This Layered Pasta Salad is not only visually appealing but also packed with a variety of textures and flavors. The creamy dressing coats layers of crisp lettuce, tender pasta, colorful vegetables, savory ham, and sharp cheddar cheese. It’s a perfect make-ahead salad for potlucks, picnics, or a satisfying light meal.
Ingredients:
Dressing:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Mayonnaise | 1/2 cup |
| Sour Cream | ¾ cup |
| White Wine Vinegar | 2 teaspoons |
| Sugar | 1 teaspoon |
| Dijon Mustard | 2 teaspoons |
| Worcestershire Sauce | ½ teaspoon |
| Salt | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Black Pepper | ½ teaspoon |
Salad:
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Macaroni Pasta (cooked & drained) | 3 cups |
| Chopped Romaine Lettuce | 3 cups |
| Red Bell Pepper (diced) | Half of 1 pepper |
| Red Onion (finely diced) | ¼ cup |
| Frozen Green Peas (thawed) | ½ cup |
| Chopped Celery | ⅓ cup |
| Diced Ham | 1 ½ cups |
| Black Olives | ⅓ cup |
| Shredded Cheddar Cheese | ½ cup |
Instructions:
Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, white wine vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined. Set aside.
Layer the salad: In a large trifle bowl or a clear glass dish, begin layering the salad ingredients in the following order:
First, add the chopped romaine lettuce to the bottom of the bowl.
Next, layer the cooked and drained macaroni pasta over the lettuce.
Follow with the diced red bell pepper, spreading it evenly.
Sprinkle the finely diced red onion over the peppers.
Add the thawed frozen green peas as the next layer.
Spread the chopped celery evenly over the peas.
Layer the diced ham over the celery.
Distribute the black olives over the ham.
Finally, pour the prepared dressing evenly over the top layer of olives.
Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese as the final layer on top of the dressing.
Chill: Cover the trifle bowl or glass dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate the layered pasta salad for at least 5 hours to allow the flavors to meld together. For the best results, chilling overnight is recommended.
Toss and serve: Just before serving, gently toss all the layers together to ensure the dressing coats all the ingredients. Serve immediately and enjoy this refreshing and flavorful layered pasta salad!
