Macaroni Salad With Ham And Pineapple
Equipment
- 1 Large pot
- 1 colander
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 Small mixing bowl
- 1 Cutting board
- 1 Chef's knife
- 1 measuring cup set
- 1 measuring spoon set
- 1 Wooden spoon or spatula
Ingredients
- 2 cup elbow macaroni uncooked
- 1 tablespoon salt for pasta water
- 1 cup cooked ham diced
- 1 cup pineapple tidbits drained
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper finely diced
- 1/2 cup celery finely diced
- 1/4 cup red onion finely minced
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise full-fat
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoon pineapple juice reserved from can
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper freshly ground
- 2 tablespoon fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 1 tablespoon of salt, then cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente.
- Drain the cooked macaroni in a colander and rinse under cold running water until completely cool, then drain very well.
- Transfer the cooled macaroni to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
- Add the diced ham, pineapple tidbits, red bell pepper, celery, red onion, and parsley to the bowl with the macaroni and gently toss to combine.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, pineapple juice, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the macaroni mixture and stir gently until everything is evenly coated.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or sugar if needed.
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to chill and allow flavors to blend.
- Before serving, stir the salad again and add a splash of pineapple juice or a spoonful of mayonnaise if it seems a bit dry.
- Serve chilled, optionally garnished with extra chopped parsley or a few pineapple tidbits on top.
Notes
For best results, make this salad a few hours ahead so the flavors fully develop, but avoid making it more than a day in advance to keep the pasta from getting too soft and the pineapple from watering down the dressing. Rinse the pasta thoroughly and let it drain very well so excess water doesn’t dilute the creamy dressing. If you prefer a less sweet salad, reduce the sugar and pineapple juice slightly, or if you like it creamier, add an extra couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise just before serving. Use firmly textured ham (such as baked or smoked ham steak) so it holds its shape, and dice all mix-ins fairly small so each bite has a good balance of pasta, ham, and pineapple.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!