Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe (2024)

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is the perfect side dish you need to bring to your next party or gathering.

We saw this dish everywhere in Hawaii, served from food trucks, with plate lunches, restaurants. It's a cornerstone of Hawaiian cuisine, easily one of their most popular dishes.

Hawaiian macaroni salad - called Hawaiian mac salad or simply "mac salad" on the islands - is perfect for BBQs, pot lucks, picnics, pretty much any party situation, and you can make the salad ahead of time, which actually makes the dish that much better.

There are many variations, but this is a quintessential version of the recipe that you can use a base to customize as you wish. Just be careful, it's super addictive. Just wait, you'll see. We couldn't stop eating it.

Let's talk about how to make Hawaiian macaroni salad, shall we?

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Ingredients

The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Dry Elbow Macaroni Noodles.
• Onion. Use yellow onion, sweet onion, Vidalia, or white onion.
• Carrot.
• Mayonnaise. Use your favorites, but Hawaiians use Best Foods or Hellman's mayonnaise for authentic Hawaiian mac salad.
• Milk.
• Apple Cider Vinegar. Or use sweet pickle juice!
• Sugar. Optional.
• Salt and Pepper. To taste.

How to Make Hawaiian Macaroni Salad - the Recipe Method

Boil the macaroni noodles until very soft, then drain and set the cooked pasta into a bowl.

Stir in the remaining ingredients - grated onion, grated carrot, half of the mayonnaise, milk, apple cider vinegar, optional sugar, and salt and pepper to taste - then mix it all up.

Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours, but overnight is best for more developed flavor.

When you’re ready to serve, stir in the remaining mayonnaise and serve chilled.

Boom! Done! Your Hawaiian mac salad is ready to serve. Look at how incredibly creamy this dish is. I'm ready to dig into this! Watch out, it is seriously addictive.

Recipe Tips & Notes

• You will get the best results when you overcook the macaroni noodles until they are very fat and soft. This helps them absorb the delicious mayo for fuller flavor.
• Grated onion is a key ingredient in developing that addictive flavor, so do not skip it.
• It is very important to refrigerate the macaroni salad overnight in the refrigerator to allow the macaroni to absorb the mayonnaise dressing. It is so much better the next day.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Variations

There are many popular ways to vary up this recipe. Popular additions include cooked potato, chopped hard boiled eggs, peas, celery, green onions, tuna, imitation crab meat, chopped ham.

This is a recipe you can really customize and make your own.

Storage & Leftovers

Hawaiian macaroni salad will last up to 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. If it starts to dry out, stir in a bit more mayo or milk to loosen it back up.

That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this Hawaiian mac salad recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!

Cookbook Recommendation

If you enjoy Hawaiian cuisine, check out these cookbooks, which helped me adapt this recipe. Great recipes!

• Cook Real Hawai'i: A Cookbook, by by Sheldon Simeon (affiliate link, my friends!)
• Aloha Kitchen: Recipes from Hawai'i, by Alana Kysar (affiliate link, my friends!)
• Also, check out MY cookbook! The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook, by Mike Hultquist (affiliate link, my friends!)

Amazon Affiliate links, my friends! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Recommended Ingredients

• Best Foods Mayonnaise - Recommended by traditional Hawaiian chefs! (affiliate link, my friends!)

Try Some of My Other Popular Side Dish Recipes

• Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
• Jalapeno Popper Mac and Cheese
• Potato Salad
• Scalloped Potatoes
• Esquites Recipe (Mexican Street Corn Salad)
• Elote Recipe (Mexican Street Corn)

Also try my Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water recipe.