Hawaiian Pasta Salad Ham Pineapple (Printer view)

Tropical-inspired pasta with ham, pineapple, veggies, and creamy dressing for a fresh and easy meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz rotini or bow tie pasta
02 - 1 teaspoon salt for boiling water

→ Salad Mix-ins

03 - 7 oz cooked ham, diced
04 - 8 oz canned pineapple tidbits, drained
05 - 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
06 - ½ cup celery, finely chopped
07 - ½ cup red onion, finely diced
08 - ½ cup frozen peas, thawed

→ Dressing

09 - ½ cup ranch dressing
10 - ⅓ cup mayonnaise
11 - 1 tablespoon pineapple juice reserved from can
12 - 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
13 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
14 - ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped optional

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add rotini or bow tie pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Allow to cool completely.
02 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add diced ham, drained pineapple tidbits, red bell pepper, celery, red onion, and thawed peas. Toss to combine evenly.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, mayonnaise, reserved pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, black pepper, and salt until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss gently with a serving spoon or tongs until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Taste the salad and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Just before serving, top the chilled salad with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro if desired. Serve chilled as a standalone main course or as an accompaniment to grilled meats.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under thirty minutes and tastes even better the next day, so you can prep ahead without stress.
  • The sweet-salty-tangy combo keeps people reaching for seconds, and nobody expects ham and pineapple to work this well together.
02 -
  • Don't skip the rinsing step with the pasta or it'll clump together, and nobody wants a ball of starch pretending to be a salad.
  • Reserve that pineapple juice before draining the can—it's the secret ingredient that prevents the whole thing from tasting like straight mayo.
03 -
  • Dice everything roughly the same size so each bite feels intentional and balanced, not like you just threw things in.
  • If you're making this ahead and the dressing absorbs into the pasta, whisk together a quick extra dressing (ranch plus mayo in a 1:1 ratio) and toss it in an hour before serving to refresh it.
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