Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad
Try our ham and cheese pasta salad made with cubes of smoked ham, cheddar cheese, and tossed with ranch dressing. A cool Summer dish for your next BBQ!
When Kim first started the food blog, she had a lot of wonderful recipe ideas. Over time, those same plans have been adapted slightly to include a variety of offerings, from homemade breads to cute breakfast tacos.
We’ve tried to create a place where almost anyone can find a dish to fit his or her tastes. Right now, we have over three-hundred and fifty (350) different recipes.
Some of them complex, but most have stayed true to her vision, simple homemade dishes that almost anybody can prepare.
Which, bring us to today’s ham and cheese pasta salad. While this has been done a thousand times by hundreds of different people, Kim has broken it down to create one of the easiest options you can find.
Since there’s not much more I can say, shall we get started?
Pasta Salad Instructions:
Now, it’s time to get down to business and make our ham and cheese pasta salad. To begin, cook the pasta per the box instructions.
As always, I recommend adding a couple of tablespoons of salt to the pasta water. That step helps to flavor the noodles and reduce the amount of salt you need to add later.
After the pasta is done, drain it and set it aside. The noodles need to dry a little while you prep everything else.
Next, thaw out the frozen peas. You can use tap water to speed up the process.
Just make sure the peas are properly drained. It might be a good idea to pat them dry with a paper towel. Unless, you happen to like watery pasta salads.
If you didn’t purchase cubed or shredded cheddar, go ahead and shred or cube it now.
Once that’s out of the way, cut up the ham (again, if you didn’t buy it cubed). Afterward, toss all of those ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
On a side note, this recipe is perfect for a leftover baked ham from the holidays or Easter.
Then, pour the cup of ranch dressing over the ham, cheese, noodles, and peas. See how I made that last little part rhyme?
It’s the small things you do in the kitchen that keep you sane. Use a large spoon to mix the dressing with the rest of the ingredients.
At this point, you’re pretty much done with the recipe. Except for any garnishments you decide add.
Transfer the ham and cheese pasta salad to a serving dish and top it with green onions or extra shredded cheese (if you want). That’s it, the dish is ready to be served.
Kim and I hope you enjoy this simple offering from our kitchen. Try it out at your next BBQ or family get together.
There’s bound to be someone who’ll love it. In closing, thank you for stopping by, and we wish you all the best 🙂
Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad Tips:
The pasta salad can become dry after being stored in your fridge. It’s a good idea to have a little extra ranch dressing on-hand to add to the dish the following day.
Instead of using shredded cheese, you can substitute cubed cheese. That way, the cheese won’t clump together on you.
If that matters to you or not. Also, you don’t have to make the salad with ranch, Italian dressing works too.
Make sure you’ve drained the pasta properly; otherwise, the ham and cheese pasta salad will be watery.
If you liked our ham and cheese pasta salad recipe, please leave us a comment and rate the recipe card. You can also find on my Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram by searching for Berly’s Kitchen!
Ingredients
- 16 ounces short pasta, rotini, penne, ziti, etc, cooked, drained
- 8 ounces ham, cooked and diced
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded or cubed
- 8 ounces frozen peas, thawed and drained
- 1 cup ranch dressing
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and run under cold water. Make sure the pasta is dried well before adding the other ingredients.16 ounces short pasta
- In a large bowl, combine the ham, cheese, peas, and ranch dressing. Toss to combine.Add any optional garnishments like, green onions or shredded cheese. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.8 ounces ham8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese8 ounces frozen peas1 cup ranch dressing
