Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe

This Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is a creamy, comforting, authentic side dish from the islands that’s perfect for summer cookouts, barbecues, and luaus (obviously). We’re talking local Hawaiian plate-lunch style classic macaroni salad here, and it’s delicious!

1. You’ll love this classic Hawaiian Mac Salad!
2. Why is Hawaiian Macaroni Salad so popular?
3. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe Ingredients
4. How to Make Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
5. How to serve this Hawaiian Mac Salad Recipe
6. Macaroni Salad Recipe Hawaii Storage
7. Macaroni Salad (Hawaiian) FAQs
8. More Summer Cookout Side Dishes
9. Hawaiian Mac Salad Recipe Recipe
10. More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series

You’ll love this classic Hawaiian Mac Salad!

When I was brainstorming recipes and foods that Hawaii is known for , one of the first ones that immediately came to mind was this Hawaiian macaroni salad.

It’s definitely one of the 50th state’s signature dishes and perfect for my American Eats series. And since it’s summertime, this needs to be on your menu whether you are just cooking for your family or heading to a potluck.

Hawaiian macaroni salad goes with practically any grilled meat. In Hawaii, it’s known for being one of the critical components in the Hawaiian plate lunch . A plate lunch can have a number of different proteins from grilled teriyaki chicken (my personal favorite) to kalua pork, but they are always served with this mayonnaise-based macaroni salad and two scoops of sticky rice.

Be sure to check out some of our other popular pasta recipes like BLT Pasta Salad , Tuna Noodle Casserole , and Classic Frog Eye Salad !

Why is Hawaiian Macaroni Salad so popular?

The plate lunch is a cheap and filling dish that originated back in the 1880’s as a midday meal for workers at Hawaii’s sugar and pineapple plantations. Now a Hawaiian plate dish lunch with macaroni salad is served at roadside stands, drive-ins, and hole-in-the-wall restaurants throughout Hawaii and at a number of restaurants on the mainland like L&L Barbecue and Ono’s.

The creamy, carb-loaded macaroni salad was an inexpensive way to bulk out a plantation worker’s lunch, which was usually made up of leftovers from the previous day.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe Ingredients

Real Hawaiian mac salad is just elbow macaroni, mayonnaise, a little milk to think out the mayo a bit, apple cider vinegar, grated carrots, salt and pepper. Sometimes (often) chopped celery and green onions are also added, which is what I like to do because I love the flavor and texture they add.

It’s similar to classic macaroni salad , but there are a few key distinctions you need to know about to get that true authentic Hawaiian macaroni salad texture and taste.

First, you will need to intentionally overcook the macaroni noodles. It feels so wrong to cook pasta beyond “al dente” perfection, but overcooked pasta absorbs the other flavors much more than al dente pasta, in addition to giving you the correct texture to achieve the same kind of macaroni salad that you get in Hawaii.

Another key point is that you have to use real mayo in this recipe. Miracle Whip just won’t work and gives a different taste than true mayonnaise like Best Foods/Hellmann’s or Duke’s. It’s important. Trust me.

The third thing you need to know is that the apple cider vinegar in the recipe needs to be added when the pasta is still hot, just after draining. The hot, overcooked noodles will absorb the vinegar which is important to the flavor of the pasta salad.

How to Make Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

1. Make the dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
2. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove over high heat, then cook the macaroni noodles in it according to package directions. Except add an additional 5 minutes to the cooking time so the pasta will be very soft and plump and can absorb the dressing better.
3. Let the hot macaroni absorb the vinegar: Drain the macaroni well in a colander, then return it to the pot and add the apple cider, stirring until the warm pasta absorbs the vinegar. Cover with a lid and let sit for 20 minutes.
4. Dress & toss to coat: Add half of the dressing to the cooked pasta, stirring to coat, then cover with the lid again for another 20 minutes so the pasta can absorb some of the dressing. Add the remaining dressing, green onions, celery, and grated carrot to the pasta and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, as needed.
5. Chill completely: Transfer to a large serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours until completely cool before serving.

How to serve this Hawaiian Mac Salad Recipe

• Slow Cooker Asian Pulled Pork Sliders
• BBQ Chicken
• Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
• Brown Sugar Honey Smoked Baby Back Ribs
• Beef Kabobs

Macaroni Salad Recipe Hawaii Storage

How long is macaroni salad good for?

• Hawaiian macaroni salad, like most pasta salads, will last for a few days in the fridge. Just cover it well and store it for up to 4 days, then give it a stir before serving. If it seems a little too dry, mix a little mayo with some milk and fold that in to loosen things up.
• Be sure not to leave macaroni salad out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours.

