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Old Fashioned Ham Salad

There’s something so addictive about this Old Fashioned Ham Salad recipe – is it the simplicity? The combination of flavors? Or its versatility? I don’t know, but I love it, and I’m sure you will too!

A closeup of old fashioned ham salad on a plate with a pickle.

It’s creamy, and with a bit of a tang from the dill pickle, this classic recipe makes the perfect ham salad sandwich. It’s also great as a snack on crackers or just digging into it with a fork!

What You Need To Make This Old Fashioned Ham Salad Recipe

  • Ham
  • Dill pickle
  • Mayonnaise
  • Sour Cream
  • Food processor

Can I Use Canned Ham?

Yes! You certainly can.

I prefer fresh ham, and often buy chunks of it when it’s on sale and pop them in the freezer just to make this recipe.

However, if you choose to use canned ham, make sure your drain it well! You’ll also need to decrease the amount of mayo and sour cream and pickle to suit how much ham you have.

How To Make The Best Ham Salad on the Planet

For a full list of ingredients and instructions, please scroll down to the recipe near the bottom of this page.

  1. Cut a chunk of ham and pop it into a food processor, and pulse it until it is well chopped. Scrape the ham out and into a bowl.
  2. Finely dice the dill pickle and add it to the ham.
  3. Add sour cream and mayonnaise and mix until it is creamy and delish.
  4. No salt is needed! The ham is salty enough.

This is the Perfect Leftover Ham Recipe!

Got leftover ham? This is the perfect way to use it up! Spiral ham, ham steaks, or any kind of ham will work in this recipe.

I’d just stay away from the glazed bits – a super-sweet glaze will throw off the flavor of this easy ham salad recipe.

Chef Jenn’s Tips To Make Creamy Deli Ham Salad

  • I use mayo and sour cream instead of just mayo. Personally, I think the jarred stuff is nasty, so I cut it with sour cream. The result is a less sweet version with a bit of tang. In this dish, it’s a perfect match.
  • I use dill vs sweet pickle relish in this recipe. I think we get enough sweet – the dill is delicious. Try it!
  • You can pop the pickle into the food processor to chop, but I love the lovely larger bits of dill pickle, so I chop it by hand.
  • You can also use store-bought dill pickle relish if you don’t want to chop it.
  • Add enough sour cream and mayo (half and half) until it’s as creamy as you’d like it to be!

How To Eat Ham Salad

I love this tasty ham recipe on crackers as a snack, I’ve included it on charcuterie boards, and it makes an awesome ham salad sandwich! Wash it down with this terrific protein smoothie, or serve it with this German Pretzel recipe for a hearty meal! I also just love a serving of this with a delish Buttermilk Drop Biscuit on the side!

old fashioned ham salad on a croissant
Old fashioned ham salad on a flaky croissant.

How To store Deviled Ham Salad REcipe

This tasty salad will keep in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to a week.

You can freeze leftover ham but I wouldn’t freeze this salad. Instead, freeze your ham and then thaw it when you’re ready to make the salad.

Frozen and thawed ham tends to give off some water so be sure to drain it well before using thawed ham.

How long does ham salad last?

It has dairy and mayonnaise in it, so it shouldn’t be left at room temperature for more than 3-4 hours. Otherwise, it’ll keep for up to about a week in the fridge. Keep it tightly wrapped.

Is old-fashioned ham salad the same as deviled ham?

They are similar but not quite the same. Deviled ham tends to have a few more ingredients in it, and there are huge variations in the recipes. This deli ham salad recipe is simpler and has fewer variations.

Is old-fashioned ham salad healthy?

Ham is lean and there’s relatively little sour cream and mayonnaise in it. Use low fat mayo and sour cream if you want to keep the fat down. So, it’s a great low-fat choice. Ham, however, is high in sodium so you might want to look at those numbers if you’re watching your daily sodium.

How many calories are in ham salad?

In this old-fashioned ham salad recipe made with full-fat mayonnaise and sour cream, there are about 230 calories per generous 1/2 cup serving.

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Or dig into a serving of this delicious Pickled Pike recipe!

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old fashioned ham salad on a croissant with soup
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4.41 from 22 votes

Old Fashioned Ham Salad

It's creamy, it's got a tangy bite from the pickle, and it's tasty as a meal or a snack – this Old Fashioned Ham Salad is a must-try!
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword ham, lunch, salad
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 230kcal
Author Chef Jenn

Ingredients

  • 2 cups ham
  • 1/4 cup dill pickle diced
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp sour cream

Instructions

  • Pulse the ham in the food processor until it is crumbly and finely chopped. Remove and put into a mixing bowl.
  • Dice the pickle and mix with the ham, mayonnaise and sour cream.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 230kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 49mg | Sodium: 958mg | Potassium: 218mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 58IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

A Note on Nutritional Information

Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.

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