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Ham And Cheese Pasta Salad

Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad is a simple, yet popular, delicious Pasta Salad with just enough dressing to make it tasty enough for seconds (or thirds ! )

A simple, yet popular, delicious Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad with just enough dressing to make it tasty enough for seconds (or thirds ! )

Pasta salads are so versatile. For one, it is quite filling and can easily be served for lunch or as a light dinner.

We usually have this Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad on a Friday night. Especially when the weather is hot and humid.

Something I do not like much about pasta salads, is that the salads are usually doused in dressing, whether it be a Mayonnaise dressing or something else.

A simple, yet popular, delicious Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad with just enough dressing to make it tasty enough for seconds (or thirds ! )

The dressing I use in this recipe is just enough to add flavor and to not get the salad buried way under Mayonnaise.

You can of course double or even triple the quantity of dressing if you prefer a moister salad.

When we have guests over, I make an additional batch of the dressing and serve it on the side. That way each guest can help themselves to more (which does happen a lot).

People’s taste are different and whenever I am in doubt (with salads) I always serve either the dressing on the side, or as with this recipe. A little in the salad and a small bowl next to the salad bowl.

A simple, yet popular, delicious Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad with just enough dressing to make it tasty enough for seconds (or thirds ! )

The pasta salad itself is very simple, with everyday ingredients. I get a thick cut of Ham from our local deli and chop it into small bite-sized cubes.

But when we had home cooked Ham a day or two before and have some leftovers, I prefer to use that.

Now and then I would also add Pineapple. But only when I am sure the salad will be eaten the same day as I have found the Pineapple makes the salad a little too acidic the next day.

If I do make the salad the night before, I only add the Pineapple the following day. And not more than 2 – 3 hours in advance.

~~ Quick PIN Link ~~

One other thing about this salad is that you have to let it chill a couple of hours (2 hours at least) in order for all the flavors to really work together.

More Pasta Salad recipes you might like:

Ham And Cheese Pasta Salad

Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad

Ham And Cheese Pasta Salad

Linda Nortje
Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad is a simple, yet popular, delicious Pasta Salad with just enough dressing to make it tasty enough without having a "doused" salad
4.63 from 112 votes
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 251 kcal

Ingredients
  

SALAD:

  • 3 cups Macaroni cooked and cooled
  • 1 ½ cups Cooked Ham cubed
  • 1 ½ cups Gouda Cheese cubed
  • ½ cup Spring Onions chopped
  • 1 Red Bell Pepper chopped

DRESSING:

  • 3 TB Mayonnaise
  • 2 TB Olive Oil extra virgin
  • 1 TB Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
  • ½ t Salt
  • ¼ t Black Pepper

Instructions
 

  • SALAD: Combine the Pasta, Ham, Cheese, Spring Onions and red Bell Pepper in a large mixing bowl
  • DRESSING: Whisk together the Mayonnaise, Oil, Lemon Juice, Salt and Pepper – pour over the Pasta mixture and stir through – cover and chill for at least 2 hours

Notes

ps: If possible, let the salad chill longer – it only makes the salad better !
Nutrition Facts
Ham And Cheese Pasta Salad
Serving Size
 
1 Cup
Amount per Serving
Calories
251
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
15
g
23
%
Saturated Fat
 
5
g
31
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
9
g
Cholesterol
 
41
mg
14
%
Sodium
 
592
mg
26
%
Carbohydrates
 
16
g
5
%
Fiber
 
1.1
g
5
%
Sugar
 
0.7
g
1
%
Protein
 
17.1
g
34
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition value, where given, is not always accurate. Please also check your ingredient labels.

Transfer to a serving bowl and serve chilled.

ps: If possible, let the salad chill longer – it only makes the salad better !

LINDA

Recipe Rating




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Cerys

Saturday 8th of April 2023

Made this for lunch. Substituted Gouda for cheddar (not a fan of Gouda) and added pickled onion instead of spring onions. I also added garlic to the sauce as I had no lemon juice. Honestly 10/10 was good will definitely make again

Hopper

Wednesday 6th of July 2022

This is amazing--thank you for sharing! I've made it 3X--the first time I followed the recipe to a T (kinda--I subbed Colby Jack because I couldn't find Gouda anywhere), the second, I added in cucumbers, and the most recent time, I omitted the onion, but added a second bell pepper (orange), tossed in some kale and doubled the dressing because I wanted to make sure everything got coated and each time I've made this, it's been amazing. Adding it into my monthly rotations! I love how versatile this is, easy/quick to make, makes a lot. This is so great!

Mary

Friday 17th of April 2020

Made without cheese— forgot. Added dried basil, paprika, kosher salt. Used leftover Easter ham. Delicious!

D

Thursday 26th of September 2019

This is my Favorit pasta salad I ever made. I never like heavy dressings. Never put lemon in it. Cheese chunks make it perfect. Added cherry tomatoes and olives. Going to put the pinappeal chunks on side. Will be berry good with it. Thank you. This will be my new pasta salad. Love the green onions in there to. Haven't let it set two hours but I'm sure ill like even better. Thank you. Was very easy. Will be good dinner as well as lunch.

Big Rigs 'n Lil' Cookies

Thursday 7th of July 2016

Looks delicious! Stopping by from Carole's Chatter!

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