Hawaiian Pasta Salad Ham (Print Version)

Tropical pasta with ham, pineapple, crunchy veggies, and creamy ranch dressing delivers bright, fresh flavors.

# 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 from canned tidbits
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

# Directions:

01 - Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. 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.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, mayonnaise, reserved pineapple juice, lime juice, black pepper, and salt until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour dressing over pasta mixture and toss gently until all components are evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Remove from refrigerator and garnish with fresh chopped parsley or cilantro just before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent way more time on it.
  • The sweet and savory balance keeps people coming back for seconds without realizing they've had three helpings.
  • It actually gets better after a few hours in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and relax before guests arrive.
02 -
  • Drain your pineapple well and save that juice—it's the difference between a good salad and one that tastes like it came straight from a Hawaiian beach.
  • Don't skip the chilling time, even if you're in a rush; the cold temperature and time together make the flavors marry in a way that feels completely different from the first few minutes.
03 -
  • Buy quality ham from the deli counter instead of pre-packaged if you can—it makes a noticeable difference in the final taste.
  • Taste the dressing before mixing it into the salad and adjust seasoning then, not after, because once everything is combined it's harder to fix if something's off.
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