Pineapple Pasta Salad with Ham

A sweet and tangy pasta salad that is loaded with delicious flavor. The pineapple, ham, and cheddar cubes pair so perfectly together making for a scrumptious cold pasta salad.

Jump to Recipe

This pineapple pasta salad is a fun and easy way to turn a classic dish into something new and exciting. It’s perfect for a summer potluck or picnic and is sure to be a hit with everyone. If you love pineapple pizza which is my personal favorite, this salad is for you!

The canned pineapple adds a delicious sweetness to the dish, while the ham provides a nice salty contrast. The salad is also packed with healthy veggies like carrots, celery, and red peppers. And it’s all brought together with a creamy dressing made with pineapple juice, mayonnaise, sour cream, and Dijon mustard.

Ingredients

Ham – You can use leftover ham, chopped deli ham, or even ham steaks. I prefer a ham steak because it is the cheapest option if I do not have leftovers.

Cheese – This salad is good with pretty much any cheese, but cheddar just pairs so well with the sweet pineapple and dressing.

Pasta – I love the look of bowtie pasta, but you can use any type you might have on hand.

Veggies – shredded carrots are sold in 2 cups bags for less than a dollar at our market so I purchased those. Red onion is always delicious in salads, but you could also use Vidalia onion. Green onion adds color and milk flavor.

Dressing – I used mayo, sour cream, spices, and pineapple juice. You can sub the sour cream for non-fat Greek yogurt as well. The pineapple juice came from the canned pineapple chunks which are a must for this sweet and savory salad.

How to Make Pineapple Pasta Salad

This salad is not too hard to put together and requires minimal effort.

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Add ham, cheese, pineapple chunks, carrots, green and red onion to a large bowl.

In another small bowl, whisk the garlic powder, vinegar, mustard, pepper, sour cream, mayonnaise, and pineapple juice until creamy.

Pour the dressing over the salad, and mix to combine.

For best flavor, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Enjoy!

Storage

When storing pineapple pasta salad, be sure to keep it in an airtight container in the fridge. It will keep for up to three days. Unfortunately, this salad does not freeze well.

Summer Pasta Salads

• Strawberry Fields Pasta Salad
• Pesto Pasta Salad
• Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
• Tuna Pasta Salad with Pickles
• Sweet & Creamy Macaroni Salad