If you are comparing Hawaiian macaroni salad to regular macaroni salad, there are some differences. Hawaiian macaroni salad wants nice big plump, almost overcooked noodles. It absorbs the flavors so much better. Also, the mayo. You must use REAL mayo. Hellman’s, Best Foods, or Duke’s are all good choices for mayo.

Some macaroni salads want the noodles to be rinsed under cold water after boiling to stop the noodles from cooking longer. Hawaiian macaroni salad, on the other hand, does NOT need to be rinsed. The apple cider vinegar in the recipe needs to be added when the pasta is still hot, just after draining. The hot, overcooked noodles will absorb the vinegar which is important to the flavor of the pasta salad.

Macaroni salad can get watery if the noodles still have water residue and didn’t drain well or the produce like the carrots or celery were not dried properly after washing. I find though that this Hawaiian mac salad does not get too watery. If anything it can get a little dry with the noodles soaking up a lot of the dressing after a couple of days in the fridge.

A Hawaiian plate lunch is so good and anyone who has ever been to Hawaii will know the amazingness that comes from consuming a delicious plate lunch. Typically a plate lunch has 2 scoops of rice, a good portion of mac salad (Hawaiian macaroni salad), and an entree which can be some sort of protein. The protein can be teriyaki beef or chicken, kalua pork, chicken katsu, shoyu chicken, shrimp, mahi mahi, BBQ chicken, or a variety of meats, poultry, and fish!

More Summer Cookout Side Dishes

• Best Baked Beans Recipe
• Creamy Grape Salad
• Cottage Cheese Jello Salad
• Deviled Egg Potato Salad
• Grilled Corn Salad
• Summer Fruit Salad with Honey Lime Poppy Seed Dressing
• Homemade Caesar Salad

Side Dish

Creamy Pea Salad with Bacon

Side Dish

Classic Bacon Broccoli Salad

Side Dish

Greek Pasta Salad

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you thought with a comment and rating below. You can also take a picture and tag me on Instagram @houseofnasheats or share it on the Pinterest pin so I can see.

Hawaiian Mac Salad Recipe

Ingredients123

Dressing

• ▢ 1 cup whole milk
• ▢ 2 cups mayonnaise
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons grated yellow onion
• ▢ 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ 1 teaspoon salt

Pasta Salad

• ▢ 1 pound elbow macaroni
• ▢ 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• ▢ 5 green onions white and green parts sliced thin
• ▢ 2 large celery ribs chopped
• ▢ 1 cup grated carrots
• ▢ 1/4 cup grated onion

Instructions

• Combine all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed. 1 cup whole milk, 2 cups mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons grated yellow onion, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove over high heat, then cook the macaroni noodles in it according to package directions. Except add an additional 5 minutes to the cooking time so the pasta will be very soft and plump and can absorb the dressing better. 1 pound elbow macaroni
• Drain the macaroni well in a colander, then return it to the pot and add the apple cider, stirring until the warm pasta absorbs the vinegar. Cover with a lid and let sit for 20 minutes. ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
• Add half of the dressing to the cooked pasta, stirring to coat, then cover with the lid again for another 20 minutes so the pasta can absorb some of the dressing.
• Add the remaining dressing, green onions, celery, and grated carrot and onion to the pasta and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, as needed. 5 green onions, 2 large celery ribs, 1 cup grated carrots, ¼ cup grated onion
• Transfer to a large serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours until completely cool before serving.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

More States I Have Visited in myAmerican EatsSeries

Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin

Hawaiian Mac Salad Recipe

Ingredients

Dressing

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons grated yellow onion
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt

Pasta Salad

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 5 green onions white and green parts sliced thin
• 2 large celery ribs chopped
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1/4 cup grated onion

Instructions

• Combine all dressing ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until needed. 1 cup whole milk, 2 cups mayonnaise, 2 Tablespoons grated yellow onion, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil on the stove over high heat, then cook the macaroni noodles in it according to package directions. Except add an additional 5 minutes to the cooking time so the pasta will be very soft and plump and can absorb the dressing better. 1 pound elbow macaroni
• Drain the macaroni well in a colander, then return it to the pot and add the apple cider, stirring until the warm pasta absorbs the vinegar. Cover with a lid and let sit for 20 minutes. 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• Add half of the dressing to the cooked pasta, stirring to coat, then cover with the lid again for another 20 minutes so the pasta can absorb some of the dressing.
• Add the remaining dressing, green onions, celery, and grated carrot and onion to the pasta and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, as needed. 5 green onions, 2 large celery ribs, 1 cup grated carrots, 1/4 cup grated onion
• Transfer to a large serving bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Chill in the fridge for 2 hours until completely cool before serving.

Video

Notes

Nutrition

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