Hawaiian Pasta Salad Ham (Printable)

Tropical pasta blend with ham, pineapple, crisp vegetables, and creamy ranch-style dressing.

# What You'll Need:

→ Pasta

01 - 12 oz rotini or bow tie pasta
02 - 1 tsp 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 tbsp pineapple juice from can
12 - 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
13 - ½ tsp black pepper
14 - ¼ tsp salt, or to taste

→ Garnish

15 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped, optional

# How-To Steps:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Let cool completely.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, combine cooled pasta, diced ham, pineapple tidbits, red bell pepper, celery, red onion, and thawed peas.
03 - In a separate small bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, mayonnaise, reserved pineapple juice, fresh lime juice, black pepper, and salt until smooth and well combined.
04 - Pour dressing over pasta mixture. Toss gently until all ingredients are evenly coated with dressing.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Just before serving, garnish with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro if desired. Stir gently and serve chilled.

# Top Tips:

01 -
  • It comes together in about 30 minutes, which means you can make it the morning of a potluck without stress.
  • The sweet and savory balance keeps people reaching for seconds without realizing how much they're eating.
  • It actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have had time to mingle.
02 -
  • If you add the dressing right after the pasta is hot, it will thin out as the pasta releases starch and the whole thing becomes watery by tomorrow.
  • Draining the pineapple is non-negotiable unless you want a soup instead of a salad, but save every drop of that juice for the dressing.
03 -
  • Make the dressing in the small bowl first, then use that same bowl for the pasta mixture to save yourself a dish to wash.
  • If you're doubling this for a crowd, don't double the dressing all at once because it's easier to add more than to fix something that's too creamy.
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