Flavorful Mac & Cheese

If you love a Hawaiian pizza, this mac and cheese is calling your name. Chopped ham, crushed pineapple, green bell pepper, and onion all fold into a quick cheese sauce with elbow macaroni. The sweet pineapple against the salty ham and creamy cheese hits the same notes that make ham-and-pineapple pizza so polarizing and so addictive.

Drain the crushed pineapple well before adding it. Any extra juice thins out the cheese sauce and makes the whole dish watery instead of creamy.

This comes together in the time it takes to boil the pasta. Everything gets stirred in at the end and served right away while the cheese is still hot and clinging to every noodle.

Pro Tips

• Use fully cooked ham so it only needs to warm through. Deli ham chopped into small cubes works great here
• Serve immediately after mixing. American cheese sauce sets up fast as it cools and goes from creamy to stiff
• Chopping the onion finely is key. Big onion chunks fight with the soft texture of everything else in the bowl
• Squeeze the drained pineapple in a clean towel to remove as much moisture as possible

Variations

• Baked version: Transfer to a baking dish, top with buttered breadcrumbs, and bake until golden and bubbly
• Spicy Hawaiian: Add diced jalapeno or a splash of hot sauce to the cheese sauce for some heat
• Bacon swap: Replace the ham with crumbled bacon for a smokier, crispier texture