This Ham Pasta Salad with cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and olives is a perfect main or side dish for summer season. It is made with a light dressing and, thus, healthier than a mayo dressing.
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Crazy Times
Hello folks! I hope you are doing well, and you are enjoying June weather. I hope it’s not too hot in your area.
In Nova Scotia, last ten days or so have been quite abnormal in terms of temperature; it reached high 20s (and even above) for a couple of times. Plus, it’s been dry. Normally, average temperature in May is around 15 degrees C plus many rains.
As a result, there have been many wildfires across Nova Scotia lately. More than a dozen, with few of them being currently out of control. In fact, one of the fires – Tantallon wildfire – is happening just around 25 kilometers from Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia. It has affected the lives of thousands of people with 16 thousands being evacuated and with 150 houses being either damaged or lost. Crazy!
Indeed, our house is located in the neighborhood that falls under the local state of emergency meaning we should be ready to leave the house on short notice.
Luckily, we expect the colder and rainy weather this weekend – hopefully that will be the turning point for the province!
Ham Pasta Salad
Hot weather means pasta salads, right? (Also, potato, egg, and other salads.) Cold food is what we crave. So I am sharing a super easy yet tasty salad. It is filling but not too heavy, and it’s packed with different textures and flavours. Actually, you can use this recipe for whipping up something different. Have grilled leftover veggies or meat? Add the to the salad! Prefer a more traditional creamy dressing? You can surely stir in some mayo or yogurt. Want something piquant? Add in some capers or hot peppers. Optional additions include cheese (think of feta, mozzarella, or parmesan), pine nuts, and deli meats (i.e., salami, prosciutto, etc.)
For this version I used cooked lean ham, fresh and sun-dried tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers, olives, and fresh herbs. I added just of a touch of olive oil and balsamic, but actually the vegetables make the salad already juicy. As mentioned earlier, you can use some mayo instead if you prefer a creamier version.
More Salads for Summer
Looking for more pasta, egg or potato salads? Here we go.
Pasta Salad with Creamy Lavender Sauce
I hope you like this Ham Pasta Salad, and you will give it a try soon! If you make it, let me know in this post or send me an Instagram message or share you photos adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.
Cheers!
Ham Pasta Salad
Course: Salads, Main, AppetizersDifficulty: Easy6-10
servings15
minutes15
minutes1
hour (or longer)Ham Pasta Salad with cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and olives is a perfect main or side dish for summer season. Serves about 6 as the main course or more as a side dish.
Ingredients
4 cups cooked until al-dente small-shaped pasta (~ 800 gr. cooked pasta or 2 cups dried)
1 1/2 cups (~300 gr.) cherry tomatoes, halved if large
1 1/2vcup (~150 gr.) English cucumber, sliced
1 bell pepper, cored, seeded, and sliced or cubed
about 1 1/2 cup (~200 gr.) cooked ham, diced
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and sliced
1/2 cup olives (100 gr.), sliced or halved
1 – 1 1/2 tbsp. fresh herbs (I used chopped parsley, thyme, and oregano)
1 tsp. or more, to taste balsamic vinegar, optional
1 tsp. olive oil, optional
black pepper, to taste
pine nuts or/and parmesan, optional
Directions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (check the package for recommended cook time). Drain and rinse well under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- In a large bowl combine together pasta, ham, vegetables, and herbs. The salad will be quite juicy thanks to the vegetables, but I’d recommend adding 1 tsp. (or to taste) of balsamic vinegar, for acidity. Optionally drizzle with a bit of olive oil. Season with black pepper. Mix well to coat. Try and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
- You can serve it right away, but ideally chill it for at least one hour. If desired, sprinkle with pine nuts or parmesan, when serving. Keep the leftovers refrigerated for 2-3 days. Enjoy!
Hi – I’m Ben, a blogger, recipe developer, and food photographer. I’m glad you’re here! I hope you will enjoy hundreds of delicious recipes and a pinch of havoc in the kitchen.
I love all the ingredients in this, Ben — and it is perfect for hot weather which is what we have. It has been about 43°C every day this week. Ugh.
Your Ham Pasta Salad sounds like a delicious and versatile option. I like the idea of incorporating different textures and flavors into the salad, and it’s great that you can customize it based on your preferences and ingredients on hand.
I’ve been eating lots of salads lately, so thank for a new recipe that I can add to my list, and well as so many links to others! Glad you’ve been able to stay safe from the fire!
Wow, I had no idea the Canadian wildfires were so close to your house. We actually have had air quality alerts here in the North Carolina mountains all week due to smoke coming down from those wildfires…that’s crazy, right? Switching over to this recipe, I am all about a good pasta salad! The ham in this would be a great addition, and I love the addition of olives!!
David @ Spiced recently posted…Huevos Rancheros Grits Bowl
My kind of pasta salad right here! Delicious, full of flavor and not too heavy. Save me a plate!
Living in a fire zone I know what it feels like to have a fire close by. I hope you have your car ready packed! And I also hope you don’t have to evacuate. Stay safe!
Tandy | Lavender and Lime recently posted…Granola Bars
What a lovely salad, perfect for the warmer temperatures we are getting. Many of these type of meal salads are drowned in mayonnaise so it’s refreshing to see your recipe with balsamic vinegar and not overdressed either!
I hope you get some rain! We’ve been having a heatwave—very hot for this early in the summer! This salad looks perfect for lunch on a sultry day.
It is crazy weather all over Ben. We are in a rare heatwave here in Scotland at the moment. And whilst that continues it’s super quick and healthy pasta salads like your ham pasta salad that I’m right into. Superb!
Neil recently posted…Simple Couscous Salad
It has been quite warm over here too..over 20C in the afternoon, sometimes reached to 26C.
The pasta looks filling and delicious!
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