This Puerto Rican Ensalada de Coditos con Jamón (Macaroni Pasta with Ham) is deliciously creamy and perfect as a side for dinner, entertaining and of course a weekend BBQ!
In the U.S., cold pasta salads are usually thought of as summer food, but in Latin and Hispanic culture, that’s not the case. In Puerto Rican homes, cold salads are enjoyed all year long, whether it’s a casual dinner or a holiday feast.
For example, Ensalada de Papa (Potato Salad) is a staple at gatherings no matter the season. The same goes for soups and stews like Puerto Rican chicken soup (sopa de pollo), which we love to eat any time of the year, even on warm, sunny days!
The same applies with this creamy ensalada de coditos con jamon! This Puerto Rican pasta dish is enjoyed anytime and is a must-have at holiday celebrations. Served alongside classics like pernil asado (roast pork shoulder) and pavochon (Puerto Rican style turkey).
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Reasons to Love this Recipe
- Versatile – Perfect as a side dish for the holidays, BBQ’s or everyday meals, it’s a hit with kids and adults alike.
- Quick and Easy – Just like our other macaroni salad, ensalada de coditos, this recipe is also made with simple ingredients, minimal prep and comes together in no time!
- Make Ahead – Perfect to make ahead, especially beneficial when you have several dishes to prepare and cook.
- Delicious – The creamy mayo dressing, pasta and ham combine just perfectly. Yum!
Ingredients
- elbow, shell, bowtie, rotini or mini penne pasta
- green bell pepper
- red bell pepper
- red onion
- ham steak
For the Salad Dressing
- mayonnaise
- sour cream
- garlic paste
- lemon juice
- fresh cilantro
- salt and pepper
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
- Veggies: You can add different veggies like peas, broccoli, scallions, shredded carrots, and celery.
- Cheese: Add chunks of cheese like cheddar or Monterey Jack cubes.
- Meat: Add crumbled bacon, turkey and chicken cubes are all delicious additions.
- Pasta: Other delicious pasta ideas are penne, bowtie, rotini or shells.
Here is another delicious cold pasta salad using “Bowtie Pasta” by Jill from Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons.
Instructions
Pasta
Step 1: Cook the pasta per the box instructions. Rinse and drain under cold water to stop the cooking process. Add about a tablespoon of oil and stir to prevent the pasta from clumping. Then set aside.
Salad Dressing and Mixing
Step 2: Add the chopped cilantro, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice and garlic to a glass bowl. Whisk or stir together to combine the ingredients well (Image 1). Season the salad dressing with a little bit of salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Step 3: Add the pasta, chopped veggies and ham to a bowl (Image 2). Top with the dressing and stir to combine well (Images 3 and 4). Taste for additional salt and pepper.
Serving the Salad
The salad is ready and can be served right away or refrigerate it for an hour or two. Chilling the salad enhances the flavors and allows them to meld.
Expert Tips
- Don’t Overcook Pasta – Cook the pasta al dente. Overcooking it will make it mushy especially once added to with the dressing.
- Dice Evenly – Dice the vegetables and meat evenly for the best uniform texture and presentation.
- Chill – For the best tasting salad, let it chill for at least one to two hours.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, this salad is even better made a few hours or a day in advance so that the flavors have time to meld together.
The salad is best when eaten within 3 days. To freshens it up, add a little more dressing or simply a little mayo.
To store, simply cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Use cooked turkey, chicken, and tuna make delicious alternatives.
Other Side Dishes You Will Love
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📖 Recipe
Ensalada de Coditos con Jamón
Ingredients
- ½ lb elbow pasta cooked
- ½ small green bell pepper rinsed and chopped
- ½ small red bell pepper rinsed and chopped
- ½ small red onion chopped
- 1 cup ham steak cubed
- 1-2 tablespoon vegetable oil
For Salad Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro rinsed and finely chopped
- 1¼ tablespoon lemon juice about ½ lemon depending on size
- 1-2 teaspoon garlic paste
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cooking Pasta
- Cook the pasta per box instructions. Rinse and drain under cold water to stop the cooking process. Add about a tablespoon of oil and stir to prevent the pasta from clumping. Then set aside.
Salad Dressing
- Add the chopped cilantro, mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice and garlic to a glass bowl. Whisk or stir together to combine the ingredients well. Season the salad dressing with a little bit of salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.
- Add the pasta, chopped veggies and ham to a bowl. Top with the dressing and stir to combine well. Taste and adjust for additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serving
- The salad is ready and can be served right away or refrigerate it for an hour or two. Chilling the salad enhances the flavors and allows them to meld.
Notes
- peas
- thinly sliced fresh broccoli
- chopped scallions
- shredded carrots
- chopped celery
- chopped boiled eggs
- cheese cubes like cheddar
- use different shapes of pasta
Nena says
Amazing recipe! Absolutely delicious. I played with the amounts of each ingredient to taste, and definitely added more ham to it, but this recipe is great.
Felix says
Delicious!!!
Catherine Arena says
Glad to hear you enjoyed it Felix!