Honey-Glazed Ham Pineapple Ramen
There's something almost rebellious about putting ham and pineapple together, like you're daring the food snobs to judge you while you're busy enjoying the hell out of it. This bowl takes that controversial pairing and drowns it in a sweet-savory broth that's got more depth than you'd expect from something this cheerful-looking. The honey glaze on the ham caramelizes just enough to get sticky, the pineapple chars at the edges and releases all that tropical sugar, and the ramen noodles soak up every bit of the amber broth like they've been waiting their whole lives for this moment. It's the kind of dish that makes you wonder why anyone ever argued about fruit on meat in the first place, because when it's done right, it's basically edible sunshine. You can serve this at a summer cookout or a random Tuesday night when you need something that feels like a vacation without the plane ticket. Either way, it's unapologetically fun, and if that bothers anyone, they can eat their boring chicken breast somewhere else.
Honey drips like gold—pineapple meets smoky ham—island warmth in broth.
Let Me Tell You...
My cousin Diane brought this abomination to Thanksgiving once.
Not ramen, obviously, but a ham studded with pineapple rings and cloves, dripping with honey glaze, looking like something from a 1950s magazine spread that got lost in the mail.
Everyone acted polite about it, but I saw my uncle scrape the pineapple off his plate when he thought no one was looking.
The thing is, I tried it.
And I'll be damned if it wasn't actually good, in this weird, overly sweet, kind of embarrassing way.
That combo stuck with me, though, like a guilty pleasure you don't admit to in public.
Room temp ham is sad ham.
Fast forward a few years and I'm standing in a grocery store, staring at a package of pre-sliced honey ham because I forgot to meal prep and it was either this or another week of sad desk salads.
I grabbed a can of pineapple chunks too, mostly out of spite against my better judgment, and figured I'd throw together something weird for dinner.
I had ramen noodles at home because of course I did, and some chicken stock that was about to expire.
The whole thing felt like a joke I was playing on myself, but I was committed.
I sliced the ham into thick strips, tossed the pineapple in a skillet with a little butter and brown sugar until it started to caramelize, and built a broth that tasted like a vacation I couldn't afford. It worked.
It shouldn't have, but it did.
Sweet and smoky beats just sweet.
The honey glaze is the secret weapon here, though.
You brush it on the ham while it's warming in the pan, and the sugars hit the heat and turn into this sticky, almost candied coating that clings to everything.
It's sweet, sure, but there's a richness to it that balances out the bright acidity of the pineapple.
The broth gets a little bit of that honey too, just enough to give it a round, mellow sweetness without turning it into dessert.
When you twirl the noodles up and get a piece of ham and a chunk of pineapple in the same bite, it's like your taste buds are on a beach somewhere, sipping something with an umbrella in it.
Build the glaze gradually so it caramelizes instead of burning.
I made it for Diane the next time she visited, half expecting her to roast me for the concept.
Instead, she ate two bowls and asked for the recipe, which felt like vindication for every time someone side-eyed the pineapple-on-pizza debate.
Sometimes the weird combinations are the ones worth defending.
This ramen is proof that if you commit to the bit, even the skeptics will come around.
And if they don't, more for you.
Ingredients
- 2 packages ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets)
- 12 oz honey-glazed ham, sliced into 1/2-inch thick strips
- 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks (or canned, drained)
- 4 cups chicken broth (preferably low-sodium)
- 3 tablespoons honey (divided)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Preparation
- Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions until just tender. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pineapple chunks and brown sugar, stirring occasionally, until the pineapple caramelizes and develops golden-brown char marks, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In the same skillet, add the butter and let it melt. Add the ham strips and brush with 2 tablespoons of honey. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side until the ham is warmed through and the honey glaze is sticky and caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a medium pot, combine the chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, remaining 1 tablespoon honey, grated ginger, garlic powder, and the white parts of the green onions. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 5 minutes to let the flavors meld. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed.
- Divide the cooked ramen noodles between two serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles, ensuring each bowl gets a generous amount.
- Top each bowl with the honey-glazed ham strips and caramelized pineapple chunks. Garnish with the green parts of the green onions.
- Serve immediately while hot, adding any optional toppings as desired.