Ham salad—and the inevitable sandwich that follows—is how we put the finishing touch on Easter Sunday dinner leftovers. While a basic ham sandwich needs no tutorial (just grab your favorite bread, cheese, condiments, and stack it all up), the real star is the ham salad.
It’s just as easy to make, but it delivers so much more flavor—and a dose of nostalgia for good measure.
The Critical Decisions
Despite how simple it seems, making the perfect ham salad and sandwich does come with some choices. Most of us make them on autopilot, guided by taste memories more than recipes. But let’s break it down.
First up: the bread. Will you go with classic white? Hearty rye or pumpernickel? Maybe soft Hawaiian buns for slider-sized versions? Crust on or off? Toasted or fresh and fluffy? Each choice brings its own character.
Next: the mayo. This one can be polarizing. Are you a Duke’s devotee? A Hellman’s loyalist? Or, dare I say it—are you Team Miracle Whip?
Then there’s the pickle situation: sweet relish or dill? Some add chopped pickles instead. Both work, depending on your vibe. And don’t forget the mustard—bright yellow or something a bit more hipster like stone-ground or Dijon?
Truthfully, there’s no wrong choice.
Our Ham Salad
This is the way we do it, without any exotic ingredients and look forward to this as much as the baked Easter ham.
Begin by slicing and roughly chopping the ham for the food processor.
Pulse and process the ham to a medium grind. to retain some texture.
Thoroughly mix the condiments together.
Fold in the processed ham and when finished, refrigerate it for an hour or two to give it time for the flavors to harmonize.
Perfect spread for snack crackers!
A dark rye adds a little more spice!
Hawaiian rolls make terrific sliders!
Toast adds another layer of texture! Print
Ham Salad
Chopped, baked ham with mayo, onion, mustard and relish
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 1-1/2 pounds 1x
Ingredients
- 1–1/4 lb baked ham – trimmed of excess fat
- 1 cup Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise
- 2 TBL sweet pickle relish
- 1/2 cup celery – diced – about 2 small ribs
- 1 hard-boiled egg yolk
- 2 green onions – thinly sliced
- 1 TBL yellow mustard
- 1 tsp ground black pepper – more to taste
- 1 pinch paprika – garnish for spread
- Assorted crackers, toasted white bread, pumpernickel or Hawaiian buns
Instructions
- Roughly chop the ham, then pulse it in a food processor to a medium texture and set aside
- Mix the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl
- Fold in the ham until fully mixed
- Adjust the pepper to taste and refrigerate for an hour or two to allow the flavors toharmonize
- Snack away!