Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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This Ham Salad is a flavor explosion! Diced ham in mayonnaise with sweet relish, mustard, and a host of other goodies. Great for an easy appetizer or sandwich filling.

Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2)

Table of Contents

What’s in this Ham Salad Recipe?

Let your leftover ham do more legwork with this super versatile and utterly delicious ham salad recipe!

  • Mayonnaise: Holds the filling together and makes it creamy!
  • Sweet Relish: Adds sweetness and crunch.
  • Dijon Mustard: Adds a bit of earthiness and bite.
  • Lemon Juice: Adds freshness and acidity.
  • Cooked Ham: Cube up some leftovers for this easy salad recipe! I love honey baked ham or brown sugar glazed ham!
  • Celery: Adds crunch and freshness.
  • Red Onion: Adds a bit of bite.
  • Parsley: Adds a pop of color and freshness.

Pro Tip: Swap out the red onion for diced yellow or sweet onion for a little less bite.

Variations on Ham Salad Spread

This spread is delicious as is, but you can 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.

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.

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Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (4)

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What kind of ham should I use?

This is a great recipe for leftover cooked ham, so really any ham will work. I like to use leftover spiral-sliced honey baked ham for mine. I recommend buying a spiral-sliced ham because it’s easier to cut and remove from the bone.

Can I use canned ham?

You can definitely use canned ham. While canned ham has a different texture than fresh, its shelf life and convenience can’t be beat!

Do I need a food processor to it?

I really recommend using either a food processor or a high-speed blender to make this recipe. You can do it without one, but you’ll be mincing for a long time!

Should I put eggs in ham salad?

This is totally up to preference. Many recipes call for hard-boiled eggs, but it’s up to you whether or not you choose to include them.

Can I freeze ham salad?

An age-old question with an age-old answer! Ham salad is notorious for not freezing well, so I do not recommend that you freeze it.

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How to Store

Store leftover ham salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I do not recommend freezing ham salad.

Serving Suggestions

This spread makes a great dip served with crackers, tortilla chips, wonton chips, or 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.

Make it a meal by serving it with Asian Cucumber Salad, Corn Pudding, Shoestring Fries, or Air Fryer Potato Wedges. Savory, creamy, and tangy – this is one addictive sandwich filling!

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Recipe

Ham Salad Recipe

4.54 from 13 votes

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Total: 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutes

Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (7)

Serves6

Print Rate

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This Ham Salad is a flavor explosion! Diced ham in mayonnaise with sweet relish, mustard and a host of other goodies. Great for an easy appetizer or sandwich filling.

Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (8)

Email This Recipe

Enter your email and we’ll send the recipe directly to you!

By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from The Cookie Rookie.

Ingredients

  • ½ cup mayonnaise plus more if needed
  • ¼ cup sweet relish
  • 2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 pound leftover cooked ham cubed
  • 3 tablespoons diced celery
  • 2 tablespoons diced red onion
  • 1 tablespoon 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 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon lemon juice

    Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (9)

  • 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 pound leftover cooked ham, 3 tablespoons diced celery, 2 tablespoons diced red onion, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley, Salt and pepper

    Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (10)

  • 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

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

  • Swap out the red onion for diced yellow or sweet onion for a little less bite.
  • Add diced bell peppers or carrots for extra crunch.
  • Add a few tablespoons of jarred pimentos or diced roasted red peppers for depth of flavor.
  • Toss it with some cooked rotini or macaroni to turn it into ham pasta salad.
  • Add a little bit of pickle juice and pulse it for longer in the food processor to turn it into a ham salad dip.

Storage:Store ham salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 259kcal (13%) Carbohydrates: 5g (2%) Protein: 15g (30%) Fat: 20g (31%) Saturated Fat: 3g (19%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g Monounsaturated Fat: 5g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 63mg (21%) Sodium: 1133mg (49%) Potassium: 248mg (7%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 3g (3%) Vitamin A: 214IU (4%) Vitamin C: 20mg (24%) Calcium: 13mg (1%) Iron: 1mg (6%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (11)

Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (12)

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More Protein-Packed Salad Recipes We Love

  • Chicken Salad
  • Egg Salad
  • Turkey Salad
  • Tuna Salad
  • Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad
  • Avocado Egg Salad
  • Mexican Chicken Salad

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Ham Salad Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

Where did ham salad come from? ›

Historically, ham salad was made from left over deli or canned ham in Western Pennsylvania. Meat markets offered a deli meat that was chopped ham which was called chipped ham that was thinly sliced to order. The leftover ends was then chopped up and made into a salad the same way tuna.

What is deli ham salad made of? ›

Ham salad is similar to chicken salad, egg salad, or tuna salad. It is prepared with cooked, cold ham along with vegetables, relish, and mayonnaise. It is then chilled and served cold directly from the refrigerator.

Is ham salad made from bologna? ›

"I grew up only knowing this by Ham Salad which is what my Mom and local Deli's up North called it. She said it was the "Poor Man's Ham Salad" which never contained any ham, just bologna, but giving it the wonderful flavor and color of what could have been ham.

Where did ham sandwich originated? ›

United Kingdom

Where is the birthplace of salad? ›

Food historians tell us salads (generally defined as mixed greens with dressing) were enjoyed by ancient Romans and Greeks. As time progressed, salads became more complicated. Recipes varied according to place and time. Dinner salads, as we know them today, were popular with Renaissance folks.

When was ham salad popular? ›

In the mid-20th century, the ham salad sandwich held a prominent place on the table at post-funeral luncheons. Some Americans recall eating it only at these events.

Who invented the ham sandwich? ›

Here it notes that Patrick Connolly, an 18th-century Irish immigrant to England, sold a bread dish which: combined the remains of pig, cured and sliced with a topping of Leicester cheese and a kiss of egg yolk sauce (a form of mayonnaise) in a round bread roll.

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