Some dishes are seasonal and some never go out of fashion and this Layered Pasta Salad is one of them.
It is not just food, it is the heart of the table with its bright colors, tasty textures, and creamy homemade dressing.
It is a perfect salad to bring to potlucks, barbecues, family gatherings and church picnics.
It is all the good things about summer in a big bowl: fresh vegetables, hearty pasta, salty ham, and sharp cheddar cheese, held together with a rich, flavorful dressing.
And its beautiful layers make it as pretty to look at as it is to eat.
This salad is a winner in both taste and presentation whether you are feeding a crowd or you want something that will keep in the fridge.
Here is how to make it step by step.
The layers are not only beautiful.
They conserve ingredients.
The dressing is added on top and slowly drips down, seasoning the salad in the process without making the salad soggy.
You have pasta to provide you with energy, ham to provide you with protein, veggies to provide you with crunch, and cheese to provide you with dairy all in a bowl.
You can make it your own easily.
Hate olives?
Exclude them.
Do you like bacon more than ham?
Take it.
Want a lighter dressing?
Replace Greek yogurt with sour cream.
Use this version and edit it to your taste.
Combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 3/4 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon sugar, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix.
Blend until smooth.
Set it aside.
Next, boil 3 cups of macaroni pasta in salty water as indicated on the package.
Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
Let it cool.
This is the fun part, layering it all.
In a large glass bowl or trifle dish, layer the following ingredients in the following order: 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce on the bottom.
Then add the cooled pasta.
Then add 1/2 diced red bell pepper, 1/4 cup minced red onion, 1/2 cup thawed frozen peas, and 1/3 cup chopped celery.
Add 1 1/2 cups of diced ham over the veggies.
Then add 1/3 cup sliced black olives.
Pour the ready dressing on top with a light spoon and do not stir the layers underneath.
Top with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
In order to obtain the best results, cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate it at least 5 hours or overnight.
This will enable the dressing to soak into the salad and combine the flavors.
Remove it to serve and allow it to rest at room temperature 10-15 minutes.
Then gently toss the salad so that each bite has a mixture of all the ingredients- creamy dressing, crunchy vegetables, cheesy goodness, pasta, and ham.
This is a recipe that can be easily adapted to taste or availability.
You can replace ham with rotisserie chicken, turkey or crispy bacon.
To make it low-carb, substitute pasta with cauliflower cut into pieces.
Add more vegetables like cherry tomatoes, shredded carrots or diced cucumber to make it fresh.
To make it dairy-free, replace plant-based mayo and sour cream and skip the cheese.
In order to achieve the best texture, make sure that your pasta is cold when you layer it so that it does not wilt the lettuce.
Blot your ingredients- too much water in peas or lettuce will make the salad wet.
Sharp cheddar should be used to be more flavorful.
This salad is especially popular with older adults.
It is easy to eat, and is a good mix of creamy and crunchy.
The flavors are familiar and comfortable, and the sunny stratified look is always welcome at a party.
Should you have any leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge within 3 days.
The lettuce may be a little wilted, but the salad will be good.
You may also remove some without mixing the whole mixture leaving the rest fresh until you are ready to serve it again.
A spoonful of Layered Pasta Salad is very satisfying.
It is creamy, crunchy, chewy and tasty with its dressing, vegetables, pasta and ham.
Once you have tried it, you will understand why it is so popular at parties, barbecues, and potlucks.
It is simple to prepare, it looks beautiful on the table and it is one of the first dishes to disappear.
