Hawaiian Pasta Salad Ham (Printer-friendly)

A vibrant mix of pasta, ham, pineapple, and crunchy veggies tossed in a 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 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

# How To Make It:

01 - Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Allow to cool completely.
02 - In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, ham, pineapple tidbits, red bell pepper, celery, red onion, and peas.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together ranch dressing, mayonnaise, pineapple juice, 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.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to develop flavors.
06 - Garnish with chopped parsley or cilantro just before serving if desired.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The tropical sweetness balances the savory ham in a way that keeps you coming back for another bite.
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes and tastes even better the next day when flavors meld together.
  • You can make it ahead, which means one less thing to stress about when hosting.
02 -
  • Don't skip the step of rinsing the cooked pasta with cold water, because warm pasta will continue cooking and turn soft by the time you're ready to eat.
  • The pineapple juice in the dressing is what separates this from tasting like every other creamy pasta salad, so don't substitute or skip it even though it's a small amount.
03 -
  • The secret to incredible flavor is making this salad at least an hour ahead so the pasta softens slightly and drinks in all the dressing instead of staying firm and separate.
  • Taste as you go when adjusting seasonings because the lime juice and pineapple juice can vary in acidity, and you want balance instead of an overly tangy final result.
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