Ham Pasta Salad
Savory ham, crisp vegetables, sharp cheddar, and a creamy herb dressing — this Ham Pasta Salad is the one guests always ask about and the bowl that's always empty first at picnics and cookouts.
Servings: 10 servings (1 cup)
Ingredients
For the Pasta Salad
- 8 ounces dried pipette pasta (see Note 1)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (see Note 2)
- 2 cups diced fully cooked ham steak (about a ⅓ inch dice, see Note 3)
- 1 cup diced bell pepper (about ¼ inch dice, see Note 4)
- 1 cup seeded and diced Roma tomatoes (1½ to 2 tomatoes, depending on size)
- ¼ cup small diced celery (see Note 5)
- ¼ cup grated Vidalia onion (see Note 6)
- 8 ounces cubed sharp cheddar cheese (about ⅓-inch cubes, see Note 7)
For the Dressing
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise (I use Hellmann's)
- ⅓ cup sour cream (I use Daisy)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until it's tender, but not falling apart, about 1 to 2 minutes past al dente.
- Drain the pasta well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the apple cider vinegar, toss to coat, and let cool at room temperature for 10 minutes, gently stirring occasionally. There should be no vinegar left at the bottom of the bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, parsley, dill, sugar, granulated garlic powder, ½ to ¾ teaspoon kosher salt (see Note 8), and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
- Add the ham, bell peppers, tomatoes, celery, and onion to the bowl with the pasta. Add two-thirds of the dressing and toss until everything is well coated, then fold in the cheddar cheese cubes. (Note that if you taste the salad at this point, it will taste more vinegary than it will after resting.)
- Cover the pasta salad and refrigerate for 4 hours. Cover the remaining dressing and refrigerate it separately.
- Remove the salad from the refrigerator and stir in the reserved dressing, adding as much or as little as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper before serving. The amount of salt you need will vary depending on the saltiness of your pasta cooking water and ham.
- Serve chilled. Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 3 days.
Notes
1. Pasta. I like using pipette pasta, also sometimes called "shellbows." Medium shells, elbow macaroni, or farfalle (bowties) are all good substitutes.
2. Vinegar. I always use 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to give the salad a nice tang to balance the richer ingredients, but you can scale back to 2 tablespoons if you prefer a milder flavor.
3. Ham. Buy a ham steak cut about ⅓- to ½-inch thick, or use leftover baked ham from a holiday dinner. If the ham has been glazed, trim away the glazed areas or reduce the sugar in the dressing to taste.
4. Bell peppers. I use a mix of half red and half green, but all of one variety works fine. Keep in mind that red peppers will add more sweetness; green will be more savory.
5. Celery. I like to peel the tougher outer strings from the stalk before dicing for a better texture.
6. Onion. Grate the peeled sweet onion on the large holes of a box grater. A little juice is fine to add in with the onion, but drain off any excess.
7. Cheese. Sharp cheddar is my go-to here (usually, Cracker Barrel from the grocery store), but I've also made it with extra-sharp for a stronger flavor. Cubed Jarlsberg is a nice swap if you're a Swiss fan. I made it once with Colby Jack and personally didn't like the softer texture as much, but my guests enjoyed it.
8. Salt. I use ¾ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt in the dressing, which works well with the ingredient brands I use. If your ham is particularly salty or you prefer less salt, start with ½ teaspoon and adjust to taste after the pasta salad is chilled.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cup | Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 744mg | Potassium: 284mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1031IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 183mg | Iron: 1mg
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