[2] Ham salad generally includes cooked or canned cold ham which has been minced, cubed, or ground; the mayonnaise or other dressing; diced sour or sweet cucumber pickles or cucumber pickle relish; and perhaps chopped raw celery, green pepper, or onion.

[2][3] Raw cucumber, shredded carrot, pimento, sweet corn kernels, or tomato are sometimes used.

The salad can be mixed or garnished with generous quantities of chopped hard-boiled egg;[4][self-published source][5] grated cheese may be used, or peas[6] or boiled potato[7] may be added to bulk out the dish.

[8] Like other mayonnaise-bound meat salads, the finished dish typically has a chunky, grainy, or pasty texture, and is frequently served as a spread upon crackers or upon bread in a sandwich.

Similar salads are made using chopped or ground bologna, Spam, and other cured or potted meats and sausages.