Pineapple Ham Macaroni Salad

Pineapple ham macaroni salad pairs sweet pineapple chunks and salty diced ham with elbow macaroni, crunchy vegetables and cubes of cheddar, all folded into a tangy, creamy dressing. It feeds 8 and comes together in about 25 minutes plus an hour in the fridge.

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It suits a potluck or a cookout. Everything gets folded together in one big bowl, and the hour of chilling happens while you get the rest of the meal ready.

What goes into pineapple ham macaroni salad

• 8 oz elbow macaroni
• 2 cups cooked ham, diced
• 1 1/2 cups pineapple chunks, well drained, 2 tbsp juice saved
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/2 cup celery, finely diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, cubed
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Two things that keep it from going soupy

The most common complaint about fruit in a creamy pasta salad is a puddle at the bottom of the bowl. Pineapple is the usual culprit. The recipe asks for the chunks to be well drained, and that word matters: any juice still clinging to them ends up in the dressing and thins it. Save 2 tablespoons of that juice before you pour the rest away, because it goes into the dressing on purpose, in a measured amount.

The second source of water is the pasta itself. After you rinse the macaroni under cold water, shake the colander hard and let it sit until it stops dripping. Water clinging to the elbows thins the mayonnaise and makes the dressing slide off instead of coating each piece. Cook it only until just tender, too. It keeps softening as it soaks up dressing in the fridge, so pasta that starts out soft ends up mushy.

Why the pineapple juice belongs in the dressing

Those 2 tablespoons of juice carry the pineapple flavor through the whole salad, so every forkful tastes of it, even the bites without a chunk. Paired with the apple cider vinegar and Dijon, the juice keeps a rich mayo and sour cream base from tasting flat. The teaspoon of sugar rounds out the tang without making the salad sweet.

How to make it

• Cook the macaroni in well salted water until just tender. Rinse it under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it down, then drain very well.
• In a bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, saved pineapple juice, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper until the dressing is smooth with no streaks of sour cream.
• Put the macaroni, ham, pineapple, bell pepper, celery, onion and cheddar in a big bowl. A roomy bowl gives you space to fold without crushing the pineapple.
• Pour the dressing over and fold gently until every piece is coated. Scrape up from the bottom so no dry macaroni hides underneath.
• Chill at least 1 hour. Stir again before serving, then finish with the parsley and a little cracked pepper.

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Keep a little dressing in reserve

Macaroni keeps absorbing dressing while it chills. By the time the hour in the fridge is up, some of that creamy coating has gone into the pasta, and the salad can look less glossy than when you first mixed it. The fix is simple: make a little extra dressing and stir it in just before serving. The pasta drinks it up in the fridge, and that last spoonful brings back the creamy look and loosens everything up.

Whisk the extra in a small jar alongside the main batch so it tastes exactly the same, then keep it covered in the fridge until you are ready to serve.

Serving it at a potluck or cookout

This salad sits happily next to anything off the grill, and the ham makes it filling enough to hold its own on a buffet table. Keep it in the fridge until it goes out, since mayonnaise and sour cream need to stay cold.

Hold back the parsley until the last stir. Added early, it wilts and darkens in the dressing. Sprinkled on at the end, it stays bright green and gives the bowl some color against the pale macaroni, the red bell pepper and the gold of the pineapple.

Do not skip the second stir the recipe calls for after chilling. It brings the dressing back up around the pasta and spreads the ham, pineapple and cheddar evenly again, so the first person in line does not get all the cheese and the last one gets plain elbows. That is also the moment to fold in any reserved dressing.

If you like a creamy macaroni salad on the table, try our classic Hawaiian plate lunch mac salad or the Hawaiian macaroni salad with pineapple and macadamia nuts . For more potluck sides, the sweet and tangy Amish macaroni salad and our chicken macaroni salad are always welcome.

Pineapple ham macaroni salad questions

How long does it need to chill?

At least 1 hour. That time lets the salad get properly cold and gives the dressing a chance to settle into the pasta. Stir it again when it comes out, then add the parsley and a little cracked pepper.

Why rinse the macaroni? I usually don’t rinse pasta.

For a hot pasta dish you want the starch to help sauce cling. Here the cold rinse stops the cooking so the elbows stay just tender, and it cools them fast. Warm pasta would thin out the mayonnaise and make the dressing greasy.

Why cubed cheddar instead of shredded?

Cubes hold their shape in a creamy salad and give you a distinct bite of cheese, much like the ham and pineapple. Shredded cheese tends to clump and disappear into the dressing.

How small should I dice the vegetables?

Finely, as the recipe says. Small pieces of bell pepper, celery and red onion spread through the salad so you get a little crunch in every bite, and the raw onion never overpowers a forkful.

How many people does it feed?

The recipe makes 8 servings from 8 oz of elbow macaroni, which makes it a comfortable size for a shared table.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us