There’s simply not a better way to use left over ham than this Old Fashioned Ham Salad Recipe. Technically a Ham Salad Spread, a beautiful combination of salty ham, sweet pickle relish and creamy mayo. With a bit of crunch from chopped onion and celery, it’s, it’s perfect.
This recipe will show you how to make ham salad the easy way. I’ve been making this Old Fashioned Ham Salad Recipe for recipe for 40+ years. A recipe from my mom, who must have made a jillion of these while I was growing up.
Use left over ham or you can purchase a ham steak at the store for a quick lunch or dinner. It’s perfect for a soup and sandwich type of meal.
How To Easily Chop Ham
Here’s how to make quick work of chopping ham fine enough to make a great ham salad sandwich. No need for those old fashioned meat grinders to get those chunks of ham into a manageable size.
A food processor works wonders to chop that ham.
Your food processor is a great tool to grind meat. I use it often to chop chicken breasts for recipes like this Hatch Green Chile Chicken Burger.
Simply use the pulse function to grind the meat to desired consistency.
How To Make Ham Salad Sandwiches
- Place chopped han, chopped celery and onions, pickle relish, sugar, vinegar and mayonnaise.
- Use a large spoon to blend the ingredients. You’re ready to build those ham salad sandwiches.
- Use your favorite sandwich bread. Add some lettuce, leafy green lettuce or iceberg lettuce works well here. Smear the ham salad spread on the bread. If you’re feeling fancy, use a toothpick and top with a little Cornichon.
More Recipes Using Left Over Ham
And if you’re looking for more sandwich ideas, don’t miss my category for Sandwich Recipes. You’ll find lots of great ideas including the most popular on my site for this Club Sub Sandwich. A great way to feed a crowd.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Old Fashioned Ham Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups ham chopped
- ¼ cup sweet pickle relish
- ⅔ cup celery diced
- ¼ cup onion finely diced
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon cider vinegar
Instructions
- Use a food processor to chop the ham. Just a few pulses will do.
- Add all other ingredients and mix well.
Notes
Nutrition
Ham Salad Sandwich, It’s What’s For Dinner
Why Trust These Recipes? Lea Ann Brown has lived, worked and played in Colorado for 45 years. She has immersed herself in the Colorado Culinary space, is a Culinary School Graduate and publishes her Colorado food Blog, Cooking On The Ranch.
I haven’t had ham salad in ages! I was thinking about it a few months ago, and never got around to making some. Now I can’t wait to make a batch! Your recipe looks wonderful. Nice food styling on the photos, too. Thanks!
Thanks for that compliment John.
That was one delicious Ham Salad recipe. I used dill relish just my preference. I’ll be making more and maybe even try it by using half sour pickles or garlic fills. Thank you!
Hi Rich. Thanks so much for taking the time to rate this recipe. My mom used dill relish for this recipe, I think it’s good both ways.
Your ham salad sandwich brought back memories of home to me as well. If we had a ham on Sundays, I always knew that I would have a ham salad sandwich in my lunch bag on Mondays. The only difference was that my mother made hers with dill pickles otherwise, exactly the same. 🙂
Lea Ann, love this recipe AND the story behind it! I need to make a stack of these and have some people over for cards – and maybe start a trend!
Several years ago we moved to a community that’s very active. Cards, dominoes, game nights. Which is the inspiration for resurecting this recipe.
So I have to tell you I didn’t grow up on ham. Manservant loves it and I buy it for him. I’ve never made it! I know he would love these sandwiches!
You should make it for him. So easy – so delish.
This is exactly the way my Mom made Ham Salad – it is just the best! And she had the same meat grinder….Thanks for bringing back this memory and now I have a plan for Easter and the week after!
I still have that same grinder. I threaten to haul it out sometime and use it, but seems the food processor wins out.