This Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is the real deal. A no-frills, creamy mac salad that is the perfect side dish for any BBQ or Luau!
If you enjoy Hawaiian cuisine, you will love this Hawaiian Mac Salad. It is essential on an Hawaiian Lunch plate!
Authentic Hawaiian Mac Salad
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is one of my biggest guilty pleasures. I lived in Hawaii a little over 10 years ago and became very familiar with true, authentic Hawaiian “Mac Salad”. I literally lived across the street from an L&L Hawaiian BBQ restaurant and found myself wandering over there way more often than I should have for their delicious plate lunch – always with mac salad and rice on the side (I love getting a little rice and mac salad together in one bite, oh so good).
Mac salad when you can’t be in Hawaii
This past weekend I had a flashback to my Hawaii days when we ordered food from Honolulu Grill in St. George, UT. Everything we had there was delicious and seriously the most authentic Hawaiian food I have had since leaving Hawaii. The macaroni salad, especially, hit home and suddenly made me wonder why we haven’t gotten a good Hawaiian mac salad recipe here on Favorite Family Recipes yet!
Keep it simple
Authentic Hawaiian Mac Salad is ridiculously simple. It is a no-frills mac salad yet, it is so creamy and flavorful. I had a friend in Hawaii who was also a caterer there. He explained to me long ago that true Hawaiian macaroni salad is pretty much just macaroni, carrot, mayonnaise and salt and pepper. There are a few other ingredients you can add like celery, extra onion, potatoes, fresh crab, or relish, but the basic recipe is my favorite. Once you start getting into adding ham or pineapple you are getting way off course. Pineapple and ham have no business being in a Hawaiian mac salad. EVER.
Healthy Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
This recipe may seem a little mayo-heavy, it’s true. That is what makes it so stinking good. If you are really concerned about the mayo-ness you can substitute Greek yogurt in whatever amounts you would like (i.e. half mayo, half Greek yogurt). You will get a likeness of mac salad but I am telling you, it won’t be quite the same. In Hawaii it’s all about the mayo. As far as the BRAND of mayo, it has got to be Best Foods. Period. No other mayo will taste right.
Substitutions for a Vegan Hawaiian Mac Salad
We are so grateful for comments we get from our readers, especially when adapting recipes for special diets. We received a comment from Mimi that I thought would be helpful for anyone wanting to make this a vegan recipe. She substituted Hellman’s Vegan Mayonnaise for the regular mayo in the recipe and Silk Unsweetened Cashew Milk for the regular milk. She said it turned out great. Thank you, Mimi!
How to make Hawaiian Mac Salad ahead of time
If you make this ahead of time and it seems a little dried out, add some mayo mixed with a little milk until you get the right consistency back. Fold it in with a large rubber spatula so you don’t tear the macaroni noodles.
Hawaiian Recipes
If you love this Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, try more of our authentic Hawaiian recipes:
- Haupia – It only takes 4 ingredients to make this smooth, creamy, gelatin-like dessert that is a little bite-sized taste of Hawaii (pictured above).
- Shoyu Chicken – A popular Hawaiian dish featuring chicken thighs simmered to perfection in a sweet and savory Shoyu sauce.
- Spam Musubi – If you know what this is, you know how good it is. If you don’t, you are in for a delicious Hawaiian favorite!
How to Make an Authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound macaroni
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 carrots shredded
- 1/4 cup onion shredded (optional)
- 2 1/2 cups Mayonnaise Best Foods or Hellman's mayonnaise (no substitutes!)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- kosher salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain well and place macaroni in a large bowl (I like to use a tupperware bowl with a lid so I can easily refrigerate later).
- While macaroni is still hot, sprinkle on vinegar and add carrot and onion. Toss together until well combined. Allow to cool for about 10-15 minutes.
- In a separate, smaller bowl, whisk together mayo, milk, and sugar. Fold mayo mixture into the macaroni until all the noodles are evenly coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours (best if overnight). Gently stir before serving adding a little more milk if needed, no more than a tablespoon or two.
Equipment
- Stove Top
- Large Sauce Pan
picosinge says
Love it! Tastes just like what I had in Hawaii. It is so nice to run into no-fuss “copycat” recipe. Will make it again for sure!
Nohealani says
So ono reminds me of home
Stan says
It’s good . And I hate it when people don’t follow the recipe then comment. I’m from the south and I added about 3 table spoons of pickle relish , it was on point . Take it for what it’s worth . It’s still a good recipe as is ,
Shelly Rolf says
I have made this several times and it passed my husband’s test; he grew up in Hawaii.
