Amish Ham Salad Sandwich Spread

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Amish Ham Salad Sandwich Spread is a creamy, old-fashioned lunch favorite made with finely chopped ham, sweet pickle relish, crisp celery, mustard, and just enough hard-boiled egg for extra richness. Tuck it into soft white bread or scoop it onto buttery crackers.

• Yield: 8 servings, enough filling for 8 sandwiches
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes, using cooked ham and a prepared hard-boiled egg
• Total Time: 45 minutes, including 30 minutes of chilling

Quick Ingredients

• 1 pound fully cooked, chilled boneless ham, trimmed
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish, measured after draining excess liquid
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 1/2 cup finely diced celery
• 1 large hard-boiled egg, peeled, chilled, and finely chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 16 slices soft white sandwich bread or 4 ounces buttery crackers, for serving

Do This

• 1. Drain the relish, finely dice the celery, and finely chop the hard-boiled egg.
• 2. Cut the ham into chunks, then pulse briefly in a food processor until finely chopped but not pasty.
• 3. Stir together the mayonnaise, relish, mustard, and pepper in a medium bowl.
• 4. Fold in the ham, celery, and egg until evenly combined.
• 5. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes at 40°F (4°C) or below.
• 6. Stir, taste, and divide among 8 sandwiches, or serve chilled with buttery crackers.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic farmhouse flavor: Savory ham and sweet relish balance a creamy, gently tangy dressing.
• A practical way to use leftover ham: Turn a modest amount of cooked ham into a generous sandwich filling.
• Easy, familiar ingredients: No specialty shopping or complicated cooking required.
• Just the right texture: Finely chopped ham spreads easily, while celery adds a little crunch.

Grocery List

• Produce: Celery; you will need 1/2 cup finely diced.
• Meat: 1 pound fully cooked boneless ham.
• Eggs: 1 large hard-boiled egg, or 1 large egg to cook and chill ahead.
• Dairy: None required.
• Pantry: Mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, black pepper, and soft white bread or buttery crackers.

Full Ingredients

For the Ham Salad Spread

• 1 pound (454 g) fully cooked boneless ham: Chilled, with any rind, tough edges, and thick exterior fat removed before weighing.
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise: Regular mayonnaise gives the richest, most traditional texture.
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish: Drain off excess liquid before measuring; do not rinse.
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard: Adds mild tang without overpowering the ham.
• 1/2 cup (50 g) finely diced celery: Cut into pieces approximately 1/8 inch across.
• 1 large hard-boiled egg: Peeled, fully chilled, and finely chopped.
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

For Serving

• 16 slices soft white sandwich bread for 8 sandwiches, or 4 ounces buttery crackers for serving alongside the spread.

Timing note: This recipe starts with fully cooked, refrigerated ham and a prepared, chilled hard-boiled egg. Cooking and cooling an egg separately will add time.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the celery, relish, and egg

Wash and thoroughly dry the celery, then finely dice enough to measure 1/2 cup. Drain excess liquid from the sweet pickle relish in a fine-mesh strainer, then measure 1/4 cup. Peel and finely chop the chilled hard-boiled egg, including both the white and yolk.

Keep these pieces small so the finished spread is easy to spread and does not fall out of a sandwich.

Step 2: Finely chop the ham

Cut the chilled ham into approximately 1-inch chunks. Place half in a food processor and pulse in 1-second bursts, checking after every 2 or 3 pulses, until the pieces resemble coarse crumbs, approximately 1/8 inch across. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining ham.

Stop before the ham becomes smooth or pasty. If you do not have a food processor, finely mince the ham with a sharp knife, working in small batches.

Step 3: Stir together the dressing

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup mayonnaise, drained relish, yellow mustard, and black pepper until evenly combined. The dressing should be creamy and spoonable, with the relish distributed throughout.

Step 4: Fold in the ham, celery, and egg

Add the finely chopped ham, diced celery, and chopped egg to the dressing. Fold with a flexible spatula until everything is evenly coated, gently pressing apart any clumps of ham. Avoid vigorous stirring, which can mash the egg and make the mixture overly dense.

The finished mixture should hold together on a spoon while remaining easy to spread. Do not add salt automatically; ham, relish, and mustard usually supply plenty.

Step 5: Chill to bring the flavors together

Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes at 40°F (4°C) or below. This short rest lets the sweet relish, mustard, and ham flavors mingle and helps the spread firm up.

After chilling, stir once and taste. The flavor should be savory and gently sweet, with mild tang rather than a strong mustard bite.

Step 6: Make sandwiches or serve with crackers

Divide the spread evenly among 8 slices of soft white bread, spreading it nearly to the edges. Top with the remaining 8 bread slices and cut each sandwich in half. For a cracker lunch, spoon the chilled spread into a small serving bowl and arrange buttery crackers alongside.

Assemble sandwiches shortly before serving for the softest bread and freshest texture. Keep any remaining spread refrigerated.

Pro Tips

• Use cold ham: Chilled ham chops more cleanly and is less likely to smear in the food processor.
• Trim away a heavy glaze: A little sweetness is welcome, but thick sugary glaze can overwhelm the relish and mustard.
• Drain, but do not squeeze, the relish: Removing loose liquid helps prevent watery ham salad without losing its pickle flavor.
• Keep the egg subtle: One egg enriches the dressing without turning the filling into egg salad.
• Pulse only the ham: Stir in the celery and egg by hand so the finished spread keeps its appealing little bits of texture.

Variations

• Less sweet: Replace the 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish with 1/4 cup drained dill pickle relish.
• A little sharper: Substitute 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard for the yellow mustard.
• With a touch of onion: Fold in 1 tablespoon very finely minced sweet onion along with the celery.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the spread in an airtight container in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below for up to 3 days, or sooner if the ham or egg is nearing its safe storage limit. Mixing ingredients into a salad does not restart their storage clock; leftover home-cooked ham should be used within 3 to 4 days of its original cooking date.

For easy make-ahead lunches, prepare the spread up to 1 day ahead and keep the bread or crackers separate until serving. Freezing is not recommended because the mayonnaise can separate and the celery and egg can lose their texture.

Do not leave the spread or prepared sandwiches at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when the temperature is above 90°F (32°C).

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 200 kcal | Carbs: 4g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 2g | Sodium: 850mg | Cholesterol: 60mg

Estimated for one-eighth of the ham salad spread, excluding bread or crackers. Values vary with the ham, mayonnaise, and relish used.