This classic ham salad recipe is one you’ll come back to again and again. It’s fast, easy, and so versatile — whether you’re piling it on sandwiches, making little sliders for game day, or spreading it on crackers for a quick snack.
With just a few ingredients and your food processor, you can whip it up in minutes, using leftover ham or even store-bought ham. If you do purchase ham, I am a raving fan of the little pre-sliced Hormel Cure 81 quarter hams I buy at Walmart.
They weigh about a pound and a half to three pounds, and Papa and I can make two, three, or more meals out of one. I might make some in a skillet with a little butter and pure maple syrup, make a pan of skillet scalloped potatoes and ham, or use the last bits to chop and stuff in baked potatoes with cheese, or this yummy ham salad.
Ham salad is not as common as chicken salad, and that's a shame because it's delicious no matter how you serve it. When the holidays are over, we get tired of plain ham sandwiches and ham and bean soup. This ham salad is a great way to make that leftover ham into something new and exciting.
When we lived on the farm, I'd get out this old hand-me-down hand-crank meat grinder when I wanted to make my ham salad recipe. It does a wonderful job, but it's a bit of a chore to take apart and clean.
I have such fond memories of my mom using it — and it’s still kicking today, held together with a little piece of lavender rubber glove I improvised as a washer! These days, I let my food processor do the work, but the old grinder still makes me smile.
You can still buy meat grinders like that, and if you ever wanted to make ham salad when the power went out or while camping, it would be just the thing for the job! I still have mine if the occasion ever arises! I'm too sentimental to get rid of it!
Thankfully, we have food processors that make this a ten-minute job or less, and everything can be popped right in the dishwasher for a quick and easy cleanup! When you're done, you have enough filling for eight sandwiches, lots of sliders, or a bowlful to pile on hearty crackers!
Begin by cutting the ham into dice and pop it in a food processor with the blade attachment. Pulse just until it's coarsely chopped. Now, add the other ingredients.
I used chopped onion, celery, mayonnaise, yellow mustard, dill pickle slices (because I had some in the fridge), and some black pepper. My favorite for this ham salad recipe is actually bread and butter pickles.
Once you've added those ingredients, pulse the mixture again, but only enough to blend all the ingredients. You want the ham salad to retain some pleasing texture.
Too much pulsing will make the mix more pasty and not as tasty. If it seems a little dry, you can add some mayonnaise or even pickle juice for a bit of extra flavor.
The great thing about this ham salad recipe is that you can make it your own! Add green onion, red onion, or keep it simple with no onion at all. Use dill pickles, sweet pickles, bread-and-butter pickles, or even pickle relish.
You can customize this ham salad to your taste — try yellow mustard, brown mustard, Dijon, or none at all. Some folks like to add hard-boiled egg or shredded cheese, and others toss in olives or capers for extra tang.
No matter how you make it, you’ll be glad you have leftover ham, just so you can make this recipe. 😉Serve it on soft slider buns with Swiss cheese and lettuce, between two slices of hearty pumpernickel with cheddar, or piled high on crisp crackers for an easy snack. We love Milton's Multigrain Gourmet Crackers.
There are so many great things you can do with ham! One of our favorite recipes for ham is Grammy's Wonderful Ham Balls! One of our other favorites is Easy Ham and Bean Soup!
This is a classic ham salad you can make quickly and easily in your food processor. You can vary the ingredients to taste.
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My grandmother made the best ham salad using a meat grinder just like yours. I still have it and use it to grind meat. I think it does a better job than a food processor (and is easier to clean). She would make it with Miracle Whip, homemade bread and butter pickles or pimiento stuffed olives (my favorite).
Oh my stars! As you know, I have and use a meat grinder and you're right on all counts! I love ham salad, bread-and-butter pickles and pimento-stuffed olives! I wish we lived next door! Thanks for taking time to pop by and say hello!! 😍