A delicious recipe for leftover ham, this is simply the Best Ham Salad recipe I have ever tried! It can be served as a sandwich spread or as a dip for veggies and crackers. 

Best Ham Salad Recipe

One of the best things about any big holiday meal is all of the yummy leftovers.

I think when it comes to this ham salad recipe, my daughter looks forward to having leftovers more than she looks forward to the actual ham on the holiday. When I told her we were having ham for Easter supper, she didn’t skip a beat asking, “is there going to be enough to make ham salad afterwards?!”

Luckily, even if you only have a cup of leftover ham, you can make this easy ham salad recipe. (Just adjust the other ingredients accordingly.)

This ham salad recipe has the perfect combination of flavors and textures. While it’s pureed to be smooth, there are little bits of crunch from the pickles and celery (serving on a bed of lettuce also helps with the texture contrast). The mouth-watering combination of the salty ham with the tangy pickles, heat from the mustard and white pepper and creaminess of the mayonnaise is balanced to make each bite interesting and satisfying.

You can serve this ham salad with the ham, pickles and celery diced up and not pureed for a bit more texture. We prefer it pureed so it can be used as a spread on sandwiches, crackers or wedges of crunchy lettuce (my favorite).

Ham salad isn’t just perfect for leftovers – it’s a great option for entertaining. If you buy one of those little grocery store hams, they come pre-cooked so you can just chop it up and make a giant batch of this ham salad.

Can you freeze ham salad? Yes, but it can be a bit watery after freezing so I personally would just freeze the diced ham instead of the prepared ham salad. However, if you don’t mind the texture change, you can freeze ham salad for up to two months in an airtight ziptop bag or your favorite freezer container. (This set of freezer containers is a crazy bargain.)

If using a freezer container, ensure that you leave about an inch empty at the top of the container to allow for the ham salad to expand with freezing.

How long is ham salad good in the refrigerator? Ham salad should last three days in the refrigerator without any flavor or texture loss, if it’s made with fresh ham. 

Ham Salad Variations

• add chopped hard-boiled eggs
• add chopped red onion
• swap out the pickles for sweet pickle relish
• add hot sauce or BBQ sauce
• add your favorite spicy seasoning blend

More Recipes for Leftover Ham

• Hawaiian Pasta Salad
• Ham and Cheese Lunch Pockets
• Ham and Cheese Scones
• Ham and Corn Chowder
• Ham Bone Soup
• Ham and Spinach Quiche

Check out our quick video to see how easy it is to make the best ham salad recipe – and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe card:

Ham Salad Ingredients

• Cold Ham, cubed
• Celery Stalks, diced
• Dill Pickles, diced (to taste)
• Mayonnaise
• Yellow Mustard
• White Pepper

Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.

Tip: adjust the measurements according to your personal preference.

Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Sharp Kitchen Knife
• Cutting Board
• Food Processor

How to Make Ham Salad Spread

In a large bowl, combine the ham, celery, dill pickles, mayonnaise, yellow mustard and white pepper.

Taste and adjust the seasoning, if desired. You can also add a bit of dill pickle juice.

Scoop the mixture into a food processor and puree until smooth.

To assemble your sandwiches, slice your slider buns in half and lay a small piece of romaine lettuce on the bottom half.

Scoop 2-3 Tablespoons of ham salad spread onto the lettuce and then press the sandwich top onto the ham salad.

Pin this Easy Recipe for the BEST Ham Salad you will ever make:

Grab your free printable recipe card for our ham salad recipe:

I hope your family loves this easy ham salad recipe as much as my daughter does!

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