Pioneer Woman Ham Salad Recipe

Pioneer Woman Ham Salad is a classic dish from the Southers United Stated that’s been made for decades. It is a tasty, quick, and easy recipe perfect for a Sunday picnic as an appetizer or part of the main meal.

The ingredients of the Pioneer Woman Ham Salad are so simple and easy to find it will surprise you how much you can pack into a simple ham salad. Pioneer Woman recipes never disappoint, so you’ll enjoy the traditional flavors of a ham salad in a new way.

This Ham Salad recipe will back you up whenever you’re in the mood for something light and refreshing.

How to Make Pioneer Woman Ham Salad

Pioneer Woman Ham Salad is perfect when you want something quick and easy since it has a little bit of everything in it. Besides, it’s very versatile since you can experiment with different herbs, cheeses, veggies, and even creams.

This Ham Salad goes down with ham, veggies, and mayonnaise dressing. You can use any cooked ham, ham steak, or leftover ham for this recipe. But the real game changer is celery which adds a nice crunchy flavor to your salad. 

Nothing too fancy here. Find all ingredients in your pantry or local store and get cooking.

Ingredients:

(6 servings)

• 2 cups ground ham
• 3 large boiled eggs
• 1 stalk celery
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons relish
• 1 shallot
• 1 tablespoon mustard
• 1 teaspoon chopped parsley
• Juice from ½ lemon
• Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

All you need to make Pioneer Woman Ham Salad is to combine everything and mixing. However, you need to know a few simple tricks to make it unforgettable. 

Soak the shallots in ice water for about 30 minutes. It will reduce their pungent taste and make them crispier. However, if you want to keep it up, add ¼ cup of red bell pepper. 

Regarding ham, you can chop it up with a knife. But a far better would be to use a meat blender or food processor to reach a smoother spread. 

And finally, we recommend refrigerating your salad for about 4 hours before serving. It allows it to stay crispy, become cool and crunchy and, most importantly, soak in the flavors.

Thank us later. Now let’s sum up all of the things in a step-by-step manner. 

Step 1: 

Pulse the ham, egg, and vegetables in a food processor separately until they are crumbly and small. 

Pro tip: do not puree the ingredients into a paste; pulse the food processor in small bursts until everything is minced evenly.

However, chopping the ingredients into small pieces with a knife also works. Just determine what works best for you and go for it.

Step 2: 

Combine ham, celery, eggs, relish, mustard, parsley, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and mayo in a medium bowl.

Mix the ingredients into a ham mixture and serve on crackers or bread as a savory side or main dish. However, it’s best to let it sit for a few hours or overnight so the flavors can blend.

Ingredient Substitution

Not a fan of eggs or can’t stand celery? Since Pioneer Woman Ham Salad is very customizable, you don’t need to worry about that. You can always make this recipe work for you. Veggies could be used interchangeably, and eggs could be omitted. 

Whatever works best for you.

1. Cucumber or Red Bell Peppers

Speaking of crunch, cucumber or red bell peppers, or both, could be an excellent replacement for celery in this Ham Salad. Since the flavor is not very concerned, these two will work well on the crunch.  

Besides, they have high water content and mild flavor, the same as celery.

2. Sour Cream 

Not everyone is a fan of mayo. Luckily there are a lot of healthier alternatives, among which sour cream stands out. It is a phenomenal alternative to mayonnaise because of the nutrition facts and the same creamy and tangy consistency. 

Sour cream is light and just plain good. If you’re missing some flavors in the sour cream, season it with your favorite seasoning, and you’re good to go.

3. Red Onion

Although many consider the yellow onion the best substitute for shallots, we prefer red onions. Red onion has a sharper taste and is a bit more potent. So it is much spicier than shallow. Keep a note. 

If you decide to use them, you must soak them in cold water for at least 5 minutes before using them to remove some of the bites.

4. Apple Cider Vinegar

If you don’t have any lemon, substitute it with apple cider vinegar. It has the same bitter and tangy taste with a slightly salty flavor. 

However, note that you will have to reduce it a little and use 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar (less than the juice you’ll get from the ½ lemon).

What to Serve with Pioneer Woman Ham Salad

Depending on the consistency, many prefer using the best Ham Salad as a spread on crispy garlic bread. However, except for being a savor appetizer, it could also be served as a main.

Potato Soup

Potato soup is a rich and hearty ham salad companion. Since potatoes are all about starch, you’ll get something satisfying when serving these two together. The creaminess of the cheese, milk, and sour cream, the richness of potatoes, and the saltiness of bacon make this soup heavenly good.

Together with a smooth potato salad of crispy bread, it becomes a magical meal.

Lasagna

Light and refreshing ham salads are often paired with something hearty as the main source. In this case, lasagna works wonderfully. The combination of tomato paste, cheese, basil leaves, beef, and creamy sauce makes a fantastic mix. 

It does take time to cook. But the result will be rich and cheese goodness in layers. Excellent ham salad and pipping hot lasagna; isn’t it worth a try?

Chicken Burrito

Classic, Texas-style shredded chicken burrito is a satisfying and gluttonous meal. It is quite fulfilling and serves as an entree. The ham salad comes into play to provide a nice refreshing contrast. 

If the cooking time is extended, you can never go wrong with the shredded chicken burritos and ham salad.

Chicken Salad

Ham Salad is already creamy and rich, so you might wonder what another rich and creamy side on this list is. Unlike ham salad dressing, which is mostly mayo, chicken salad has vinegar, giving it the right amount of tangy. 

Together, they make a great medley of flavors. If you make enough, you can eat them all week, enjoying the ham and chicken variation.

How to Store Pioneer Woman Ham Salad

With proper storage, Pioneer Woman Ham Salad could stay fresh for a couple of days. But once you notice it developed an odd smell or appearance, chances are it’s gone bad. 

Store Pioneer Woman Ham Salad in the Fridge

One of the essential tips when storing ham salad in the fridge is to store it within 2 hours after preparation. It is highly perishable, so it could spoil if you leave it at room temperature for too long.

Store it in an airtight container within 3-5 days.

Store Pioneer Woman Ham Salad in the Freezer

Place the leftover Pioneer Woman Ham Salad in a plastic container, leaving some space for expansion. Mind wiping any spillage on a container rim. 

Then place the container in a freezer bag to protect it from moisture and freeze burn—store ham salad in the freezer for up to 2 months.