Best Ham Salad Recipe

Use your leftover holiday ham and make this classic easy delectable leftover ham salad with onions, celery, pickle relish, and mayo.

Course main meal ham

Cuisine Southern

Keyword can you freeze ham salad, ham salad recipe, how to make ham salad, recipe for ham salad

Prep Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 226kcal

Author Beth Pierce

Cut ham into small sections and pulse in a food processor 6-7 times or until desired consistency. Place in a large bowl. Add the celery, onion, mayonnaise, pickle relish, yellow mustard, and dill.
Stir until combined. Season with fresh ground black pepper to taste. If desired add 1-2 tablespoons dill pickle juice.

For optimal taste, use good quality cured smoked ham, as it is the star of the show.
If you don't have a food processor, then dice your ham really fine and continue with the recipe.
You can use dill pickle relish or sweet pickle relish. They both work well! It is just more of a matter of personal preference.
I love Duke's Real Mayonnaise with this recipe. It is creamy, thick, and flavorful. But you can use Miracle Whip for a little added zip.
This recipe also works well for egg salad, tuna salad, and chicken salad.
If, despite your best efforts, to buy good quality ham and it puts off too much moisture, carefully drain the excess moisture and add a few more tablespoons of mayo. This may happen after being stored in the fridge for a couple of days.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. I do not recommend freezing ham salad.