Description
A creamy and colorful bow tie pasta salad made with ham, cheddar cheese, peas, and bell peppers, tossed in a tangy homemade dressing. Perfect for potlucks or quick and healthy meals.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound bow tie pasta
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, diced
- 1 cup fully-cooked ham, diced
- 1/2 small white or sweet onion, finely diced
- 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons relish (sweet or dill)
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the bow tie pasta until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool and prevent sticking.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, relish, sugar, mustard, vinegar, salt, and pepper until smooth. Cover and refrigerate the dressing while preparing the rest.
- Dice the ham, cheddar cheese, red bell pepper, and onion into small, uniform pieces.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, ham, cheese, onions, peas, and bell peppers.
- Pour the chilled dressing over the salad ingredients and toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.
Notes
- Rinse pasta with cold water after boiling to stop cooking and prevent clumping.
- Chill the salad for at least 30–60 minutes for best flavor.
- Cut ingredients to similar sizes for even distribution in every bite.
- If salad dries out after refrigeration, stir and add a bit of extra dressing or mayo.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 414
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 541mg
- Fat: 17g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 15g
- Cholesterol: 34mg