Red Lentil Pasta Ham Salad

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Pasta made from red lentils combines with a zippy sauce and ham for a delightful take on traditional pasta salad. Spicy pickles and sweet onion are added to create a salad that is sure to be a hit for lunch or dinner.

Storing this salad

This salad may be made the day before serving. After mixing the salad, I like to store it in the Klassic-Ware bowl by Quality Plastics. This company is in Ohio, USA. It is owned and operated by hard-working, creative folks. I appreciate their concern for great customer service and integrity.

The Klassic-Ware family of bowls is made of a clear, glass-like material that won’t break if dropped. The clear material makes the bowls great for serving. Feel confident to transport food in this bowl with its tight-fitting lid to any community or family dinner. It not only looks great but the clear materal allows folks to easily see what’s inside. No more opening all the containers in the refrigerator to check contents.

Cooking any pasta

When cooking any pasta or egg noodles, the cooking water should be as “salty as the ocean.” This is recommended by the great Italian cooks. My rule of thumb is to use 1 tablespoon of good quality salt per 4 quarts (1 gallon) of water. This will not oversalt the final product. You will actually be adding a bit more salt when assembling the salad.

Salad Ingredients

This salad recipe was created by me several years ago when I had these particular products in my RV kitchen. When combined in the right way, the result was a hit that we have enjoyed ever since. The recipe is rather ingredient-specific, but you may choose to experiment with substituting other products or brand preferences.

• red lentil pasta ~ This pasta is produced by various companies and is found in most grocery stores. It is red in color but it does fade when cooked. This pasta is made from red lentils. Be sure not to overcook. Just bring it to al dente stage which takes roughly 7 minutes.
• “city” ham ~ We country folks call hams either “country” (salt-cured) or “city” (sugar-cured). A ham from the deli department or the slices in the luncheon meat packages would be considered “city.” I use Kentucky Legand ham for this recipe. It is found in the refrigerated meat department of most grocery stores in the American South. It may also be available elsewhere across the Nation.
• sweet onion ~ Sweet onions just hit differently from their stronger relatives. I prefer Vidalia onions for their sweetness. You won’t cry when cutting a Vidalia. Although these hail from Vidalia, Georgia, they are available across the Nation but only at certain times of the year. If these are unavailable, try any sweet, yellow onion.
• eggs ~ This recipe calls for five, boiled, peeled eggs. I like to use a microplane grater when using boiled eggs in any salads. I prefer the shreds to larger pieces.
• mayonnaise ~ My personal preference for store-bought mayonnaise is Duke’s.
• Durkee’s Sandwich Spread ~ This sauce adds a spicy kick to spreads and sandwiches. I also use it to make my Hearty Pimento Cheese (video tutorial link). Find the printable recipe in my cookbook, From Katie’s Kitchen, Vol. One.
• spicy maple bourbon pickles ~ Look for these in your local grocery stores. Here is an option online.

Video Tutorial on Heritage Ways YouTube

Watch me make this salad in my cozy Tennessee kitchen.

Red Lentil Pasta Ham Salad recipe

Family Favorite Recipes

Years ago my Mr. Patient and children encouraged me to write down many of their favorite recipes in one book. My first cookbook, From Katie’s Kitchen, Vol. One, includes 205 of the recipes that they requested. This book has become a fan favorite with Heritage Ways homemakers world-wide. Get your copy HERE and start cooking our many of the recipes that our family has been cooking for generations.

The Heritage Ways Diligent Homemaker’s Commitment

As Diligent Homemakers, we do the best we can with the resources we have at the time. These resources include our time, physical health and energy, money and possessions. We commit to using these God-given resources to the best of our abilities and give ourselves grace in the process.
Lazy hands make for poverty but diligent hands bring wealth.
Proverbs 10:4 of The Holy Bible, NIV

Count your blessings and know you are loved,
Mrs. Katie of Heritage Ways