Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad
Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad
It doesn’t have to be summertime to enjoy this delicious Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad. Pasta salads are great anytime! Put some warmth and sunshine into your winter with Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad. If your planning on serving ham during the holidays, making a pasta salad is a great way to use up left-over ham. If you’ll be having friends and/or family staying a few days for the holidays, make a big batch of ham and cheese pasta salad. Your guests will appreciate a delicious pasta salad in place of another ham or turkey sandwich.
Pasta Salad
Pasta Salads can be made with just about any ingredients you have on hand. This salad is made with left-over holiday ham, sharp cheddar cheese, shredded carrots and onion, diced celery and radiatore pasta. A dressing of mayonnaise, milk or buttermilk, sugar, apple cider vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper combines all the ingredients together for a deli-style pasta salad at half the price. Fast, easy and always affordable.
Something Different
This year for the holidays, we decided to do something a little different. Inside of the usual fancy Christmas Dinner we opted for something very un-traditional. We had a picnic! Home style Baked Beans, Potato Salad, Ham Sandwiches and Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad was served. Along with a relish tray, deviled eggs and all the Christmas cookies and peanut clusters anyone could possible eat!
Sweet Style Dressing
If you have ever purchased a pasta salad at the deli, and who hasn’t, you know that most pasta salads are made with a sweet-sour mayo based dressing or a tangy oil based dressing. I like both style, but that’s just me:) This recipe is made with a mayo based dressing that has mayo of course, milk, sugar, apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard. Not a fan of Dijon mustard? Substitute spicy brown, stone ground or one of my favorites, Keen’s.
For a fun addition, make Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad with “flavored” pasta from Rossi Pasta
Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound package pasta such as: elbow, fusilli, gemelli, rotelle, cavatappi, or radiatore
- 2 large carrots, peeled and shredded
- 1/4 cup shredded onion
- 1/4 cup diced celery
- 2 1/4 cups mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 1/2 cups diced cooked ham
- 1 cup diced sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Drain and rinse under cold running water, drain again.
- In a large bowl toss together pasta, shredded carrots, onion and celery.
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper.
- Add ham, cheddar cheese and mayonnaise mixture to carrots, onion and celery.
- Toss gently together. Refrigerate one to two hours before serving.