Packed with crunchy veggies, ham, cheddar cheese and tossed with zesty Italian dressing, this pasta salad is sure to be a hit at your next picnic or barbecue.

I originally shared this recipe in the summer of 2015. It’s an old family favorite! My mom used to make a double or triple batch of this pasta salad and we’d keep the leftovers in the fridge all week. The original recipe has bell peppers and red onion, but since I was making this for Nick and I (he hates onion and we both don’t really like bell peppers), I left them out. I substituted cucumbers for the same type of crunch. 

This pasta salad is fantastic to bring to a BBQ or picnic and tastes better the longer it sits in the fridge and the flavors can really marinate together. The carrots and broccoli are boiled with the pasta during the last two minutes of cooking to just slightly cook them so they’re not completely raw. They still have a slight crunch to them. The key is to just barely start cooking them so that they don’t get soggy. This way they’ll stay crisp while stored. 

The pasta, broccoli, carrots, cucumber, ham and cheese are tossed in pre-made zesty Italian dressing and left to marinate for about two hours, or overnight, before eating. You can top with an additional sprinkle with shredded parmesan if you want to add even more savory flavor. 

Here’s the recipe!