Herby Ham Salad is creamy, tangy, and utterly delicious. This easy ham salad recipe is great for leftover ham and a snap to make!
Homemade Ham Salad
Did you grow up on ham salad?
I don’t remember my mom making it, but my aunt Mary sure did. It was a sandwich spread I could count on at each of my cousin’s graduation parties. Mary also offered her famous tiger meat, a rare find at most gatherings, especially nowadays, and one that I can’t personally vouch for. No, thank you!!
My aunt’s ham salad, though. I’ve missed it.
I admitted to my sisters that sometimes, when I’m on a road trip to and from South Dakota or North Dakota, I’ll pick up one of those pre-packaged ham salad sandwiches out of the cooler case at a gas station.
Well let’s just say they weren’t very impressed. Ha!
All Cheryl and Jessica could do was scrunch up their faces in disgust. I laughed it off, knowing their opinions wouldn’t stop me from those gas station sammies in the future. But the conversation also got me thinkin’.
It was time I made my own version of this recipe. You are going to LOVE this Herby Ham Salad. I promise!
This is the Best Way to Use Up Leftover Ham!
Whenever you’re anticipating some good holiday ham leftovers, this recipe has you covered.
Similar in style to other salad favorites of mine (think chicken salad, egg salad, and tuna salad), this meaty salad recipe is creamy, tangy, and utterly delicious. Blake says it’s the best he’s ever had. And I have to agree.
How to Make Ham Salad
This recipe is easy to make.
- Cut up leftover ham: Just cube some leftover ham and add it to a food processor.
- Pulse into small pieces: Then pulse the ham until it’s nice and small.
- Some people like to blitz the heck out of the ham, creating a mush-like consistency. I prefer some nice texture, leaving the ham in small bits.
- Mix in the rest of the ingredients: Add the mayo, relish and seasonings, folding to combine.
- Chill and serve!
Similar salad recipes are loaded with mayonnaise. But I wanted the wonderful smoky ham flavor to shine through, and opted for less mayo.
Along with the traditional sweet pickle relish, I folded in plenty of fresh herbs. The fresh herbs add both color and flavor.
And a fun addition that I’m especially fond of is a little kick of cayenne. I’m pretty sure it’s what helped to slam-dunk Blake’s opinion of this herby ham salad.
How to Serve Ham Salad
Ham salad on a flaky croissant makes for an incredible lunch.
But I also highly recommend noshing on crackers and cucumber slices topped with this salad mixture. It’s a great appetizer.
Just think about a hot summer day in the backyard, with a plate of chilled cucumber slices and this creamy sandwich spread. Pass me a tall, cold glass of lemonade, please!
Here are a couple more ways to use leftover ham: Ham and Cheese Biscuits from Spicy Southern Kitchen and Ham and Sweet Potato Soup from Diethood.
Herby Ham Salad
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chopped cooked ham I recommend a good smoked ham
- ½ c. good quality mayonnaise
- ½ c. sweet pickle relish drained from the jar with a slotted spoon
- 1 T. Dijon mustard
- 1 green onion minced
- 2 T. minced yellow onion
- 2 T. minced red bell pepper
- 2 T. minced celery
- 2 T. minced fresh parsley
- 2 T. minced fresh chives
- 1 T. minced fresh dill use more if you really like dill
- ¼ tsp. cayenne if you don’t like heat, try just a pinch to start out with
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Using a food processor, pulse the chopped ham until you have very small pieces. Take care to not over-process into a mushy texture. Transfer ham to a medium bowl and add the rest of the ingredients, folding to combine.
- Serve chilled. Serve as a sandwich spread or a topper for crackers or cucumber slices. Also good served on a plate of fresh greens.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
This post was previously published in 2015. Some of the photographs and some of the text were updated in 2018.
My Swedish grandmother used to make it for me. I like your version better!
I love how easy this is and how tasty this is to make!
Oh my! What an incredible breakfast recipe idea. Croissant and ham!! Simply delicious.
This made such a good lunch! I think I’ll make it again next week.
Oh, my. My husband went nuts for this ham salad! I think we’ll have to bake up another ham soon just for the leftovers!!
I love this variation on ham salad which we love in the South. The idea of making canapes with cucumbers is so good!
I’m not sure where I first had ham salad but I think it was a sample when I was picking up a ham at Honey Baked Ham. I loved it! I never think to make it at home. I’ll probably be getting a ham over the Christmas break so I’m definitely going to make this with the leftovers. Looks delicious!!
It’s definitely a good reason to make sure you have some leftover ham – I love the salty and creamy combo! Thanks, Aggie!
Oh…I forgot to say that since I currently live in an apartment my kitchen is a galley style with no room at all! My food processor and Kitchenaid mixer live on a shelf in the hallway and my Crockpot lives on top of the fridge with my hand mixer. They are my “indoor cooking team” but they don’t seem to mind the arrangement. I also rent 2 storage units about a block away. My truck (what 50 year old farm kid worth his salt wouldn’t have a pickup? Lol!) lives in one and my “outdoor cooking team” along with my tools lives in the other. My outdoor team consists of 2 charcoal grills, 1 gas grill and my electric smoker along with their various accessories and covers. However, I long for the day that I get a place in the country, with a real kitchen and garage, so that we can all live together in harmony!
Yep, I came up on a farm in Ballville twp. Ohio n remember ham salad and iced tea lunches while baling, harvesting etc. I’m trapped in town these days but WILL get back where I belong sooner or later! My mom died last year and I was going through some of her stuff the other night when I came across her hand written (kinda) recipe for ham salad that was passed to her by my grandmother. The ingredients are all “to taste” not exact just like any other farm wife lol! But it got me wanting ham salad! We always raised a few hogs and steers and moms recipe calls for my granpas smoked ham. It’ll take all day Saturday but I can do that in my elecric smoker…I know what wood to use…nothing better to do Saturday anyway! I went to my favorite local butcher shop (a.k.a. slaghter house) today and picked out a 9# fresh picnic roast. I’ll smoke it all day Saturday then serve it to my kids, grands and even my ex-wife on Easter. When I get home from work Monday is when the real fun will start…experimenting with ingredients to perfect moms and grandmas recipe!
As a midwestern transplant living in New Mexico I don’t encounter ham salad nearly as much as I did growing up. Made this with some leftover Easter ham tonight and was immediately transported to Ohio circa 1985. Thanks!