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Easy Ham Pasta Salad

A bright and hearty cold pasta salad packed with diced ham, fresh vegetables, and a tangy Dijon-lime dressing, perfect for summer gatherings.

  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 10 oz rotini pasta
  • 1.25 lb diced ham
  • 6 oz cherry tomatoes
  • 1 medium cucumber
  • 3 tbsp red onions, minced
  • 1/4 cup green olives, sliced
  • 1/4 cup black olives, sliced
  • 8 oz mozzarella pearls
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • Juice of 1 large lime
  • 2.5 tbsp honey
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente, about 10-12 minutes.
  2. Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop cooking.
  3. Toss cooled pasta with a teaspoon of olive oil.
  4. Dice the ham into uniform cubes.
  5. Slice the cherry tomatoes lengthwise and seed and dice the cucumber.
  6. Minced red onions, slice green onions, and chop parsley.
  7. Measure and slice both green and black olives.
  8. Drain the mozzarella pearls and pat dry.
  9. Whisk together olive oil, Dijon mustard, lime juice, honey, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper.
  10. Taste the dressing and adjust seasonings.
  11. Combine pasta, ham, tomatoes, cucumber, onions, olives, mozzarella, and parsley.
  12. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss gently.
  13. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
  14. Toss again before serving and adjust seasoning as needed.

Notes

Chill the salad for deeper flavor meld before serving. Pat mozzarella dry to prevent salad from becoming watery.

  • Author: jayne
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Chilling
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: None

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 serving
  • Calories: 420
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Sodium: 820mg
  • Fat: 18g
  • Saturated Fat: 6g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 12g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 42g
  • Fiber: 3g
  • Protein: 22g
  • Cholesterol: 60mg

Keywords: ham pasta salad, summer salad, picnic food, cold pasta salad