Old Fashioned Ham Salad Recipe

Name: Old Fashioned Ham Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ham (cooked, roughly chopped); 1 egg hard boiled egg (chopped fine); 2 stalks celery (minced fine); ¼ cup onion (finely minced ); 1 cup mayonnaise; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; ⅓ cup dill pickles (finely chopped ); 1 tablespoon pickle juice; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 1 teaspoon black pepper (optional)

Old fashioned ham salad is a Southern classic with diced ham, hard-boiled eggs, celery, sweet onion, dill pickles, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard. The pickles and mustard add tangy flavor while eggs and celery provide texture. Perfect for sandwiches, crackers, stuffed tomatoes, or as part of a Southern appetizer spread at showers, parties, and potlucks. Ready in 10 minutes using leftover ham or deli ham, it feeds 6 people and costs under $8.

Jump to Recipe

bowl of ham salad with a hand holding a cracker with some on it

I will admit that I am not a big ham fan, but usually because I try it sliced from a baked ham. And it’s usually too salty or dried out. I know, not many things are too salty for me but ham can be sometimes.

That’s where this ham salad comes into play. It’s the perfect amount of ham and having it mixed with the eggs, pickles, celery, and mayo, gives it a whole new flavor.

It’s ready in about 10 minutes, and is perfect for baby showers, bridal showers, engagement parties, and even birthday parties. It’s a staple in the South at these events (usually served on silver platters or fancy dishes) along with chicken salad, egg salad, pimento cheese, and cream cheese topped with pepper jelly.

Round out your Southern party spread with some cheese straws, deviled eggs, or a relish tray. All of these are yummy and are favorites down South!

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individual ingredients for a recipe with text overlay labeling them

See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.

Ingredient Notes

Ham – Use leftover baked ham from holidays, thick-cut ham from the deli counter, or some of a spiral ham. Tavern ham from the deli is my favorite. Smoked ham adds nice smoky flavor. Remove any tough outer casing or extra crispy edges before dicing.
Eggs – Hard boiled eggs are a traditional Southern addition but you can skip them if you do like them.
Celery – This seems to be in all the Southern dishes I make because it adds crunch and is very cost effective. Dice it small so every bite has some and it’s easy to eat.
Onion – I use a sweet onion like Vidalia, Walla Walla, or a white onion. Be sure to dice it very small.
Mayonnaise – Duke’s is my favorite but Hellmann’s or even Miracle Whip work if you like it sweeter.
Mustard – Dijon mustard adds a really good tangy flavor. Whole grain mustard or yellow mustard are great substitutes.
Pickles – Everyone usually adds sweet pickle relish but for this recipe you need dill pickles to balance out the mayo and eggs. Chop them small and add a tablespoon of pickle juice to the dressing for extra tang.

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How To Make Ham Salad

food processor bowl with chopped ham in it

Rough chop the ham into chunks and pulse 5-10 times until the ham is roughly minced with texture. Don’t over-pulse or it turns into paste.

white bowl with diced ham, celery, pickles, onion, and dressing in it but unmixed

Transfer the ham to a large bowl. Add chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced celery, diced onion, chopped pickles, mayo, mustard, pickle juice, and lemon juice.

white bowl full of ham salad with some crackers on the counter around it

Stir gently to combine everything. Don’t over mix or it becomes too smooth and loses texture. Taste and season with black pepper.

hand holding a cracker with ham salad on it hovering over a bowl of salad

Serve immediately or chill until ready to eat. I love it with crackers or on toasted bread for sandwiches.

For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Storage & Food Safety

Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container or bowl wrapped tightly with plastic wrap for up to 4 days. Stir before serving because a little bit of water can separate when it’s stored.

Freezer: I don’t recommend freezing ham salad. The mayo separates and can get a grainy texture when it thaws. Not to mention the ham and vegetables can get mushy when you thaw them too. If you have to freeze it, leave the dressing out of it and then make fresh when you’re ready to eat.

Make-Ahead: Make up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate. The flavors actually improve as they sit. Chill for 15-30 minutes before serving for the best flavor.

Room Temperature Safety: Refrigerate right away after you make it. Never leave ham salad at room temperature longer than 2 hours, it will spoil. In hot weather (above 90°F), don’t leave it out longer than 1 hour.

Outdoor Events: Set the bowl of ham salad in a larger bowl filled with ice to keep it cold. Or store in a cooler until just before serving.

Variations

Sweet Ham Salad: Use sweet pickles or sweet pickle relish instead of dill pickles for sweeter Southern-style version.

Not a Ham Fan: Try bologna, spam, or leftover pork for different flavors.

Add Vegetables: Stir in diced bell peppers, pimentos, roasted red peppers, fresh mushrooms, or capers for extra flavor.

Spicy Ham Salad: Add horseradish, pepperoncini peppers with juice, Wickles spicy pickles, or a dash of hot sauce for kick.

Double the Recipe: Stretch it by adding extra hard-boiled eggs, celery, and onion along with more ham.

Skip the Eggs: Leave out eggs for simpler ham salad that’s still delicious.

Lighter Version: Replace half the mayo with plain yogurt or coleslaw dressing for fewer calories.

More Leftover Ham Recipes

Ham Tetrazzini – Creamy mushroom pasta skillet meal
Club Sliders – Triple-decker with Swiss, turkey
Ham Quiche – Cheesy egg custard bake
Split Pea & Ham Soup – Slow-simmered comfort classic

single cracker on a table topped with diced ham and pickles

Ways to Serve Ham Salad

Classic Sandwiches: Spread on toasted white bread, wheat bread, croissants, sub rolls, slider buns, or Texas toast with lettuce, tomato, and red onion.
With Crackers: Serve as a dip with butter crackers, Ritz crackers, or water crackers. Don’t leave out classic Saltines!
Stuffed Celery: Fill celery stalks for an easy after-school snack.
Over Greens: Scoop over a bed of lettuce or crisp salad greens for a light lunch.
Baked Potato Topping: Spoon over baked potatoes for a fun twist.
Grilled Cheese: Add to grilled cheese sandwiches for extra flavor.
Pasta Salad: Stir into deviled egg pasta salad for an easy lunch.
With Vegetables: Serve as a dip with cucumber slices, bell pepper strips, or potato chips.

stack of ham salad sandwiches with lettuce on a plate

How to Make the Best Ham Salad Sandwiches

Use the right bread. White bread, wheat, sub rolls, slider buns, croissants, or Texas toast all work well.
Toast the bread for best results. This helps it hold up against the ham salad without getting soggy. Texas toast and slider buns are really good toasted.
Spread the mayo first. Put a thin layer of mayo between the bread and ham salad to create a moisture barrier so the bread stays toasted longer.
Add toppings. Crisp lettuce, ripe tomatoes, and tangy red onion add texture and flavor and are perfect next to the extra creamy ham salad.
Don’t overstuff the bread. Too much filling squishes out the sides when you bite into the sandwich. Use about ½ cup per sandwich for best results.

hand holding a cracker topped with diced ham, onion, and pickles

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use a food processor?

No, but it makes it much easier and faster. You can chop the ham into small pieces by hand but it’s time-consuming. The food processor takes seconds and creates more uniform texture.

Can I make ham salad without the eggs?

Yes! The eggs are traditional but not essential. Skip them if you don’t like eggs or want simpler ham salad.

What is the best ham to use?

Leftover baked ham from holidays, thick-cut deli ham (tavern ham is great), or spiral ham all work perfectly. Smoked ham adds nice flavor. Don’t use thin-sliced sandwich ham since it turns to paste.

Can you freeze ham salad?

I don’t recommend it. The mayo separates and the vegetables get mushy and watery when thawed. If you must freeze it, freeze without mayo and add fresh mayo after thawing.

Can I use sweet pickles instead of dill?

Absolutely! Sweet pickles or sweet pickle relish create sweeter Southern-style ham salad. Both versions are traditional.

How long does it last?

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Stir before serving since ingredients can settle.

Why isn’t there salt in the recipe?

Most ham is already pretty salty. Adding more salt usually makes it too salty (even for me). It’s better to make it, taste it, and then add salt only if it needs it.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

Using leftover ham is great for this salad. Holiday ham gets new life instead of sitting in the fridge untouched or thrown away. Use high-quality thick-cut ham or ham steak from the deli if you don’t have leftovers. Avoid the thin-sliced packaged sandwich ham since it’s too thin and turns to paste.
Don’t over pulse the ham. Just 5-10 quick bursts is perfect. Anything more and it turns to paste instead of having texture. Rough chop the ham into chunks before pulsing in the processor. This helps it process more evenly.
Pickle juice in the dressing adds tangy flavor without extra ingredients. If you don’t have extra pickle juice, try a little vinegar or more mustard.
Chill for 15-30 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
If making sandwiches, toast the bread before making sandwiches. This prevents the bread from getting soggy. And spread mayo on the bread first.
Stir gently when mixing. Aggressive stirring breaks down texture and makes everything mushy.

This old fashioned ham salad recipe is a classic southern dish and my favorite way to use up leftover ham from the holidays.

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