Hawaiian Pasta Salad is sooooo quick, easy and inexpensive to make. It’s the perfect way to enjoy a taste of the tropics all year long.
Post includes Weight Watchers Points.
Rich, creamy and totally kid-approved, this Easy Hawaiian Pasta salad recipe is just the thing for weekly meal prep and packing in lunchboxes. Plus, it is full of all sorts of great flavor combinations and textures. You get comforting pasta and creamy dressing. And the salty ham and sweet pineapple that contrasts nicely with the crunchy carrots and bright red peppers. Its like a Hawaiian Pizza but in salad form.
Hawaiian Pasta Salad really is a little one-dish wonder. Perfect for serving up at your next potluck, packing on picnics or enjoying at outdoor concerts and lunchboxes. And it is especially well suited for a fun summertime backyard luau. Or, why not hold you very own Kuhio Day celebration on March 26th?
Table of contents
Why You’ll Love This
- Easy – sooooo easy to make since it requires just a handful of everyday frugal ingredients.
- Serve cold – refreshing meal and perfect for summer and all year long.
- Flavorful – bursting with authentic Hawaiian flavors.
- Feed a Crowd – Double or even triple this recipe to feed a hungry crowd.
Salad Ingredients Notes
- Uncooked elbow macaroni – any other pasta shape works well. Or make this with whole wheat pasta or gluten-free pasta instead.Vegetables – this gets color and crunch from bell peppers, carrots and green onion. Feel free to vary the color of the veggies – the more colourful the better.
- Ham and pineapple – Ham and pineapple is what makes this salad Hawaiian. This is a great opportunity to use leftover cubbed ham and leftover pineapple. You can also use tinned pineapple chunks
- Seasoning – olive oil, salt and pepper add flavor.
Pineapple Dressing Ingredient Notes:
- Mayonnaise and sour cream. – you can use half fat or full fat versions. I have also subbed in some creme fraiche and Greek yogurt.
- Pineapple juice – This is what makes the salad pop.
- Whole grain mustard – you can use Dijon mustard, or you can skip this and add in a little extra black pepper.
- Apple cider vinegar – I have also use white wine vinegar.
So, are you ready to learn how to make this Pineapple Macaroni Salad Recipe? Then gather up your ingredients and I will show you…..
How to Make Hawaiian Pasta Salad with Pineapple
Get the complete ingredients list and instructions from the recipe card below.
- Cook pasta according to packet instructions (you will want it to be al dente).
- Drain the pasta and add in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to keep it from sticking. Allow pasta to cool.
- Meanwhile, make the pineapple dressing by adding all ingredients together and whisk till smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, ham, pineapple bits, red pepper, carrots, green onions, salt and pepper. Then add in the dressing and mix the Hawaiian mac salad till combined.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Cover the Hawaiian macaroni salad and chill until you are ready to serve your cold pasta salad.
Recipe Tips
- To reduce prep time start with leftover cooked pasta.
- When waiting for the pasta to cool, add 1- 2 teaspoons of olive oil and toss to prevent the pasta from sticking.
- This recipe typically calls for smooth Dijon mustard, but I love the bite that whole grain mustard provides.
- To make this Ham Pineapple Macaroni salad a bit healthier, I used half fat mayo. But you can make it with full-fat mayonnaise if you prefer.
Storage and Meal Prep
- Make ahead – make ahead and chill for up to 2 hours. Mix before serving.
- Storage – Store in an airtight container inside the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Meal Prep – I happen to think that cold pasta salad is one of the best meal prep solutions there is. And this Hawaiian Mac Salad is sooooo easy to make. Just whip up a batch at the beginning of the week and keep it chilled in the fridge for 3 days.
And if you’re cooking for a crowd, simply double this recipe. Just the thing for your next backyard barbecue!
Delicious Variations
You can easily add more (or less) ingredients to this Hawaiian Pasta Salad Recipe. Have fun coming up with different flavor combinations to suit your taste. Here are just a few ideas for additional ingredients:
- Green peas
- Broccoli
- Celery
- Mandarin orange slices
- Mango or papaya chunks
- Nuts (cashews or macadamia nuts are a great choice)
- Shredded chicken or turkey
- Bacon crumbles
- Hard boiled egg
Serving Suggestions
- Instant Pot Shredded Chicken.
- Hawaiian Instant Pot Pulled Pork.
- Air Fryer Parmesan Chicken Wings.
- Instant Pot Pork Chops.
Weight Watchers Points
There are 7 Blueplan SmartPoints in a serving of this.
More Great Salad Recipes:
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Originally published July 2019. Post has been updated.
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Easy Hawaiian Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Cold Pasta Salad Ingredients:
- 1 lb (450g) uncooked elbow macaroni or other pasta shape of your choice
- 1 – 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 4 cups cubed ham
- 28 ounces pineapple chunks drained and juice reserved for salad dressing
- 2 red peppers deseeded and chopped
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into matchsticks
- 4 green onions sliced
- salt
- black pepper
Pineapple Dressing Ingredients:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 1/2 cup pineapple juice reserved from the pineapple tins
- 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard or Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Instructions
To Make Hawaiian Pasta Salad:
- Cook pasta according to packet instructions (you will want it to be al dente).
- Drain the pasta and add in a couple of teaspoons of olive oil to keep it from sticking. Allow pasta to cool.
- Meanwhile, make the Hawaiian pasta salad pineapple dressing by adding all ingredients together and whisk till smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, ham, pineapple bits, red pepper, carrots, green onions, salt and pepper. Then add in the dressing and mix the Hawaiian mac salad till combined.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Cover the Hawaiian macaroni salad and chill until you are ready to serve your cold pasta salad.
Notes
Hawaiian Pasta Salad Tips
- When waiting for the pasta to cool, add 1- 2 teaspoons of olive oil and toss to prevent the pasta from sticking.
- This recipe typically calls for smooth Dijon mustard, but I love the bite that a whole grain mustard provides.
- You can use the traditional elbow macaroni, but any pasta shape works well. Or make this Hawaiian Pasta Salad with whole wheat pasta or gluten free pasta instead.
- To make this Hawaiian mac salad a bit healthier, I used half fat mayo. But you can make it with full fat mayonnaise if you prefer.
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Brilliant!! Thank you for the information.
It’s nice when you see such a great work! Continue writing
Can you use yogurt in the place of mayo, because I’m allergic to it? The recipe sounds awesome but i think i would rather eat it hot instead of cold. I’m not much on cold salads, orher then regular salad. Thanks for sharing.
This dish looks creamy and delicious. I will definitely try this Thanks for sharing.