Ham Salad Recipe – Spend With Pennies

As much as I love ham, I almost love the leftovers more so I can make this recipe!

This ham salad recipe is a mixture of very finely chopped ham and mayonnaise with our favorite add-ins! I love chopped pickles (or sweet relish) and a tiny squeeze of mustard. 

A few seconds in a food processor and a handful of tasty mix-ins, serve this with crackers or as a sandwich on bread.

An Old Fashioned Favorite

It seems like every family has its own version of ham salad. Growing up we always made it using canned ham (I still love it that way) but more often I make it with leftover ham.

• Just 3 ingredients plus your favorite add ins (like pickles, sweet pickle relish, mustard or onions).
• Can be made with leftover ham or canned ham. This is a great way to enjoy leftover Easter or Christmas ham.
• Can be made ahead and kept in the fridge for a few days for quick snacks and lunches.
• Great for sandwiches or with crackers.

This ham salad spread recipe is super easy however we use leftover ham making it incredibly delicious! We love serving it during lunchtime in the summer with some cucumber salad and homemade chicken salad sandwiches!

How to Make Ham Salad

Homemade ham salad is a quickie lunch fix, whether you have a food processor or not. Here’s all you do:

1. Very friendly dice the ham or whirl it in a food processor.
2. Transfer the ham to a bowl and mix in the rest of the ingredients (per the recipe below).
3. Serve the ham mixture in rolls or on bread or even put it out for guests to dip crackers into. To keep it low carb, wrap it in lettuce wraps or serve it over salad.

Really, that’s all there is to it!

Ham Salad Variations

Get creative! Start with a base of ham and mayo and then add your favorite flavors. I personally skip the salt since ham is salty but Here are some variations on this simple ham salad recipe:

• Snacking and lunches: Serve it on bread, a slider bun, or crackers with a side of potato chips.
• Feeding a crowd? Make your leftover ham stretch farther by mixing it with diced, hard boiled eggs.
• Only have a little ham salad left? Blend it to a finer consistency with a little pickle juice, put it in a small bowl, and serve it as a dip.
• Grilled ham and cheese on rye. Combine the ham mixture with some shredded cheddar cheese and grill it. The flavors will melt together for a yummy lunch.
• Turn it into a meal. For dinner, use your basic ham salad recipe as the basis for a macaroni salad with ham, or ham pasta salad. Dice in some sweet gherkins or dill pickles, and add a dollop of Dijon mustard for some tangy flavors.
• Diced onion and bell pepper, or jars of pimento or roasted red pepper also combine well in a ham macaroni salad. Use rotini or penne if you are making ham pasta salad.

More Ways to Use Leftover Ham

How to Freeze Ham Salad

Ham salad is best served chilled. It keeps just a few days in the fridge.

If you plan to keep it longer than that, it can be frozen in an air-tight container. Remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator overnight and drain any liquid. Stir in a spoonful of fresh mayonnaise if needed.

More Easy Salads for Sandwiches