Southern Ham Salad

Don’t Throw Away That Ham

I’ll tell you something that’s true in a lot of Southern kitchens — nothing goes to waste. If you cook a big ham for Sunday dinner or the holidays, what’s left in the fridge a few days later isn’t a problem. It’s an opportunity.

Ham salad is one of those recipes that has been around forever here in the South. It might not be as well-known in other parts of the country, but if you grew up here, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It’s simple, creamy, a little tangy from the pickles and pickle juice, and it has just the right amount of heartiness from the egg and the ham.

I’ve been making this for years, and I love the fact that once you learn the basic recipe, you’ve got options. You can put it on crackers for an easy appetizer or afternoon snack. You can make a sandwich — and if you use a brioche bun, it feels a little fancy without any extra effort. Or you can skip the bread entirely and serve it as a salad bowl with some fresh tomatoes, and it’s a genuinely satisfying low-carb lunch.

We also have a ham and cheese quiche recipe on the channel that’s another great way to use up leftover ham — but if you’ve already seen that one, this gives you something a little different in your rotation.

One batch. Three meals. I think you’re going to love it.

Ham Salad Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: None (just need one pre-boiled egg) Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

For the Ham Salad:

• 1 lb cooked ham, roughly cubed
• 1 boiled egg
• 1 stalk celery
• 2 green onions
• ⅓ cup kosher dill pickles, roughly chopped

For the Dressing:

• ⅓ cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (stone ground recommended)
• 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste

For Serving (choose your way!):

• On crackers: Your favorite crackers and a small spreader
• As a sandwich: Brioche buns, sandwich bread, or plain buns; lettuce
• As a salad: Mixed greens, cherry tomatoes, any other veggies you like

Instructions

1. Prep your vegetables. Give the celery a rough chop into manageable pieces — they don’t need to be tiny, the blender will handle that. Do the same with the green onions, trimming the ends and cutting them into a few pieces. A rough chop is all you need here.
2. Add everything to the blender. Place the celery, green onions, roughly cubed ham, chopped dill pickles, and the boiled egg (cut into a few pieces) into your blender or food processor. A food processor actually works a little better here — it gives you more control over the texture. But a blender works fine; you’ll just need to stop and scrape down the sides once or twice.
3. Pulse — don’t blend. This is the key step. You want to pulse in short bursts, not run it continuously. We’re going for a chunky, slightly coarse texture — some nice pieces of ham and bits of pickle and onion throughout. If you run it too long, it’ll turn into a paste, and we don’t want that. Give it a few pulses, check the consistency, and keep going until it looks right to you.
4. Make the dressing. In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, pickle juice, and black pepper. Give it a good stir until it’s smooth. Taste it before adding any salt — the pickle juice brings some saltiness on its own, and the ham will too.
5. Combine and taste. Add the dressing to the ham mixture and stir everything together until it’s well coated. Now taste it. The ham and pickle juice should provide most of the salt you need. Add just a little if you feel it needs it, but go easy — you can always add more, but you can’t take it back.
6. Serve your way.

• On crackers: Spoon into a pretty bowl with a little spreader alongside your favorite crackers. A nice presentation makes it feel like a proper spread.
• As a sandwich: Spread a little mayonnaise on your bun, pile on the ham salad, and top with crisp lettuce. A brioche bun elevates the whole thing if you want to make it a little special.
• As a salad bowl: Lay out your greens, arrange some sliced cherry tomatoes around the edges, and place a generous scoop of ham salad right in the center. Add any other veggies you like — red onion would be really good here too.

Tips

• Food processor vs. blender: If you have a food processor, use it. It handles this recipe more evenly and gives you better control over the texture. A blender works, but you’ll need to stop and move things around to make sure it all gets chopped.
• Make it ahead: Ham salad keeps beautifully in the fridge for 3–4 days in a covered container, which makes it a great Sunday meal prep recipe.
• Customize the texture: If you prefer a chunkier ham salad, pulse less and leave some bigger pieces. If you prefer it smoother and more spreadable, pulse a little longer. Either way is delicious.
• No leftover ham? Diced ham from the grocery store works perfectly. You can find it pre-cubed near the lunch meats.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is ham salad made of? At its simplest, ham salad is ground or finely chopped cooked ham mixed with a creamy dressing — usually mayo-based. This recipe adds a boiled egg, celery, green onion, dill pickles, and pickle juice to round out the flavor and texture. It’s savory, slightly tangy, and satisfying.

What kind of ham is best for ham salad? Leftover cooked ham is ideal — bone-in or boneless both work. If you don’t have leftovers, a package of pre-diced ham from the store is a perfectly good option. Avoid deli-sliced ham, which tends to be too thin and delicate for this.

Can I use a blender instead of a food processor? Yes, but a food processor gives you better control over the texture. With a blender, you’ll need to stop frequently and scrape down the sides to make sure everything gets evenly chopped. Either way, pulse in short bursts — don’t run it continuously or you’ll end up with a paste.

How long does homemade ham salad last in the refrigerator? Stored in a covered container, ham salad keeps well for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. It’s a great make-ahead dish for the week.

Can I freeze ham salad? Freezing is not recommended. Mayonnaise-based salads tend to separate and become watery when thawed, and the texture of the vegetables won’t hold up well. It’s best made fresh and enjoyed within a few days.

What do you serve with ham salad? So many options! Crackers are the classic choice for snacking and appetizers. A brioche or sandwich bun makes a great ham salad sandwich with some crisp lettuce. And if you’re skipping the carbs, a scoop over fresh greens with sliced tomatoes makes a hearty and satisfying salad bowl.

Can I substitute sweet pickles for dill pickles? You can, but it will change the flavor noticeably. Dill pickles give the salad a tangy, savory quality. Sweet pickles will make it sweeter, which some people love — it’s more like a classic Southern-style spread. Just be aware the pickle juice will also be sweeter if you go that route.

What kind of mustard should I use? Dijon is recommended, and a stone ground Dijon adds a little extra texture and depth. That said, yellow mustard works fine if that’s what you have on hand. The mustard adds a subtle tang that complements the mayo and pickle juice without overpowering anything.

Is ham salad a Southern thing? It’s especially popular in the South, where it’s been a lunchtime staple for generations. That said, variations of ham salad exist across the country — the Southern version tends to lean into dill pickles and a tangy mayo-based dressing.

Can I add other ingredients to ham salad? Absolutely. This recipe is a solid base, but you can customize it. Some people add a little sweet relish, a pinch of paprika, or even a dash of hot sauce. Diced red onion instead of green onion is a nice variation too. Start with the base recipe and adjust from there to suit your taste.

Made this recipe? We’d love to hear from you! Leave a comment below or share a photo. And if you have a family recipe you think belongs at Mary Katherine’s Table, visit our From Your Kitchen to Ours page — we’d love to try it.

Remember to go out today and find somebody who needs a little bit of kindness, and give them some of yours. — Mary Katherine