Southern-Style Ham Salad

By
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 10/3/21
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 15 mins
Servings: 6 to 8 servings

This ham salad recipe is easy to prepare in a food processor or small food chopper, but can also be minced by hand. It's a great way to use the holidays' leftover ham without going back to the same old recipes.

Add sweet pickle relish or finely chopped pickles to flavor the ham, hard-cooked eggs, and a generous dollop of creamy mayonnaise for an amazing salad that's good on sandwiches or crunchy lettuce. Add more crunchy veggies like sweet red bell peppers, or finely chopped jicama, tart apples, or yellow carrots.

Southern style ham salad

The Spruce

Use it to fill mini sandwich buns, croissants, biscuits, or small rolls that are perfect for baby showers, parties, or game-day gatherings. Pack it in an airtight container and bring it to a picnic, potluck or BBQ. Stuff baked potatoes with the salad and top with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream and chopped chives. For lunch or dinner, serve the ham-salad sandwiches with a cup of soup, a tossed salad, potato chips, or French fries.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 to 2 cups ham, finely chopped

  • 1/4 cup celery, finely chopped

  • 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped

  • 6 tablespoons mayonnaise

  • 2 tablespoons sweet pickles, finely chopped, or sweet relish relish

  • Kosher salt, to taste

  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

  • 1 large egg, hard-cooked and finely chopped

  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped, optional

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Gather the ingredients
    The Spruce 

  2. In a medium bowl, mix together chopped ham, celery, and onion.

    Mix together ham, celery, onion
    The Spruce 

  3. Add mayonnaise and mix until well moistened, adding more if necessary.

    Add the mayo and mix
    The Spruce

  4. Add chopped sweet pickles or sweet pickle relish, salt, pepper, chopped hard-cooked egg, and optional chopped parsley. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

    Add pickles
    The Spruce 

  5. Serve ham salad on lettuce leaves or mixed salad greens or use it as a filling for sandwiches.

    Serve on a salad
    The Spruce

Additional Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Replace the sweet pickle relish with dill relish or chopped dill pickles.
  • Add a dash of Cajun seasoning for a little extra zing.
  • Add 1 teaspoon of hot sauce or a sprinkle of chili flakes to add some spiciness.
  • For a less caloric dressing, replace the mayonnaise with the same amount of full-fat Greek yogurt, plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add 1 cup of cubed and peeled cooked potatoes to make a heartier preparation.
  • Add 2 cups of cooked short pasta, and add olive oil, fresh lemon juice, and 2 additional tablespoons of mayo to make a delicious pasta salad.
  • Blind bake discs of puff pastry in muffin tins until golden brown to make mini pastry baskets that you can fill with the salad alongside roasted vegetables.
  • Fill hot dog buns with the salad and serve with a side of homemade yuca chips.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
159 Calories
11g Fat
3g Carbs
12g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6 to 8
Amount per serving
Calories 159
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g 14%
Saturated Fat 2g 9%
Cholesterol 60mg 20%
Sodium 639mg 28%
Total Carbohydrate 3g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 12g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 212mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags: