Easy Homemade Ham Salad
Easy Homemade Ham Salad is a classic ham salad spread that tastes better than anything from the deli case. You can absolutely make it with leftover holiday ham, but this version is designed for real life, using packaged sliced ham that gets a quick simmer with brown sugar to mellow the salt and add a subtle sweetness.
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What makes old-fashioned ham salad so good?
I should name this recipe Gloria’s ham salad. Gloria makes an amazingly tasty, quick, and easy ham salad without eggs. I was recently at a party, and Gloria brought the most delicious ham salad I’ve had. I wasn’t the only person at the party who thought this was the most amazing ham salad imaginable. I knew with one bite, I had to ask her for her recipe and share this recipe with you.
You don’t need to have leftover ham to prepare this recipe. I love that she uses simple slices of ham to make this homemade old-fashioned ham salad. She also uses many unique ingredients in it, and I thought it would be a great recipe to add to the website.
In no time at all, you can enjoy this easy-to-make ham spread.
When you start with great-quality ingredients, you get results that are quite good. I had one of the best ham salad sandwiches in recent memory, and best of all, this was made with this easy ham salad.
Ham Salad Ingredients
Here’s a list of what you need:
- Ham (sliced lunch meat or leftover ham) – The base of the spread, savory and satisfying.
- Brown sugar – Softens salty ham and adds a gentle sweetness.
- Red onion – Adds sharpness and depth. Grating makes it subtle.
- Gherkin pickles – Sweet-tangy crunch that gives signature flavor.
- Pickle juice – Brightens the spread and ties the flavors together.
- Mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip) – Creamy binder and classic ham salad texture.
- Salt – Optional, for final seasoning after tasting.
- Ground Black pepper – Adds mild heat and balance.
How to Make Ham Salad
- Place ham slices and brown sugar in a pot with enough water to cover the ham. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the ham from the water and let it cool to room temperature.
- Place the ham, red onion, gherkin pickles, juice, and mayo in a food processor. Pulse several times. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.
Ingredient and Recipe Notes
Gloria started her delicious ham salad spread with a package of sliced ham. While packaged ham slices are nothing to get excited about, this lunch meat is transformed by cooking.
She first cooked the ham in water with brown sugar. This helps to remove some of the saltiness of the ham. The brown sugar adds a nice touch to the flavor. I have made this with smoked ham and some of the cheapest ham you can buy, and both worked great.
She uses gherkin pickles. These are small, sweet pickles. You could use sweet pickle relish, but I think using the gherkin pickles adds a unique flavor. I guess you could also use India Relish (made by Heinz), which could also work well. Pickle juice adds to the taste.
She claimed her real secret was also grating red onion in the salad. You get a subtle onion flavor by grating the onion into the salad, yet many people can’t quite figure out that you grated onions in there. This is a great tip for when you want the flavor but not a bunch of finely chopped onions in your dish.
Why cook the ham again? Ham is already cooked.
Gloria, the lady who gave me her recipe, said she thought that cooking the ham again with brown sugar added flavor to the ham salad. After sampling a fair amount of her ham salad, I agree that it does indeed add to its flavor.
Ham Salad Recipe Variations
Of course, you can mix other ingredients into this ham salad recipe to make it your own. Customizing your recipes is one way to enjoy exactly what you and your family will love. Here are a few suggestions to make this ham spread recipe one you will love.
- Chopped dill pickles
- Chopped onions and celery
- Boiled eggs
- Cheese
- Dijon Mustard
- Green onions
Making the Best Ham Salad Sandwich
What makes for a delicious sandwich? Starting with good quality ingredients. Here are just a few tips for creating your best ham salad sandwich ever!
- Use good bread – try a different hearty bread like wheatberry or sourdough.
- Use condiments like mayonnaise – did you know the fat of the mayonnaise or other sandwich spreads like Miracle Whip keeps the bread from getting soggy? No one wants wet bread. Sure fresh tomatoes and freshly washed lettuce are great, but not if they make your bread soggy.
- Spread condiments and the filling right to the edge – don’t just put the filling in the center. Spread it out so every bite is the same. Do the same with the condiments like mayonnaise. No one wants a sandwich with dry bread.
- Use fresh veggies – Use tomatoes at the peak of their ripeness.
- Cut the sandwich into triangles – Did you know people will eat 50% more if you simply cut your sandwich into a triangle?
- If you can, get someone else to make your sandwich – a sandwich made by someone else always tastes better.
What to serve with the best ham salad recipe?
You can serve this with tuna salad, egg salad, or pimento cheese salad. You may want to bring a tray of sandwiches to a party. I recommend serving this with potato chips or even some homemade Chex Mix.
How to store leftovers and how to freeze ham salad
No one wants to miss out on a good ham salad. You can store this in either your fridge or your freezer.
- Refrigerate: place the ham mixture in an airtight container and store in your refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days.
- Freezing ham salad isn’t ideal because mayonnaise-based dressings can separate and become watery when thawed. However, if you want to preserve it for an extended period.
- Divide your ham salad into smaller portions, as you may not want to thaw the entire batch each time.
- Place each portion in an airtight freezer bag. Try to remove as much air as possible from the bag to prevent freezer burn.
- Put the bags in the freezer as soon as possible. The quicker you freeze it, the better the quality when you thaw it.
- When you’re ready to use a portion, thaw it in the refrigerator. Please don’t thaw in the microwave or with hot water, as it can make the salad mushy.
- Frozen ham salad will last for up to 3 months for best quality.
Love ham? Be sure to check out these recipes with ham
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes with Ham
- Denny’s Moons Over My Hammy
- Make Your Own Honey Baked Ham
- Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets
- Breakfast Casserole with Ham
More Tasty Salads
- Egg Salad
- How to Make Chicken Salad Chick Chicken Salad
- Chicken Salad with Pineapple and Almonds
- Broccoli Raisin Nut Salad
- Creamy Beet Salad
- Carrot and Raisin Salad
- Deli Crab Salad
- Easy Corn and Black Bean Salad
Be sure to take a look at my copycat salad and pork recipes.
Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Easy Homemade Ham Salad Spread
Ingredients
- 16 ounces sliced ham
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons grated red onion
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped gherkin pickles
- 2 teaspoons pickle juice
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise do not use Miracle Whip
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper or to taste
Instructions
- Place the ham slices and brown sugar in a pot and add enough water to just cover the ham. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove the ham from the water and let cool.
- Place the ham slices, red onion, gherkin pickles, pickle juice, and mayonnaise in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse several times. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Transfer the ham salad to a large bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
My kids loved this recipe, much appreciated.
Honestly, I think that a little more or less of any of the ingredients wouldn’t matter–this recipe is very forgiving. It’s great on crackers or crisp baguette thins.
My husband really loved this ham salad.
I have lately been making ham salad to take for lunch at work. Using Smithfield diced ham, varying the recipe so as it doesn’t get boring. I just now was thinking of trying brown sugar. Quick search produced this recipe. Glad to learn it is not a dumb idea! Wil be working on it next time I have ham salad for my lunch.
James, I hope you enjoy this recipe. I find that the brown sugar really adds a great flavor!
Easy to make! I always have ham slices in the fridge. It was really good! We tried ours on a whole wheat toast sandwich and loved it.
I loved this ham salad, it reminded me of the ham salad my grandmother used to make.
wow, the salad looks delicious and very attractive, thank you for sharing the recipe. I would love to eat salad
Everyone loved this.
This was an great way to use home up ham salad.
The ham salad looks delicious and attractive.
I loved that she used simple slices of ham to make this homemade ham salad. !!
I tried this yesterday and I must be the only one that does not care for it. I used sliced honey ham from Aldi’s. I followed the instructions carefully, but did not care for the texture of the ham – it was not soft, it was firm, even though it was finely ground in my “Little Oscar” food processor, which is not the texture I like i ham salad. The flavor was a bit bland so I added a sprinkle of dry mustard and a bit more grated red onion. I like the idea of the grater, but used a zester to get the job done. I had a sandwich on a croissant last night, and will try it again today and perhaps the flavors will meld a bit more and I will like it beter.
Barbara, thank you for your comment. It’s totally understandable that not everyone is going to love every recipe. I am sorry you didn’t enjoy this one.
My mother made the best ham salad.My sister and I have tried often to replicate it, but nothing taste like her’s. We remember that she used the hand grinder. I think she used a Dak ham, but I don’t think that is sold anymore. For all of you that still have your mothers, please have her write down her recipes before she is gone.
