HAWAIIAN HAM AND BACON PASTA SALAD

Hawaiian Ham and Bacon Pasta Salad image

Sweet, salty, smoky and a little bit spicy, there's a whole lot of flavor going on here, and with surprisingly few ingredients. That's the genius of this recipe: It combines a few complementary ingredients to scrumptious effect. Pineapple bits, ham chunks, bacon crumbles and diced jalapeño folded into the creamy pasta base make for a mouthwatering meal that you can probably pull together without running to the store. It's a great use of leftover ham, but also beautiful enough to feature on your Easter brunch table. Whether you're making it for tonight's dinner or a major holiday, prep it ahead of time and stash it in the fridge, so it's quick to assemble when it's time to come to the table.

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories Dinner

Time 25m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 9

Ingredients

1 box Betty Crocker™ Suddenly Salad™ classic pasta salad mix
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup pineapple tidbits (from 8-oz can, drained and juice reserved)
1 cup diced ham
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon (5 slices)
1 cup packed baby spinach
1/4 cup sliced green onions (about 4)
2 tablespoons seeded, chopped jalapeño chile (1/2 large)
1/2 cup cubed block mozzarella cheese (2 oz)

Steps:

Pour pasta (from Suddenly Salad box) into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta. Rinse with cold water; drain well.
In large bowl, stir together Seasoning (from Suddenly Salad box), mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons of the reserved pineapple juice to make dressing. (Discard or save any remaining juice for another use.)
Add pasta, ham, bacon, spinach, pineapple, green onions, jalapeño chile and cheese to dressing mixture in bowl; toss to gently coat. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate until serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 360, Carbohydrate 31 g, Cholesterol 35 mg, Fat 4, Fiber 2 g, Protein 13 g, SaturatedFat 4 1/2 g, ServingSize 1 Cup, Sodium 920 mg, Sugar 6 g, TransFat 0 g