This is a very easy recipe that brings new life to a leftover holiday ham, with just 4 ingredients. A food processor makes quick work of putting this easy ham salad together. Chopped pickles, along with mayonnaise and mustard are combined with minced ham and you have a quick and easy ham salad.
Ham salad is perfect for sandwiches, as a bagel topper, or as a spread with crackers or crostini. It is also a great way to use up all those odd pieces of leftover ham. This is one of my favorite ways to transform a holiday ham into something versatile and utterly delicious.
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To start, I make it a point to buy enough ham on holidays so that there will be leftovers. There are so many options with ham, and it also freezes beautifully. Firstly, I trim the ham from the bone and save the odds and ends in the freezer. Then when the opportunity arises, I put the thawed ham pieces into the food processor, and boom….ham salad. Honey or maple-glazed hams are excellent in this recipe, with those crispy outer ends adding both flavors and textures. As you might expect, the better the ham, the better the ham salad, so do use quality ham whenever possible.
Not only is this ham salad easy, but it is also very forgiving. The amounts do not need to be exact here. If you want a smaller batch, just reduce the amounts. If you do not like mustard, leave it out.
Here are some other possible additions:
- Chopped onion would be delicious
- A chopped hard-boiled egg is a great way to use leftover Easter eggs
- Dill, especially fresh dill is delicious
- Substitute pickle relish for chopped pickles if you like a sweeter taste
- Add chopped banana peppers for a spicy kick
Here is my simple and easy version of a really great ham salad:
Quick and Easy Ham Salad
Equipment
- Food Processor or Chefs Knife
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 lb Leftover Ham pieces (about 5 cups minced ham)
- 1 cup Hellman's Mayonaise
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 8-10 small Dill Pickles (Cornichons) (1/2 cup diced pickles)
Instructions
- Trim Ham from bones and remove any large fat pieces. Place ham pieces into the bowl of a food processor and pulse about 25-30 times to a fine dice. Be careful to not overprocess. If you do not have a food processor, mince the ham with a large chef's knife until finely minced.
- Transfer the minced ham to a mixing bowl.
- Finely chop the pickles, and add to the ham along with the mayonnaise and mustard. Fold together until thoroughly mixed.
- Transfer to plastic sealed container and chill in the refrigerator. Serve as a sandwich spread, an appetizer with crackers or vegetables, or with toast or bagels. Will keep up to three days in the refrigerator.
