Hawaiian Pasta Salad with Ham and Pineapple
Hawaiian pasta salad is a creamy, cold pasta salad made with diced ham, pineapple, fresh vegetables, and a lightly sweet, tangy dressing. It’s an easy side dish for potlucks, summer gatherings, and make-ahead meals.
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients
- 16 ounces pasta cooked and rinsed with cold water
- 1 cup pineapple diced (about 5 slices from canned pineapple)
- 1 cup diced ham
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 cup grated carrots
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup pineapple juice reserved from the can
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions until just tender. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool the pasta completely. This also helps keep the pasta from absorbing too much dressing later.
- In a large bowl, add the diced pineapple, ham, red bell pepper, grated carrots, red onion, and green onions. Stir until the ingredients are evenly combined so the pineapple and ham are distributed throughout the salad.
- Add the cooled pasta to the bowl and gently mix until everything is evenly incorporated.
- Add the mayonnaise, reserved pineapple juice, apple cider vinegar, and sugar, then stir until the salad is evenly coated. The dressing should be creamy with a light sweetness from the pineapple juice, not runny.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir again. Taste the salad and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. If the salad is chilled, stir well before serving to redistribute the dressing, as it may settle slightly while sitting.