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Cuban Pasta Salad

I cannot even believe I'm posting a recipe full of mustard and pickles. Two things I don't really eat, but you guys, this Cuban Pasta Salad is so good!!! It's full of pork tenderloin, ham, Swiss cheese and veggies. And the dressing is so tangy and full of Cuban flavors! Buckle up for this one!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: 15 of the Best Pasta Salad Recipes on the Internet
Cuisine: CUBAN
Keyword: bbq, cuban, pasta, pasta salad, pickles, pork, salad, side dish
Servings: 12
Author: Sweet Basil

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Pork Tenderloin

  • 1 1/4 Pounds Pork Tenderloin
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard Dry Ground
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Oregano Dry
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • Juice of 1 Orange
  • Juice of 1 Lemon

For the Pasta Salad

  • 20  oz.  Orecchiette Pasta
  • 1 1/2 Cups Ham *see note Cubed
  • 2 Cups Swiss Cheese Cubed
  • 1 1/2 Pints  Cherry Tomatoes Halved
  • 1  Cup  Dill Pickles Chopped
  • 1/2 Cup  Onion Red, Thinly Sliced
  • 3  Cups  Romaine Lettuce Chopped, Packed
  • 1/4-1/3 Cup Cilantro Chopped

For the Dressing

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the Pork Tenderloin

  • You have two options for preparing the pork tenderloin - Instant Pot or oven. For the Instant Pot, sprinkle all of the seasonings over the pork.
    1 1/4 Pounds Pork Tenderloin, 1 teaspoon Mustard, 1 1/2 teaspoons Oregano, 1 1/2 teaspoons Cumin, 1 teaspoon Salt
  • Squeeze the orange and lemon juice into the instant pot and place the pork in.
    Juice of 1 Orange, Juice of 1 Lemon
  • Turn the valve to seal and close the lid. Set the time to 10 minutes at high pressure. Allow a natural release and remove the pork.
  • Make sure the pork rests for 8 minutes and then slice into 1" cubes.
  • Drizzle oil in a pan over medium high heat and crisp the pork cubes, scraping up any brown bits in the pan and placing everything on a plate to cool. The crispy pieces in the pan are essential, don't throw them out!
  • For the oven, heat to 400 and prepare as above. Bake for 18-20 minutes and proceed as above.

For the Pasta Salad

  • Heat a large pot of water over medium high heat with a few pinches of salt so the pasta is seasoned. Cook pasta al dente, this is essential for pasta salad, it must never be over cooked pasta.
    20  oz.  Orecchiette Pasta
  • Drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
  • Prepare all other ingredients and add to a large bowl with the pasta.
    1 1/2 Cups Ham *see note, 2 Cups Swiss Cheese, 1 1/2 Pints  Cherry Tomatoes, 1  Cup  Dill Pickles, 1/2 Cup  Onion, 3  Cups  Romaine Lettuce, 1/4-1/3 Cup Cilantro
  • Add the dressing and toss to coat.
  • Serve immediately.

For the Dressing

  • In a glass measuring cup, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.
    1 1/3  Cup  Canola oil, 2 teaspoons Garlic Powder, Zest of 2 Oranges, Juice of 2 Oranges, Zest of 2 Limes, Juice of 2 Limes, 2  teaspoons Oregano, 1 teaspoons Cumin, 1 teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Onion Powder, 1 teaspoon Smoked Paprika, 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 teaspoon Sugar, 4 teaspoons Mayonnaise, 2 1/2 teaspoons Dijon

Video

Notes

This recipe is easily halved for family use.
We like to buy a 12 ounce Ham Steak from the meat department, and just use that.
This salad can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 572kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 48mg | Sodium: 649mg | Potassium: 551mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5548IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 201mg | Iron: 2mg