Dax Hams are still around. I buy one a few times a year at CVS & Wallgreen’s. 12 oz usually but sometimes they have 16 oz cans. Cost is about $3.00. It is about the only places left you see them.
Dak (sp)
Sorry to say nobody would have ever ask my mother for a recipe. We had many, many family gatherings and her sisters always told her,’ Thelma, why don’t you bring the paper plates etc’. She always was so happy to help and she never caught on that her services in the kitchen we not required. Your suggestion is a great one. Hope people will listen to you.
OMG that is a riot. One of my Grandmother’s could make the best salads and desserts. It was the inbetween you had to suffer through. Grandma McDowell could only bring salads or desserts. Funny, as now I am going through her recipe collections and she has all sorts of meats and vegetable recipes in her collection.
Agree completely Angelina. My Mom has been gone many years, but I still make her ham salad for my hubby of nearly 42 years. Ham (of course), mayo, chopped hard boiled eggs, and my little shortcut – I use prepared sweet pickle relish, the same kind I use on hot dogs. No measurements, depends on how much ham is left over. Spreadable consistency for that “Wonder bread”, and ham salad is also great on a buttery cracker. You can make a lunch or a midnight snack just out of that!
“Lunch meat slices” makes me think of the paper thin lunchmeat in a container with a red plastic lid (4 example!)
Please tell me how to find sliced ham for this recipe?
Thank you
Love copykat!!!
Yes, please explain a little more about what type of ham slices. I also can only imagine the paper thin ones. Thanks so much!
Ok, well go to the deli, or the packaged lunch meat section of the grocery store, and buy a cheap package of sliced ham. I don’t think ham comes in paper-thin slices. Brands that include good options would be something like Oscar Meyer, Bar S, the store brand. Let me know if this explanation works for you.
Thanks for the quick reply! I think I know what you mean now. You’re referring to the square packages of ham slices, not the ones in the tubs, correct? Will definitely try this recipe!
Correct 😉
I use baked ham leftovers or a small cooked hame probably better
Just go to the deli counter and have them slice a chunk for you. They will cut as much as you need and most will let you taste it before you buy it. I ;ike a low sodium type and it works great in the salad.
Everyone’s mom and grandma made Ham Salad when I was growing up. It was usually made to spread on a sandwich, which consisted of 2 slices of “Wonder Bread” and a lettuce leaf. Some ladies were daring, and added some chopped hard boiled eggs into theirs. (This was probably to stretch the ham, but nevertheless, it was delicious.) I still make it the way my mom did (w/o eggs), but she always added finely diced celery, and always used Hellman’s Real Mayo. Since ham is already cooked, I don’t understand why you’d cook it again. Many of us would like to know.
Angelina,
Of course, inquisitive minds want to know. Gloria mentioned that while she knew the ham was already cooked, cooking it with brown sugar added flavor to the ham. I hope this explanation works for you.
Is the ham listed cooked or not cooked before you boil it. I always have left over ham from cooking a large pork roast with the bone still in it.
Thank you this recipe looks amazing!
Ham by its nature is already cooked. This recipe asks for you to cook it with brown sugar. It changes the flavor of the ham and helps to remove some of the salt.
Is it a sweet pickle or dill pickle?
It is a sweet pickle.
Ham steaks, slices, or chunks. My mother made ham sold similar to this throughout our childhood. I love it. She added chopped celery to hers also. In the days before food processors, she had a Dormeyer mixer with a meat grinding attachmen. She used all sorts of left over ham to make her salad, the big baked ham for Easter, leftovers ends from the butcher, but never canned ham….ew gross.
I bet your Mom’s ham salad was wonderful.
Pam, My Mom had a meat grinder that clamped onto the kitchen table where she would, with muscle power only, grind the ham into a bowl, then mix the other ingredients in. A packaged ham steak is always an option, although my local Walmart carries quarter sections of a whole ham, sometimes already sliced, but since you’re going to grind it up anyway, I don’t think pre-sliced is a requirement.
This not only sounds delicious but it LOOKS amazing! I’ve only seen ham “paste” and have not even tried it. Not this time! I’m so desperate to make it, I’m wondering if my ham steak slab I have in the fridge would work… I better go to the store and get the slices. Thanks so much, Stephanie! Your recipes never disappoint!
Ham paste is never good! Your ham steak may work, but I would be careful how you pulse it. I really think that the lunch meat slices make a difference in this recipe.