Hawaiian Pasta Ham Pineapple (Printable)

Tropical pasta blend with ham, pineapple, crunchy veggies, and a 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)

# Step-by-Step:

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 - Transfer cooled pasta to a large bowl and add ham, pineapple tidbits, red bell pepper, celery, red onion, and thawed peas.
03 - In a separate 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 ingredients are evenly coated.
05 - Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow flavors to meld.
06 - Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or cilantro just before serving if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It comes together in under 30 minutes, which means you can decide to make it right after work.
  • The tropical sweetness paired with creamy ranch feels unexpected in the best way, and people always ask what makes it taste so good.
  • It actually tastes better the next day after flavors meld, so you can prep it ahead without stress.
02 -
  • The dressing needs time to do its work—if you eat this immediately after mixing, it tastes good, but after sitting overnight it becomes something else entirely, in the best way possible.
  • Always drain the pineapple thoroughly or you'll end up with a watery salad that doesn't hold up, even though that pineapple juice deserves a second life in the dressing.
03 -
  • For a lighter version that still tastes rich, replace half the mayo with Greek yogurt and add an extra splash of lime juice to compensate.
  • If you need this to be gluten-free, use a good quality gluten-free pasta and it works exactly the same way—your guests won't know the difference.
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