Hawaiian Pasta Salad Ham Pineapple (Printable Page)

A tropical pasta salad featuring ham, pineapple, crisp vegetables, and creamy dressing.

# 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

# Step-by-Step Guide:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add rotini or bow tie pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process. Allow to cool completely.
02 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl. Add diced ham, pineapple tidbits, red bell pepper, celery, red onion, and thawed peas. Mix gently to combine.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, mayonnaise, reserved pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, black pepper, and salt until smooth and fully incorporated.
04 - Pour prepared dressing over pasta mixture. Toss gently and thoroughly until all components are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Taste salad and adjust seasoning as needed. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Remove from refrigeration and garnish with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro just before serving if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • It's bright and tropical without being heavy, somehow both refreshing and satisfying at the same time.
  • Everything comes together in about thirty minutes, leaving you free to focus on literally anything else.
  • The flavors actually get better as it sits, so you can make it the night before and feel like you're ahead of the game.
02 -
  • Never skip the cooling step for the pasta—warm pasta will wilt your vegetables and make the dressing separate and weird.
  • Drain that pineapple juice thoroughly or your salad becomes a soup, but save every drop of it for the dressing where it actually belongs.
03 -
  • Buy pre-cooked ham from the deli counter and ask them to slice it thicker than usual, then dice it yourself—the quality jump is worth the extra minute.
  • Make the dressing separately in a small bowl first so you can taste it before committing it to the whole salad, giving you a chance to adjust the seasoning.
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