Keep dishes to a minimum with this easy Hawaiian One Pan Pasta with the flavors of a Hawaiian pizza – ham, bacon, pineapple and gooey cheese.
One pan dinners are a favorite! If you love them, too, you also need to try this Taco Skillet or this Ham and Cheese Pasta with Ranch.
When I am planning my weekly dinner menu, there are a few things that I look for. Recipes that don’t have a lot of ingredients, don’t have a lot of steps, and are fairly straightforward and easy. And fast. This Hawaiian One Pan Pasta has all of those covered.
First of all, and maybe most important – only one pan!! Ever since I posted my Skillet Pasta with Sausage, I’ve kind of been obsessed with the whole one pan pasta idea. I mean, why boil your pasta separately and get another pan dirty when you don’t have to? Plus, I love that the pasta is cooked in something besides water (tomato sauce and chicken broth in this instance) because it gives the pasta so much flavor. Plus, it’s all done in 30 minutes!
One pan + 30 minutes = win!
Hawaiian pizza is one of our favorite pizza flavors, so I couldn’t resist giving this a Hawaiian pizza twist. Not only is it a great way to use leftover ham, but I throw in some bacon, because everything is better with bacon. A little bit of sweet from the pineapple, and melty mozzarella cheese on top puts this one pan pasta as one of my very favorites. We seriously loved this so much that I made it twice in one week!
Ingredients
- Bacon: I like to chop the bacon and then cook it, but you can also cook the strips and the crumble them.
- Ham: This is a great recipe for leftover holiday ham! If you don’t have any leftovers, you can get a ham steak at the grocery store and cut it into cubes.
- Tomato Sauce: Make sure you are using tomato sauce, not marinara sauce.
- Chicken Broth: I like to use a low sodium chicken broth.
- Seasonings: For the seasonings, you need onion powder, dried basil, and pepper.
- Pasta: You can really use any short cut pasta. I like to use rigatoni.
- Pineapple: I used canned pineapple here, but fresh pineapple would be even better! Just make sure to cut the pieces small.
- Cheese: We like mozzarella, but another easy melting cheese would work, as well.
- Cilantro: This just adds some freshness and flavor at the end.
Tips and Tricks
You will want to make sure and taste the pasta before adding the cheese to see if you need to add any additional seasonings, especially salt. It will probably be salty enough from the bacon add ham, but depending on tastes, you may want to add some.
This is best served right away, simply because the pasta will continue to absorb any liquid and it may dry out. If you do have leftovers, store them in the refrigerator. You can always add a splash of chicken broth when you are reheating, if needed.
While I love the combination of bacon and ham, you could use all of one or the other if that is what you prefer.
More Leftover Ham Recipes
Ham and Potato Soup
French Bread Hawaiian Pizza
Ham Risotto with Peas
Ham and Bean Soup
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Hawaiian One Pan Pasta
Ingredients
- 8 oz bacon
- 8 oz leftover ham cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 8 oz dry rigatoni pasta
- 8 oz pineapple tidbits drained
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Dice the bacon into small pieces. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate to drain. Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.8 oz bacon
- Add the cubed ham to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the ham is browned. Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, onion powder, basil, and pepper to the ham.8 oz leftover ham, 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce, 2 cups chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- Stir to combine, then add the pasta and stir again. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cover and cook until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes. (I like to stir this one or two times during the cook time to make sure all of the pasta gets cooked evenly.)8 oz dry rigatoni pasta
- Stir in the pineapple and reserved bacon, then remove from the heat.8 oz pineapple tidbits
- Sprinkle the top of the pasta with the mozzarella and cover again. Let the dish sit until the mozzarella is melted. Sprinkle with cilantro before serving.1 cup mozzarella cheese, chopped cilantro
Cathy says
made this for dinner and loved the ease, one pot prep and flavor!
Deanna says
I just made this for dinner and I am not disappointed. I substituted Canadian bacon for the ham and a can of fire-roasted diced tomatoes for the sauce. I also added fresh spinach. I’ve found that it’s a great addition to just about any one pot recipe. Next time I think I’ll add diced green peppers or diced jalapenos too! 🙂
Eileen says
I just made this. It was delicious. My only suggestion…leave out the bacon. The ham was more than enough meat and it was a little too salty for my taste. But I would totally make it again.
Rhiannon says
I agree. I think this recipe would have been MUCH better with about half the salt. Otherwise, this meal was quite a hit and will be made again in the future.
Jeni says
This sounds absolutely delicious! I am definitely putting it at the top of my dinner list!
Carla says
Hawaiian pizza is one of my favorite pizza flavors, so the fact that you turned it into a (one pot!) pasta makes my heart just a little giddy. Here’s to hoping we have leftover Christmas ham so I can make this one.
Carolyn says
What a great way to use up leftover holiday ham!
Lauren Kelly Nutrition says
You have no idea how happy I am to find this recipe! My husband’s birthday is next week and he will go crazy for this!
Chels R. says
Oh my gosh does this ever look amazing! Josh showed me your pic off instagram last night and we were both drooling! This will be going on my menu soon.
Erin @ Simple, Sweet & Savory says
I love ham and pineapple pizza and I LOVE pasta. AND I’m always looking for creative ways to use leftover ham. This is amazing! By far the best use of leftover ham I’ve ever seen. Pinning!
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
Oh my gosh, this is the most creative recipe I’ve seen in a long time! I’ve made loaded pizza-style pastas before, I would have never thought to do a Hawaiian pizza one. I can’t wait to try this!
Amy @Very Culinary says
This looks so incredible, I can’t stand it. Pinned.
Jennie @themessybakerblog says
My husband adores these flavors. I can’t wait to surprise him with this gorgeous dish! Pinned.
Linda | Brunch with Joy says
This is such a creative recipe and I totally adore one pan meal. Easy cleanup and yet taste delicious.
Jessica @ A Kitchen Addiction says
Such a great use for leftover ham! This sounds so good!
Liz says
Love this recipe. Thanks so much.
Stephanie @ Girl Versus Dough says
This is such a great recipe in so many ways. One pan? Leftover ham? Bacon? Pineapple? All that CHEESE? I love it.