Save This Recipe
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
A little salty, a little tangy, and a whole lot of “pass me the crackers.”
Okay, so let me start by saying this: if you’ve never had old-school ham salad, this might sound a little strange at first. Ham… in a salad? With mayo? And eggs?? But trust me—this is one of those retro recipes that should’ve never gone out of style.
My grandma used to make a version of this with leftover holiday ham, usually the kind that had a crispy brown sugar crust and still smelled like cloves three days later. She’d just toss the leftover chunks into a food grinder (the kind that clamped to the kitchen counter) with a boiled egg, a few sad stalks of celery, and—always—sweet pickle relish from a jar she swore she made herself.
Fast forward a few decades and here I am, still making a version of her country-style ham salad, but with a few little tweaks. It’s salty, creamy, a little sweet from the relish, and honestly? Slathered between two slices of white bread with a slice of tomato… it hits.
Why This Recipe’s a Keeper
-
Uses up leftover ham like a champ.
-
Takes 10 minutes, tops. Unless your food processor goes rogue.
-
Great for sandwiches, sliders, or just piling onto crackers.
-
Feeds a small crowd—or one person who really likes ham salad.
-
Stays good in the fridge for a few days—if it lasts that long.
Ingredients (aka the stuff that makes this tick)
-
1½ lbs thick slab ham, fully cooked and roughly chopped
(Leftovers are fine. Just nothing too sweet or glazed with anything too weird.) -
1 large hard-boiled egg
(Peel it first. I once forgot. It was… crunchy.) -
½ cup celery, chopped
(Not too fine—you want a little bite.) -
1 tsp white onion, finely diced
(You can use yellow if that’s what you have. Just don’t go overboard—raw onion takes over fast.) -
⅔ cup mayo
(Duke’s is the Southern go-to, but Hellmann’s works too. Just don’t use Miracle Whip unless you like fights at the table.) -
3 tbsp sweet relish
(The classic kind. Or chop up bread-and-butter pickles if you’re feeling rustic.) -
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
(Adds just enough zing.) -
½ tsp black pepper
(You can adjust this to taste—some folks like it peppery.) -
Bread or crackers, for serving
(I like it on saltines, but any cracker works. Or just eat it with a spoon. Been there.)
How to Make It (This Goes Quick, So Pay Attention)
1. Mince the ham mix
Throw the ham, hard-boiled egg, celery, and onion into a big ol’ food processor. Pulse it a few times until it looks minced—not paste, not big chunks. Somewhere in between. Stop and scrape the sides if needed. You’re looking for spreadable, not soup.
2. Make the dressing
In a big mixing bowl, stir together the mayo, sweet relish, Dijon mustard, and black pepper. Nothing fancy. Just get it smooth.
3. Mix it all up
Scoop the ham mixture into the bowl with the mayo stuff. Stir it until it’s fully combined and everything looks evenly coated.
4. Chill it
Cover the bowl and let it chill in the fridge for at least an hour. Trust me, it tastes way better after the flavors hang out for a bit.
5. Serve it how you like
Scoop it onto Ritz crackers, spread it on white bread with a slice of tomato, stuff it into a croissant if you’re feeling fancy—or just eat it by the spoonful standing in front of the fridge. (No shame.)
Little Notes & Variations
-
Too salty? Try using part ham, part cooked chicken next time.
-
No food processor? Just chop everything by hand. It’ll take longer but taste just as good.
-
Want it a little spicy? Add a dash of hot sauce or a pinch of cayenne.
-
Prefer dill pickles? Go for it! I’ve done both. Depends on my mood.
-
Making ahead? It’s even better the next day. Just give it a stir before serving.
Just One More Thing…
This is the kind of recipe that doesn’t look glamorous on Pinterest and definitely won’t go viral on TikTok. But you know what? It works. It feeds people. It brings back memories. And sometimes, that’s all you need from a recipe.
If you end up making it—and someone in your house says, “Wait… this is actually really good”—you’ll know you did it right.
Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today.
Let me know if you make it—or don’t. Either way, I hope your fridge is full and your sandwiches are stacked high.
Country-Style Ham Salad
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs thick slab ham, fully cooked and roughly chopped
- 1 large hard boiled egg
- 1/2 cup celery, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon white onion, finely diced
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Bread or crackers, for serving
Instructions
- Add the ham, hard-boiled egg, celery, and onion to a food processor and pulse until evenly minced.
- In a large bowl, stir together the mayo, sweet relish, Dijon mustard, and black pepper until well combined.
- Add the ham mixture to the bowl and stir until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
- Serve cold with bread or crackers.
Notes