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. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until cooled.
- 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
DaNielle says
Can you use light Best Foods Mayo?
Kelsey says
I used yellow grated onion and it made the whole thing bitter and inedible. I’m going to have to throw it out. 🙁 Maybe I used a bad onion? Or should it have been red onion?
Favorite Family Recipes says
That is so strange! I have used yellow onion before and I don’t get a bitter taste. Maybe it was a bad onion!
Susan M Done says
I made this exactly as written using Hellmans. I don’t like it at all. I’m used to Miracle Whip, which probably explains it. I know a lot of people are anti Miracle Whip, and mayonnaise snobs. But not me.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Miracle Whip would work! Sorry you didn’t like the Hellmans!
Nicole says
Great recipe but the 2.5 cups mayo would have been way too much. I put 1.75 cups and it came out delicious! Also, I made it GF and vegan (used Banza chickpea elbow macaroni, unsweetened coconut milk, vegan mayo).
Echo Blickenstaff says
Thank you for sharing your gluten free and vegan substitutes!
Wanda from Texas says
Love this. Lived in Hawaii for 5 years so remember it well!
Sometimes I add little salad shrimp right before serving. Yum!
Echo Blickenstaff says
Adding salad shrimp is a great idea. Thank you for sharing and for rating this recipe!
DanW says
Just made this and even the taste I snuck to check for salt and pepper levels was amazing. I can’t wait until it has chilled and the flavors mingle properly. The tips in the comments section were gold. I’ve attempted this before and wasn’t so thrilled, but this time I’m very hopeful. Chilling the macaroni, carrot, onion and vinegar before mixing in the dressing was what I’d missed in the past. Incredibly helpful hint you might want to add to the recipe?
Favorite Family Recipes says
Thank you so much for sharing! I just changed the verbiage in the recipe to be more clear.
Natalie says
What am I doing wrong? This is a delish authentic recipe and I’ve made it several times but every time the sauce curdles and does not stay creamy like the picture. Even if I cool it in the fridge for several hours. It’s still yummy but does not look very appetizing.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Are you cooling the noodle and vinegar mixture in the fridge before adding the mayo? The hot vinegar is what curdles the sauce most of the time. I would suggest refrigerating the noodles for longer if you are having trouble with curdling. Hope this helps!
Amy Teves says
There is a trick to making authentic Hawaiian mac salad. One is to use a cheap brand of macaroni not the premium brand. You want to cook the macaroni until it is fat and soft. Hawaiian macaroni is not al dente. If you want to keep the salad from drying out. Either keep the salad in a storage bag with the air sucked out or put a layer of saran wrap right on top of the salad in the bowl (cling it tightly to the salad so there is no air space. This will keep the salad from drying and browning.
ERNEST GUZMAN says
YES FIVE STARS FOR THIS ONE, BORN AND RAISED IN HAWAII MOST DRIVE-INNS, AND RESTRUNTS MAC SALAD DID NOT HAVE VINEGER AND SUGAR CAUSE NOT ALL LIKE THE SWEET SALAD IDEA BUT ITS GOOD., MAC SALAD IS LIKE CHICKEN RECIPE’S THERE IS A MILLION OR MORE WAYS TO MAKE IT. TRY THIS AT YOUR NEXT BAR-B-Q ADD CRISPY BACON BITS ALONG SIDE YOUR BAKE BEANS OOH YAH. YOU CAN HAVE ALOT OF FUN WITH MAC SALAD. ALOHA
Echo Blickenstaff says
Thank you so much for your comment, and the five stars! Adding crispy bacon bits is a fabulous idea. Will definitely be trying that next time I make this. 🙂
Britni Vigil says
Loved this! Tasted just like the one from Hawaiin Bros.
Nellie Tracy says
This is a fantastic recipe. Can’t wait to make it all summer long!
Esther says
Exactly how i remember it from Honolulu. We have a Hawaiian joint next to the base here, also coincidently in Utah that makes it. Meh…tasteless.
Kat says
This is so yummy. Just what I was looking for. I also make your regular macaroni pasta salad all the time. It’s my go to, and my hubby’s absolutely favorite. You gals are pasta salad queens!
Lynne says
what makes this hawaiian?
Favorite Family Recipes says
It is a recipe that the locals make in Hawaii!
lauren says
It looked very authentic but tasted a little too mayo-y to me. i know the main ingredient is mayo, but at the restaurants where it’s served you hardly get the mayo flavor.