Name: Classic Ham Salad Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 pound ham or bologna; 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped; 1 stalk celery ((optional, chopped very finely if you like crunch in your sandwich)); 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 1/3 cup sweet pickle relish; Seasoning salt ((sparingly if desired--ham is salty already)); freshly ground black pepper to taste; 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar; fresh sweet basil leaves

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Sneak Preview: Turn leftover ham (or bologna) into a creamy, flavorful ham salad with hard-boiled eggs, sweet pickle relish, and mayo. Serve it on crackers, bread, or crispy sweet potato chips!

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Growing up, my mom bought big sticks of bologna (paid link)—cheaper than the sliced kind—and set up an old-fashioned silver grinder (paid link) on a kitchen stool. My sister and I took turns cranking the handle, watching as worm-shaped bologna was magically extruded through the holes. Mixed with hard-boiled eggs, pickles, and mayo, it was pure magic.

This old-fashioned ham salad is still a quick, comforting way to repurpose leftover ham or bologna. Just add mayo, hard-boiled eggs, sweet pickle relish, and a few seasonings, and you’ll be in “hog heaven.”

Shared & Loved
“I’m a child of the 60’s and a country girl. Ham Salad to me will always have bologna and Miracle Whip. I just made it last week for my grown sons. Ahhh, the memories…”–JAN

Ingredients and Substitutions

Classic ham salad is not a precise recipe. Play with it. If you don’t have one or two ingredients, save yourself a trip to the store and substitute.

MAYONNAISE: Mayonnaise is traditional. Try Greek yogurt, Miracle Whip, or a sandwich spread instead.

SWEET PICKLE RELISH: We prefer sweet pickle relish. Use finely chopped bread-and-butter pickles or swap for dill relish.

HARD-BOILED EGGS: These are optional—but I must have them. 😁

HAM: Ham—usually leftovers from the recipe for Slow Cooker Pulled Ham. Substitute bologna, shredded chicken, or even Spam (paid link). Skip the meat and add a couple more hard-boiled eggs for egg salad.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: Use white vinegar or lemon juice instead to add some zip.

EXTRA ADDITIONS: Add chopped celery for crunch or fresh basil for a herby twist.

How To Make Ham (or Bologna) Salad

using a food processor to shred ham — After cubing leftover ham or bologna, place it in a food processor and pulse 10-15 times until the meat is shredded or ground.

chopped hard boiled eggs. — Chop hard-boiled eggs finely.

combining all ingredients for ham salad — Stir in the remaining ingredients.

seasoning ham salad with vinegar — Add two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar to balance the sweet and salty flavors.

Tips That Make a Difference

• Chop the ham (or bologna) finely — this gives the salad a creamy texture and makes it spread evenly.
• If using frozen ham or bologna slices, let them thaw slightly before processing for a cleaner chop.
• Add chopped celery or fresh basil just before serving for extra crunch and freshness.
• For sandwiches, layer whole basil leaves instead of chopped — they’ll keep their color and look fresher.

Classic Ham Salad Recipe

By Paula Rhodes

Ham salad is a creamy, savory spread made with leftover ham (or bologna), hard-boiled eggs, sweet pickle relish, and mayo. Serve it on sandwiches, crackers, or oven-baked sweet potato chips for a nostalgic and satisfying meal.

5 from 2 votes

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Video

Prep time: 20

Total time: 20

Ingredients

1 pound (453 g) ham or bologna
2 (100 g) hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 (40 g) stalk celery (optional, chopped very finely if you like crunch in your sandwich)
½ cup (112 g) mayonnaise
⅓ cup (82 g) sweet pickle relish
Seasoning salt (sparingly if desired–ham is salty already)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
fresh sweet basil leaves

Instructions

Chop the Ham: Cube leftover 1 pound (453 g) ham or bologna and pulse in a food processor 10-15 times until finely chopped.
Prepare the Eggs and Celery: Chop hard-boiled eggs and 1 (40 g) stalk celery (if using) finely.
Mix Ingredients: In a bowl, combine the ham, eggs, 1/2 cup (112 g) mayonnaise, and 1/3 cup (82 g) sweet pickle relish.
Season to Taste: Add 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, freshly ground black pepper to taste, and a small amount of seasoning salt if needed.
Make it Fancy: Chop fresh sweet basil leaves and add to spread if serving immediately. Otherwise, leaves should be left whole and added to the sandwich before serving. Cut leaves will turn an unappetizing color.

Equipment

Nutrition

All images and text ©️ Paula Rhodes for Salad in a Jar.com

5-Star Ratings Are My Favorite!Help others find this recipe in search results on the web.

Shareworthy Ways to Serve Ham Salad

ham salad piled atop oven-baked sweet potato chips

Classic Sandwich: Spread on soft white bread or homemade rolls. Try it with homemade cranberry yeast bread, cranberry lemon dinner rolls, poppy seed rolls, or these dinner rolls using the Tangzhong method.
Cracker Spread: Pair with Ritz crackers, saltines, or gluten-free alternatives.
Lettuce Wrap: Scoop onto lettuce leaves for a fresh, light option.
Sweet Potato Chips: Serve atop homemade Skinny Sweet Potato Chips for a crispy, grain-free snack.

FAQs About Ham Salad

How long does ham salad last?
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Can I freeze ham salad?
- Freezing is not recommended due to the mayo-based dressing and the hard-boiled eggs.

What else can I do with leftover ham?
- Use it in soups (like this Ham Stew with Beef and Bacon), or homemade ham and cheese biscuits.

Final Thoughts

Ham salad is a nostalgic, crowd-pleasing spread that’s easy to customize. Whether you use leftover ham, bologna, or even chicken, this creamy, tangy mix is a must-try. For bread lovers, try it with this sourdough sandwich loaf, toasted, for an extra-special touch!

Need help troubleshooting? Please email me: Paula at saladinajar.com–photos welcome!

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Paula Rhodes, owner

As a retired home economist, I created Saladinajar.com to share my belief that you don’t have to be a chef to find joy in creating homemade food worth sharing. Bread machines (used in an unconventional way), homemade yogurt, and quick microwave recipes are my specialty.

5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)

8 Comments

Lisa Renee' says:

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Can’t wait to try this! I make my ham salad with left over ham, mayo, green onion and green bell pepper, so yummy!!!!

1. Paula says:
  
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  Your version sounds more colorful and equally delicious! Thanks for sharing!
  
Jan says:

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I’m sure this is absolutely delicious but I’m a child of the 60’s and a country girl. Ham Salad to me will always have bologna and Miracle Whip. I just made it last week for my grown sons. Ahhh, the memories…

1. Paula says:
  
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  So your mom made it with bologna, too? Maybe everybody did it like that back then. Thanks for writing.
  
Akrista L. says:

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This looks delicious! Your website is beautiful too – lovely photos, great recipes. I have found several others I’d like to try as well. Do you mind if we share your ham salad sandwich spread recipe on our site? We always provide a link back.
Thanks!

Amanda says:

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Oh that looks great! Your photos are gorgeous as usual 🙂

Margaret says:

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Very similar to the recipe I use, but I like the addition of the basil. I use my Silver Bullet to chop up everything. Gives me little pieces.

Janell says:

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Thanks for the post, I can’t wait to try the ham salad recipe! I think it is something my 3 yr old will eat:)