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Classic Ham Salad Recipe (Creamy, Crunchy, and Ready in Minutes)
This Ham Salad Recipe is one of those simple, satisfying dishes that comes together in just minutes. It is creamy, savory, and has a little crunch from celery that makes every bite interesting. We love serving it on Club Crackers or Ritz Crackers for a quick lunch or easy appetizer.
This is a great way to use up leftover ham, especially after Easter or the holidays. It is also a recipe the whole family will enjoy. The ingredients are simple and approachable, and you can customize it to your taste. Pair it with our Easy Lemon Olive Oil Dressing salad on the side for a complete lunch, or serve it as part of a larger spread at your next gathering. For a full hosting guide, check out our post on 5 steps to hosting a fun and stress-free dinner party!
At LiveTeal we always include kid-friendly steps in our recipes! One of the things we love most about this recipe is how easy it is to make with kids. There is no heat involved, the steps are simple, and little hands can genuinely help from start to finish. Getting kids involved in the kitchen builds confidence, makes them more excited to eat what they helped create, and turns an ordinary lunch into a fun activity. Here are a few ways to include them:
There are a couple of key items to know that help make this recipe even more delicious:
How to Cook the Perfect Hard Boiled Egg: Bring a small pot of water to a full boil. Gently lower your egg in and cook for exactly 10 minutes. Transfer immediately to an ice bath for 5 minutes. This gives you a fully set yolk with no grey ring. Peel once cooled and chop before adding to the salad. If you love hard boiled eggs are much as we do, check out our classic deviled eggs recipe too!
Choosing Your Mustard: The type of mustard you use changes the flavor noticeably. Yellow mustard gives you a classic, mild, diner-style ham salad. This is the most crowd-pleasing option. Dijon mustard adds a slightly sharper, more complex flavor which is great if you want something that feels a little more elevated. Stone ground mustard brings a bold, rustic flavor with visible seeds, which is best if you already like a chunky texture and want a stronger mustard taste. When in doubt, yellow mustard is the safe, reliable choice. Dijon is my personal favorite though!
Ham Salad Recipe
- Prep Time: 15
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Lunch
- Cuisine: American
Description
Diced ham is mixed with hard boiled egg, celery, onion, mustard, mayo and optional pickle relish for a creamy, savory salad that is ready in minutes and perfect for serving on crackers.
Important tools for this recipe:Â
- Cutting board
- Paring knife
- Pyrex essentials glass mixing bowls
- Food processor (optional, for a finer texture)
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless cooked ham, diced
- 1 hard boiled egg
- 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped onion
- 2 teaspoons pickle relish (optional)
- 1/2 tablespoon mustard
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- Assorted crackers for serving (we like Club Crackers or Ritz Crackers)
Instructions
- Dice & Chop
- Dice the cooked ham into small pieces.
- Roughly chop the celery and finely chop the onion.
- Peel and chop the hard boiled egg.
- Combine
- Add the ham, egg, celery, onion, pickle relish (if using), mustard, and mayo to a mixing bowl.
- Stir until everything is evenly combined.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve
- Serve immediately with crackers, or refrigerate until ready to serve. We love Club Crackers and Ritz Crackers for serving!
Notes
- For a smoother texture, pulse everything in a food processor a few times instead of mixing by hand.
- Do not over-process or the salad will become too paste-like.
- Taste before adding any extra salt, as ham is already salty.
Classic Ham Salad Recipe FAQs
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