Italian Ham Pasta Salad

For many of you, school has already started.  For the rest, it’s right around the corner. For all, the chaos of everything has already begun. Within a few weeks, you will likely be scratching your head wondering what in the world to put in that lunchbox or what to make for dinner in the 30 minutes you have between end of school, extracurriculars, and bedtime.  Here’s your answer.

This Italian Ham Pasta Salad has a little bit of everything that will make everyone happy. What I love, is that it’s 8 minutes of cooking, 10(ish) minutes of chopping, and BAM! DONE!. You have a delicious, protein packed, vegetable filled dish, that even picky ones will eat some of it.

WATCH SKIBS MAKE IT!!

I grew up never knowing I liked pasta salad. My aunt would make a pasta salad at every get together, but it wasn’t until I was in my teens that I tried it.  Once I did, I couldn’t get enough of it.  It was one of those things that you prayed was at every get together. And it was always gone if you went to grab a take home plate which always annoyed you. Luckily, I watched my aunt make her pasta salad enough that I can make it myself now. Here’s that pasta salad recipe.

Even though I still, to this day, love her pasta salad dearly, I wanted something more. Something fresher. Something packed with protein to fill us up. Thus, you get our Italian Ham Pasta Salad. Skibs and I got into the kitchen and got to work.  She almost did this recipe entirely by herself.  I had to chop and help with mixing at the end, but otherwise, it was all her. She absolutely loved making this Italian Ham pasta salad because of that too.

Baby was with us too.  On my back, babywearing, as normal. She was just enjoying eating as usual.

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Italian Ham Pasta Salad

Author: Larisha Campbell

Ingredients

• 1 lb tri-color rotini cooked
• 1 lb cooked ham cubed
• 1/2 pint cherry tomatoes cut into thirds
• 1/2 each: red green, orange, and yellow bell pepper, cut into small cubes
• 1 cucumber skin on, cut into slices or half slices
• 4 oz colby jack cheese cubed
• 4 oz fresh mozzarella cubed
• 1/8 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 1/2 cups homemade zesty Italian Dressing see below

Italian Dressing

• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• juice from half a lemon
• 5 cloves garlic minced
• 1/8 cup red onion finally chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients.
2. Stir well until all the ingredients are covered with dressing.
3. Cover bowl with lid, or foil, and place in the fridge for at least 4 hours (up to overnight).
4. Save remaining Italian dressing for another recipe or serve on the side.

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• Italian Ham Pasta Salad // We’re Parents
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