Creamy Old-Fashioned Ham Salad
If you have five minutes to spare, make this creamy Old-Fashioned Ham Salad recipe, and you’ll know exactly why it’s a go-to lunch in the South! Savory chunks of ham and boiled eggs are coated in a rich, tangy mayo-based dressing, then piled high between two slices of soft bread. Simple, filling, and delicious!
A Quick Look At The Recipe
- Recipe Name: Old-Fashioned Ham Salad
- Serves: 3 cups
- Main Ingredients: chopped smoked or baked ham, mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, peeled and chopped boiled eggs, spicy brown mustard, pepper to taste
- Why You'll Love It: If you have five minutes to spare, make this scrumptious and creamy old-fashioned ham salad recipe and you'll know exactly why it's a go-to lunch in the South.
A Simple Ham Salad You Can Make Your Own
Similar to chicken salad and tuna salad, this ham salad is one of those old-timey recipes that use up leftovers and scraps of ham to make an easy, satisfying meal.
There are as many ways to make a ham salad spread as the day is long! So if you don’t have your own old-fashioned ham salad recipe, feel free to take this one and customize it to your taste or make it up with what you have on hand. Don’t have spicy brown mustard? Use a bit of regular mustard and add a little more pepper. Prefer a different mayonnaise than what I use? Go for it. Tweak it, mix it up, taste it, and make it your own.
Fact is, I can think of very few recipes as simple as this one! But while we’re at it, my Classic Southern Tomato Sandwich, Pimento Cheese Sandwich, and Fried Bologna Sandwich are definitely worth a mention!
Recipe Ingredients
- Spicy brown mustard
- Sweet pickle relish
- Mayonnaise
- Boiled eggs
- Black pepper to taste (I usually don’t add salt because the ham is salty, but add it if you like)
- Chopped ham
Tasty Variations To Try
- Swap out the mayo for sour cream or non-fat Greek yogurt if you prefer.
- Not a fan of spicy brown mustard? Dijon or yellow mustard work just as well.
- Toss in a rib of chopped celery for a satisfying crunch.
- Pecans or walnuts make a great addition if you love a little nuttiness.
- Pickle lovers, don’t be shy! Throw in 1/2 cup of chopped dill pickle.
- A handful of fresh chopped parsley can really brighten things up.
- For a bit of a zesty kick, a dash of lemon juice goes a long way.
- Shredded cheddar cheese is always a welcome addition!
- Like a bit of bite? Chopped green or red onion does the trick.
How to Make My Old-Fashioned Ham Salad Recipe
1. Chop Ham & Eggs
First, chop up your cooked ham into cubes. You’ll want to do the same for your boiled eggs too.
Note: You can use a food processor if you’d like – it depends on how fine you want the salad to be!
2. Make Your Salad
Next, place your chopped ham in a mixing bowl.
Then add the mayo, pickle relish, mustard, and black pepper to taste.
Stir all this until well blended. Then add your chopped boiled eggs, stirring gently.
3. Serve & Enjoy
Your ham salad spread is now ready! This recipe makes about three cups of delectable ham salad. You can refrigerate it for a while (an hour is best) to let the flavors blend, or you can eat it right away.
Serve it on sandwiches, homemade dinner rolls, or crackers – whatever’s calling you!
Storage
Store leftover ham salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Because it uses mayonnaise, I don’t recommend freezing. Lucky it’s super easy to make from scratch!
Old-Fashioned Ham Salad FAQs
Yes, store-bought ham works perfectly! I usually pick up whatever’s on sale at the deli counter or throw in some leftover holiday ham. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite ways to use up those holiday leftovers… beats eating the same ham dinner three nights in a row!
Your eggs should be fully hard-boiled for this recipe. I usually boil mine for about 10 to 12 minutes, then pop them straight into an ice bath to stop the cooking. This also makes them way easier to peel!
Yes, and honestly, I think it tastes even better the next day! Making it the night before gives all those flavors time to really come together. Just cover it tightly and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
Honestly, you can’t go wrong with potato chips and a fresh green salad. The crunch of the chips and the tang of the pickles are a great match for the rich, savory flavor of the ham salad!
Did this recipe hit the spot? Give it a star rating and leave a comment below. Bonus points if you tell me what you served it with!
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped smoked (or baked ham) diced as finely as you like
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 peeled and chopped boiled eggs
- 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop up the ham with a knife or food processor (however fine you want it to be).2 cups chopped smoked (or baked ham)
- Place the ham, mayonnaise, relish, mustard, and pepper in a bowl. Stir with a spoon until well blended. Gently stir in the chopped boiled eggs.2 cups chopped smoked (or baked ham), ½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sweet pickle relish, 1 teaspoon spicy brown mustard, pepper to taste, 2 peeled and chopped boiled eggs
- Serve on sandwiches, rolls, or crackers.
I’ve also made this recipe using bologna instead of ham. If you are on a strict budget, it’s quite good.
That’s a great idea for a substitution 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
When we were kids & money was tight mom made this with bologna. We called it “mock ham salad!” I’m 73 now, so it’s been around a long time.
I absolutely love your recipes. I have made a few of your cobblers and they were delicious. I’m currently making the ham salad now as we speak!
After an 8 hour ride on a Greyhound bus, arriving at my Grandmother and Grandfather’s house quite late at night, my Grandmother always had ham salad sandwiches ready. I’m long in the tooth, (what’s left of them), and I just figured out why her ham salad tasted unlike any I’ve ever made: she ground the ham in a meat grinder. The only ingredients were ham and mayonnaise. Meat grinder. Is mine still in the cupboard, or did my daughter steal it away. Well, this evening, I’ve added a genuine southern touch to the ham and mayonnaise, and celery, this time: turmeric.
PS What the heck- I’ve put in dill, too. A first. You’ve all inspired me to “wake up” with my food preparations again. (Dill good for herbal benefits, too). Forgot to say that always, my Grandmother used Wonder Bread. Fine white bread was considered the height of having made it in the New World.
Isn’t it odd how that one little thing can make such a big difference? I hope you are able to find your meat grinder and make a batch that tastes just like your grandmothers!!
Your recipe is pretty much how I make ham salad. If eating like a salad sometime would add some pasta. Always adding diced celery, vidalia onions, diced radishes and dill relish. My family likes the crunchies in all our salads. We too use Dukes because it has less carbs than other brands. Enjoy your recipes using ingredients we usually have on hand. Happy New Year!!
I have never had (or even heard of) ham salad, but I’m going to give them a try!! My parents have had these Corelle dishes since I was a little girl. My dad still uses them and I hope that in 10-20 years I’ll be using them (dad is 94 and I’d like to keep him around for a while!). Just love the snowflake pattern!
Oh my goodness, you need to try it Susan!!!