Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Ham and Mozzarella

This Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Ham and Mozzarella is a light yet satisfying pasta salad built around familiar savoury flavours, a no-mayo dressing, and a subtle herbal accent from lavender.

Hello, folks! How are you doing? I hope you all have had a good weekend and are now ready for a new week. (I am not, really!)

Today, I am excited to share with you another savoury recipe featuring lavender. This Pasta Salad with lavender, ham, and mozzarella, to be precise. And if this sounds strange to you, please don’t be too skeptical.

Pasta and Lavender Together?

I have already quoted the book “Cooking with Lavender” by Nancy Baggett on a few occasions. This is the only book I have tried multiple recipes from and shared the results here. Perhaps, the best part of this book for me is the section about pairings. Before this book, I was not aware that lavender goes well with so many savoury ingredients.

• It pairs well with tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes.
• Nuts and lavender are also a great pairing.
• It goes well with pasta, couscous (and more couscous), pearl couscous, and rice. Really, with all carbs, I think.
• Next, potatoes are excellent pairing, too.
• Chickpeas are another great pairing.
• And say what? Even with corn.
• Certainly, meat.
• And also with watermelons and melons.

Why You’ll Love This Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Ham and Mozzarella

• Light and fresh: Made without mayonnaise, relying instead on olive oil, vinegar, and pesto for flavour.
• Familiar but interesting: Ham, mozzarella, and olives keep it approachable, while herbs add depth.
• Subtle herbal touch: Lavender is used sparingly, offering a mild savoury aroma rather than a floral flavour.
• Perfect for make-ahead meals: Tastes even better after chilling as the flavours meld together.
• Versatile serving: Ideal for picnics, potlucks, summer dinners, or packed lunches.

Ingredients for Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Ham and Mozzarella

As we have just established, pasta and lavender pair well together, as well as with cheese, meats, and tomatoes. Thus, this is a perfect combination of flavours. To make this Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Ham and Mozzarella, you will need the following ingredients:

• Pasta of your choice. Any short pasta like penne, farfalle, and fusilli are all good choices. Be sure to cook al dente and then rinse it to stop the cooking process (from the residual heat) and prevent pasts from sticking.
• Cooked ham – I used lean ham.
• Pizza mozzarella or other hard cheese of your choice.
• Fresh cherry tomatoes.
• Sun-dried tomatoes in oil. I usually drain them, but depending on the quality of the oil, I sometimes add a little as it’s super flavourful.
• Arugula for an added peppery kick.
• Fresh oregano, basil, or parsley.
• Extra virgin olive oil – for the dressing.
• Balsamic vinegar – for the dressing.
• Dried lavender buds – for the dressing and a subtle herbal aroma.
• Salt and pepper.

Can You Make it in Advance?

Yes, absolutely! In fact, it will be only better the next day as the flavours continue to develop and mingle. The salad will stay fresh and nice for 3-4 days when refrigerated.

If you making it in advance, I recommend adding arugula and fresh herbs just a few hours before serving so it stays nice and fresh.

More Pasta Salad Ideas

Please be sure to check more pasta salads:

• Pasta Salad with Artichokes, Mozzarella, and Salami
• Pasta Salad with Salami, Mozzarella and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
• Smoked Salmon Pasta Salad
• Pesto Pasta Salad
• Ham Pasta Salad
• Pasta Salad with Creamy Lavender Sauce

I hope you like this Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Lavender, Ham and Mozzarella, and you will try it soon. If you make it, please let me know in this post, send me an Instagram message, or share your photos by adding the hashtag #havocinthekitchen.

Cheers!

Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Ham and Mozzarella

Recipe by Ben | Havocinthekitchen

A light Mediterranean pasta salad with ham, mozzarella, olives, and a very subtle herbal hint from lavender – fresh, savoury, and no mayo.

Course: Slaws and All-Season SaladsCuisine: MediterraneanDifficulty: Easy

5.0 from 3 votes

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Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

15

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

Cook Mode

Keep the screen of your device on

Ingredients

• 2 cups (~225 g.) dry pasta or 4 1/2 cups (~800 g.) of cooked pasta – use short type pasta of your choice e.g., fusilli, farfalle, penne, etc.

• 150-200 g. pizza mozzarella, cubed

• 200-250 g. ham, cubed

• a large handful (~250 g.) cherry tomatoes,
  halved

• 1/2 cup (120 g.) sun-dried tomatoes in oil,
  drained and sliced

• few handfuls of arugula

• few sprigs of oregano, leaves chopped
  – or use parsley or basil

• 1/4 cup (60 ml.) extra virgin olive oil

• 2 tbsp. (30 ml.) Balsamic vinegar

• 1 tsp. dried lavender buds, minced

• 1/2 tsp. salt or to taste

• black pepper, to taste

Directions

• In a small bowl combine the olive oil, balsamic, minced lavender, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Bring a large pot with well-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.
• Transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add the mozzarella, ham, tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, and oregano. Toss to combine. Try and season more, if necessary. Stir in the arugula. You can serve it right away, but it will only be better when refrigerated for at least 1-2 hours.
• The salad will stay fresh up to 2 days (dressed) and up to 4 days undressed. It makes about 6 generous servings as the main dish or 6-8 side-dish servings. Enjoy!