Old Fashioned Ham Salad: Easy Nostalgic Lunch Favorite Recipe
Old Fashioned Ham Salad is a nostalgic and easy-to-make lunch favorite perfect for using up leftover baked ham. This creamy, flavorful ham salad combines chopped ham with mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, Dijon mustard, and fresh vegetables, making it a versatile dish to serve on bread, crackers, or lettuce cups.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Ham Salad
- 2 cups cooked ham, cubed
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ cup celery, finely diced
- ¼ cup yellow onion, minced
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
Instructions
- Chop Ham: Cut the ham into cubes and pulse in your food processor until finely chopped but still textured to maintain a pleasant bite.
- Prepare Vegetables: Use a sharp knife to finely dice the celery and mince the yellow onion into very small pieces on a cutting board for even flavor distribution.
- Mix Dressing: In a large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, and Dijon mustard, stirring until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the chopped ham, diced celery, and minced onion into the bowl with the dressing, then stir thoroughly to ensure everything is evenly coated.
- Season: Add black pepper and salt to taste, adjusting the seasoning based on your personal preference for flavor balance.
- Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together and to chill the salad before serving.
- Serve: Enjoy the ham salad cold, served on bread, crackers, lettuce cups, or hollowed-out vegetables for a tasty and nostalgic lunch option.
Notes
- Leftover baked ham works best and adds the most flavor to this ham salad recipe.
- Adjust the amount of mayonnaise to achieve your preferred creaminess and moisture level.
- A splash of pickle juice can be added if the salad mixture feels too thick.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- For a lower-fat version, substitute half the mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt.
Keywords: ham salad, old fashioned ham salad, ham salad recipe, easy ham salad, nostalgic lunch, leftover ham recipe, creamy ham salad