I put my cooked macaroni (with the vinegar, carrots, onion) in the fridge for about an hour or so, then I take it out and add most of the dressing and put it back in the fridge. About 15 minutes before serving I add the rest of the dressing and it is nice and creamy.
There may be different versions of “authentic” but this one was spot on for what I have had in Hawaii. Don’t listen to the haters.
Angelina says
With all due respect, I love & make many of your recipes, but this recipe is not (The Authentic) “Hawaiian Macaroni Salad”. The ratio of dressing to 1 lb. of macaroni is incorrect, a few ingredients are left out, some other ingredient amts. are incorrect for 1 lb. of macaroni, & lastly – the final mixing method: You’re supposed to add your one (‘RESERVED’ Cup) of dressing to the macaroni salad AFTER you let the Salad sit in the fridge for at least 1 hr., then mix it in & serve the salad. I have no doubt that the recipe which I received from my mom is authentic, b/c mom received it from her native Hawaiian next door neighbor (nicknamed Hawaiian Rose), back in 1969 – when my mom was a brand new bride. Her salad is truly phenomenal, and it’s always present at backyard cookouts. Not to worry, it’s always quickly devoured, before it can go bad.
Bobbie says
Would you be willing to share her recipe? 🙂
Kelsey says
Yes I second Bobbie!
I’m born and raised Hawaiian from Oahu now living in CO and would love to try out the recipe your mom got!
Amanda says
I added about another tablespoon of cider vinegar and of sugar. I skipped the milk. It’s delicious.
Echo Blickenstaff says
Thanks for sharing your substitutions!
Karen says
Amazing! Putting the vinegar in while the macaroni is hot so it gets absorbed is genius! This recipe avoids the curd-texture you get when you add vinegar to Mayo. Adding the milk reduces the amount of Mayo too, but retains a creamy texture. Perfect with bbq!
Lauren says
Delicious! I followed the recipe exactly. I used a micro plane to grate the onion fine and added a little extra seasonings and it was wonderful.
Echo Blickenstaff says
I’m so happy you like the recipe! Thanks for sharing!
Kristen Moore says
Why is this called traditional Hawaiian macaroni salad? This is the way I’ve been making macaroni salad ever since my mom taught me the recipe when I was a young girl. What exactly makes this Hawaiian as opposed to traditional American macaroni salad???
Echo Blickenstaff says
This is the traditional salad served with many Hawaiian meals – particularly Hawaiian lunch plates. Around our house, a typical American macaroni salad was made with peas, ham, green onions, and cheese cubes. We weren’t introduced to the Hawaiian Mac Salad until Erica lived in Hawaii and actually worked at the Polynesian Cultural Center in Laie. She also had close friends that were caterers there. She brought back many incredible recipes! This was my Mom’s recipe: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/moms-macaroni-salad/
Matty Teyema says
My mom is full Portuguese and grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii. This recipe is by far the best version of “authentic mac salad” my Aunty’s make. So ono!
Scott Alger-Hortelano says
Thank you so much for posting real recipes and not something with pineapple thrown in to call it Hawaiian.
Mellie says
Is the apple cider vinegar a must for it to taste authentic? I thought I had some but turns out I don’t.
Favorite Family Recipes says
You do need something to add a little acidity to the sauce. I would try substituting 1:1 with lemon juice! Hope this helps!
Zee says
Should’ve gone to this recipe first!! I was stationed in Oahu for almost 4 years and the Mac salad there was my favorite. I’m making kalua pork and cabbage with a side of rice and needed something else to go with it. I started with a different recipe which was my first mistake- it only used the basic ingredients of onion, carrots, mayonnaise, and salt/pepper and it tasted like straight mayonnaise, yuck! Luckily, I found this and simply added the extra ingredients from this recipe and it literally saved my Mac salad! It tastes just like it did in Hawaii! Thank you so much, I can’t wait till dinner is ready!!
Melanie says
Good authentic Mac salad. Hubby is Hawaii so we eat it a lot but add a small (3 oz) can of tuna because that is how his mom and Aunties make it. You can also use a can of chicken if you don’t like tuna but you don’t really taste tuna. We also let the carrots sit in the cider vinegar while the macaroni cooks and then add it. It softens them.
Lisa Camera says
Yes! I remember the tuna being in there!!!
Noelle Simpson says
This was delicious! Great flavors and a recipe my whole family enjoyed! That’s a winner in my book.
Justine says
I love this recipe! Simple is best, and this one tasted great.
