Don’t over-blend! Just pulse the food processor until everything comes together. We’re looking for spreadable, but not puree.
Frequently Asked Questions
Your ham salad should not be watery just after mixing everything together. If it is, you can fix it. Add a little extra mayo and mustard, and mix everything together until well combined. If possible, throw in a little extra ham, too.
This usually happens after storing it, when the vegetables have a chance to release some of the water they hold onto. Just give everything a really good stir and it should be fine.
Recipe Tip! You don’t have to warm the ham. Think of this like tuna salad, but with ham instead. The cold ham will work better with the mayo, instead of melting the dressing.
More Salad Recipes
Here’s a few more lunch ideas!
Storage
Refrigerate leftover ham salad for 2-3 days in an airtight container.
I don’t recommend freezing this recipe, because the mayo will break apart and ruin the texture.
Cooking Tips
- Use the pulse button on the food processor, instead of just turning it on. This will help mix everything, and prevent making everything too smooth. We still want some texture!
- You can make this ahead of time and place it in the refrigerator. The flavor only gets better after an hour or so!
If you loved this recipe, be sure to leave a 5 Star review below, and tag me with a photo of your finished recipe on Instagram @Jacqui_DishingDelish!
Ham Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds cooked ham, boneless smoked or country ham
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 medium dill pickle spears, diced
- 1 medium stalk celery, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
- 1 large food processor
Instructions
- Add your cooked leftover ham to the food processor and pulse a few times, until the ham is broken into smaller pieces.
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor, pulsing until everything is evenly mixed together. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the food processor as-needed. Don’t over-blend—you want a bit of texture.
- Add to a medium bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve immediately, or chill ham salad for 30 minutes for best flavor.
Notes
- Use the pulse button on the food processor, instead of just turning it on. This will help mix everything, and prevent making everything too smooth.
- You can make this ahead of time and place it in the refrigerator. The flavor only gets better after an hour or so!
- You don’t have to warm the ham. Think of this like tuna salad, but with ham instead. The cold ham will work better with the mayo, instead of melting the dressing.
Nutrition
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