Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is a staple of Hawaiian Lunch Plates . This mayonnaise-based pasta salad has an ultra-creamy texture and is made from simple ingredients. It makes a wonderful side for summer bbqs and picnics and goes especially well with grilled chicken, burgers, fried chicken and pulled pork.
When I travel to Hawaii, I get Macaroni Salad every chance I get. And there are a lot of chances to get macaroni salad because they eat it with just about everything.
It’s pure simple comfort food and unless you have a total aversion to mayonnaise, there’s no reason not to love it.
This has been a staple in my household for a year or more.
Excellent Mac salad and great notes . Thank you!!
Simple Ingredients, Easy To Customize
This recipe only uses a handful of ingredients you are sure to have on hand: macaroni, mayonnaise, milk, apple cider vinegar, onion, carrot, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. You can dress it up from there by adding diced ham, peas, chopped pineapple, or bacon. There are tons of options for customizing it.
How To Make Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
(More detailed instructions and video in recipe card below.)
- Cook the pasta in salted water and drain.
- Stir grated onion, garlic powder, and apple cider vinegar into pasta and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Whisk together mayonnaise, milk, and sugar. Set aside 1/2 a cup of dressing to mix in just before serving.
- Add dressing and carrots to pasta and mix in. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving and mix in reserved dressing just beofre serving.
Recipe Tips
- Do not overcook your pasta. You want it just slightly al dente because it will end up soaking up some of the dressing and if you overcook it it will turn to mush.
- The mayonnaise is the key to a really good Hawaiian Pasta Salad. Be sure to use a good quality one like Hellman’s or Duke’s.
- This macaroni salad tastes better if it is refrigerated for at least 2 hours. The pasta will soak up some of the mayonnaise mixture, so I like to reserve 1/2 a cup of it to mix in right before serving to ensure it is really creamy.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Give it a good stir before serving, as the pasta will absorb some of the dressing while it sits. If it seems a little dry, mix in a little milk or mayonnaise to get it creamy again.
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Pin ItGoes Great With:
- Oven-Barbecued Beef Brisket
- Crockpot Ribs
- Southern Fried Pork Chops
- Teriyaki Chicken Burgers
- Grilled Teriyaki Chicken
- Grilled Huli Huli Chicken
- Crockpot Hawaiian Ribs
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow pasta
- 1/4 cup grated onion
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 shredded carrots
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoons kosher salt. Cook pasta according to package directions.
- Place onion in a large bowl. When pasta is done, drain it well and add it to the bowl. Add garlic powder and apple cider vinegar and stir. Let sit 10 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, and sugar.
- Set aside about 1/2 a cup and add the rest to the macaroni along with carrots. Stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Cover and refrigerate both the bowl of macaroni salad and the reserved 1/2 a cup of mayonnaise mixture. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving. Stir in the reserved mayonnaise mixture just before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links.
Love this recipe! Easy and delicious- I also added 2 celery stalks diced just fora bit more crunch- great with an anything- ENJOY!
Third time making it. Comes out great every time.
This has been a staple in my household for a year or more.
Excellent Mac salad and great notes . Thank you!!
Found this recipe about a year ago. It has always turned out great. We have tried different mayo almost each time. Today we are trying Dukes mayo. We have also added green peas. Every time it turns out fantastic.
I stayed away from macaroni salad because it was always just to thick. This is absolutely delicious and moist and creamy. Didnât change a thing. A definite keeper.
Hawaii Mac salad is meant to eat with rice and some kind of meat ( AKA plate lunch). I know itâs carb overload but every once in awhile wonât kill you. For instance Iâm eating mine with Korean short ribs (kalbi/Galbi). You get a little bit of each in every bite. Cold salad with hot rice and meat is so good.
Super easy and tastes like the real deal! This recipe makes a fairly large bowl so itâs perfect for a big family bbq. Love it!
Delicious! Even my picky husband liked it, said he didn’t know macaroni salad could be this good.
Added some petite green peas. Either way, it is really good
Good mac salad. I have made it with and without garlic. I prefer without, my husband likes it with. I do overcook my pasta by an extra 2 min to get it close to what Iâm used to in Hawaii.