Michelle Larsen says
Love your recipies! This looks delicious. Could you give a ballpark as to how much salt and pepper are added? Thank you!!
Favorite Family Recipes says
I usually start with a teaspoon of each and then taste it and add more if needed! Hope this helps!
Caroline says
Finally, I found the recipe I’ve looked for over the last 5 years after eating at a Hawaiian restaurant where I loved the macaroni salad. It is perfect as it is, I added some chopped olives stuffed with red peppers since I had them and really liked the addition although it made it less authentic
Diane says
I used as much apple cider vinegar but the taste of it is a bit much. What can I do to make the vinegar taste less powerful? Will it die down after refrigeration ? Thanks!
Favorite Family Recipes says
You can add a little more mayo or some milk to take down the vinegar taste. Hope this helps!
kelsi says
It looked perfect when I first made it. In the morning all the mayo was curdled and looked like it had been sitting in the case at foodland for a week. I followed the recipe including brand of mayo exactly. I paid 22 dollars to make this and I had to throw it away. 🙁
Favorite Family Recipes says
I am so sorry that this recipe didn’t turn out for you. Was it stored in an air-tight container? Did you also add the milk in the morning, as we suggest in the recipe?
Seemack says
I made it two days ago and it was great. Maybe the milk had gone bad? Also it was a lot less expensive than $22.
Melanie says
Did you put the Mayo in while the macaroni was still hot? Or the vinegar curdled it. This has never happened to me and I make this for my Hawaiian hubby a lot!
Chris says
How did making THIS recipe cost you $22? It’s macaroni ($3 on the high end), mayo ($4 if you don’t already have a jar), vinegar ($3, again – if you don’t already have THAT in your pantry), a few carrots ($3 for a bunch of organic), an onion (less than $1), milk ($1.99 qt), and salt, pepper, and sugar, which everyone should have on hand. No way would these items rack up $22… And I live in Alaska, where the price of food is similar to prices in Hawaii.
Del says
Was thinking the same, $22???? I doubt that! Anyway, I’ve made this a few times and pretty much already had all the ingredients on hand, and as always, delish.
picosinge says
$22??!! I can see if you don’t let the hot macaroni full absorb the vinegar and dump milk into it, there is a possibility for curdling. Or your milk is bad to start with … But even so, there is vinegar in mayo and if the milk is fully mixed in with the mayo, it should not happen. This is a really fool-proof (and super yummy) recipe!
Just made it using:
$2.99 organic imported Italian macaroni
$0.17 organic apple cider vinegar ($2.79 for a bottle of 32 tablespoons)
$0.32 organic carrots ($1.58 for a bag of 10)
$0.11 organic onion ($0.88; used 1/8 of an onion)
$8.80 organic Hellmann’s mayo ($6.62 for a 15oz. jar, used 1 and 1/3 jars)
$0.08 organic grass-fed milk ($4.46 per half gallon, $0.08 per fluid oz, which is 2 tablespoons)
$0.25 organic sugar (got a giant bag at home; pretty sure 2 teaspoons cannot cost more than a quarter)
$0.25 French sea salt and organic white pepper (again, staples at home; probably costs another quarter at most)
GRAND TOTAL: $12.97, and that is using top of the line ingredients.
Gerry - BK says
5 stars all the way for your wonderful macaroni salad. It made a wonderful meal when served with jasmine rice, brioche sweet buns and Hawaiian grilled teriyaki chicken. I’ll be making this quick and easy recipe again and again. It was perfect. Thanks so much for sharing. BK
Kimberly Wills says
Delicious and very easy! Everyone really enjoyed it!
Thanks for sharing
Christina says
I tried this with imitation crab and it was so good! Definitely making this again. Thank you!
Irene says
I have had Macaroni salad at one place in California and seems to me that it has finely shredded chicken brest or white fish…also, the macaroni is over cooked but not bad at all. Can’t seem to fins the recipe for that one 😐
Melanie says
You are correct. My Hawaiian mother in law always adds a small drained can of tuna to hers. You don’t really taste the tuna but it gives it something.
Kellie Bell says
Perfect addition to our luau. Simple to make and delicious to eat n
Diane Slezak says
Just made this last night and had it today. It’s really good, I’m surprised because it’s basic cole slaw ingredients but with macaroni. Another favorite for us, as many of the “3 Sisters” recipes.
Steve says
Delicious, next time I’ll know to cut the carrots up smaller. I bought the pre cut string carrots and will cut them down a bit. Reminded me of the steak plate shops on the island. Very good job and thank you.