How To Get The Perfect Texture For The Ultimate Low-Effort Bologna Salad

Due to a steady rise of food prices in the U.S. over the past several years, food trends are going retro, touting vintage, Depression-era recipes to save money. Along with discovering ways to take Spam to the next level and adding roasted garlic to canned tuna salad, we're seeing renewed focus on recipes such as American Midwest favorite bologna (or ham) salad. Though maw-maw likely used a meat grinder, these days it's simpler to use a food processor to get the perfect texture for an easy-to-prepare bologna salad.

While many delis and supermarkets offer pre-made bologna salad, it's both easier and more affordable to whip up this nostalgic spread in your own kitchen. Mincing slab bologna (or leftover ham) with mayonnaise and sweet pickle relish has been a basic recipe since the 1950s, and is just as simple to make now. Tumbling all of the ingredients — cubed, slab, or sliced bologna with mayo and relish — into a food processor and hitting pulse five or six times will quickly make a basic bologna salad with the perfect texture.

While a bologna salad is great in its simplest state, you can always throw in more ingredients to punch up its flavor. Depending upon where it comes from, bologna salad recipes will also include chopped hard boiled eggs, celery, onion, and prepared mustard. You could even go the Southern way to elevate your bologna and fry it before mincing, or use pickled bologna for a little more tang.

If you do not own a food processor, you can mince all of the ingredients finely by hand before adding mayonnaise and relish, though it will take a bit longer. It's also possible to achieve a similar texture in a blender, but be vigilant and use very short bursts or in no time at all you'll end up with a paste. If all else fails, you can always ask grandma if you can come over and borrow her meat grinder, and glean some expert advice. She'll probably appreciate the visit.