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This Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is truly island-style, from how it’s made to the ingredients used. This recipe uses pantry ingredients to create a creamy, no-frills macaroni salad that is the perfect side dish for any barbecue or luau.
Authentic Hawaiian Mac Salad
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is one of my biggest guilty pleasures because it reminds me of my time on the North Shore of Oahu. When I lived there, I often frequented a restaurant called L&L Hawaiian Barbecue where I always ordered the same thing: a plate lunch with macaroni salad and rice on the side.
For the complete Hawaiian experience, be sure to try our other recipes, such as Malasadas (Hawaii’s version of donuts), Haupia (Hawaiian coconut pudding), and Huli-Huli Chicken (Hawaiian grilled chicken).
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. This is the way the locals make it.
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.
Adding ham or pineapple to something does not make it “Hawaiian Food”. Pineapple and ham have no business being in a Hawaiian mac salad. EVER.
What is the Best Mayonnaise?
The kind of mayonnaise you use in your Hawaiian Macaroni Salad matters a lot! Trust me, it just won’t taste right otherwise. As far as the BRAND of mayo, it has got to be Best Foods. Period. It’s the best mayonnaise! If you can’t get your hands on Best Foods, I also recommend using Helman’s, which is essentially the same brand, if you live on the East Coast.
To Rinse or Not to Rinse
This is the great debate. I used to always just let the noodles cool naturally but now I have no problem giving the macaroni a cool rinse and letting it drain before adding the other ingredients. It’s the ONLY time I will ever rinse noodles. I have found that when I rinse the noodles and stop the cooking process quickly, the dressing doesn’t get absorbed by the noodles near as much and I end up with a creamer mac salad. I have experimented both ways and haven’t noticed any difference in flavor.
Healthier 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 of it, 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.
More Delicious Hawaiian Food
If you love this Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, try more of our other authentic Hawaiian recipes:
Loco Moco
Chicken Long Rice
Hawaiian Teriyaki Chicken
Hawaiian Beef Teriyaki
Spam Musubi
Haupia
Malasadas
Chocolate Haupia Pie
Authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound macaroni
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 carrots,, shredded
- ¼ cup shredded onion, (optional)
- 2 ½ cups Mayonnaise, Best Foods or Hellman's mayonnaise (no substitutes!)
- ¼ cup milk
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- kosher salt,, to taste
- ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to package directions. Rinse under cold water until completely cool. Drain well and place in a large bowl.
- Sprinkle on vinegar. Add carrot and onion. Toss together until well combined. Refrigerate for 15 minutes, or until cooled.
- In a separate, small bowl, whisk together mayo, milk, and sugar. Fold the mayo mixture into the macaroni until all the noodles are evenly coated. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (best if overnight).
- Gently stir before serving, add a little more milk if needed, no more than a tablespoon or two.
Notes
Tips
- I like to put my boiled macaroni and ingredients directly in a Tupperware bowl with a lid so I can easily refrigerate it.
- Make sure you use Best Foods or Hellmann’s mayonnaise-no substitutes!
Serving Size and Nutrition Facts
The serving size we use to calculate the nutrition facts on this recipe is ¾ cup. This Mac salad recipe makes approximately 12 cups of salad. The serving size can range from ½ cup to 1 cup – we chose to calculate the nutrition right in the middle at ¾ cup, which is arguably on the high end for a serving. This is the calorie calculation per serving size:- 1 cup of mac salad is 468 calories.
- ¾ cup of mac salad is 312 calories.
- ½ cup of mac salad is 234 calories.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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What makes it “Hawaiian?” Guess I was expecting to see pineapple, etc. in the ingredients. Sounds like good ole regular Mac salad only with lots of mayo!🤷♀️
Hi Susan – It is Hawaiian because it is a dish you will actually find in Hawaii. It is an authentic recipe that locals serve and eat. There are a lot of recipes that are called “Hawaiian” just because they have coconut or pineapple in them, but just including pineapple or coconut doesn’t make them Hawaiian. Hawaiian pizza is an example of this. Although it can be found in Hawaii it is definitely not Hawaiian cuisine. Adding pineapple to mac salad would actually make it much less authentic. Hope this helps!
I loved this version. Has anyone tried a substitute of pineapple juice for milk and bits of
I haven’t tried that, but it sounds interesting for sure! I would love to hear if anyone else has tried it?
Perfect simple recipe 10 outta 10 brings you back to the side you get with all your meals in Hawaii
Thanks Nicole! I was in Hawaii a couple of months ago – and I couldn’t agree more!
I lived in Kona for 13 years in the 80s. Nearly every time I have eaten Mac salad in Hawaii, it contained tuna. ☺️
Really! That is so interesting. I was in Kona in April and I didn’t encounter tuna in Mac salad in any of the places I ate. Do you think it was something they did in the 80’s?
Made this lots of times, but always like to google before I make it again and confirm I’m doing it right. We differ in a few places. I like to microplane the onion and mix it with the wet ingredients, little less ACV, and if you can’t find Best Foods Mayo (because this is what they use in Hawaii and Hawaiians will know the difference and may scoff at your attempt without it 😂) I prefer Dukes over Hellman’s.
That said, you can’t go wrong with this. The tidbit about overnight is better for chilling can’t be understated. Overnight is soooo much better. Good luck everyone!
We appreciate your review, David. I’ve never microplaned the onion in this recipe. I’ll have to try it!😀
Best Foods is the same mayo as Hellman’s. One brand name is sold in the west, and one in the east 🙂
I’m really horrible when a recipe states salt/pepper to taste. Please help with ballpark number for 1 lb of macaroni, how much salt / pepper to add for an authentic Hawaiian Mac Salad?
Start with 1 teaspoon of salt. If it’s not salty enough for your taste, add an additional teaspoon. Thanks for asking!
OMG!!!
This was amazing! Was my first time making this.
Made this for our church potluck, was a big hit. Nothing left.
Woohoo! That’s what I like to hear 🙂 Glad it was a hit at your potluck!
Delicious, but I would substitute thinly sliced green onions instead of the grated white onion.
That works too, especially if you like the flavor of green onion more!
I love macaroni salad but has never had the Hawaiian version. After tasting the Hawaiian version it is my new favorite
Glad you hear you like it! Thanks for coming back to share your thoughts!
All I taste is apple cider vinegar? Is it supposed to taste that way? I followed everything else, just maybe didn’t let it chill long enough?
Definitely shouldn’t just taste like cider vinegar. What was the level of acidity in the vinegar that you used? It should be 4-5%, but some are stronger at about 8%.
Simple and delicious! My family and I could not stop eating it. Thank you for the recipe.
Hi! You are very welcome! So glad you liked the mac salad 🙂
I made this recipe EXACTLY how it said. I made it as a surprise Father’s Day side but feel like it’s missing some flavor. I may also just be comparing it to Ono Hawaiian, the only place we’ve ever gotten Hawaiian Mac salad. Is this accurate? I’m afraid it’s not going to be the best surprise. 😟
Hi Danielle, if you need a vote of confidence you can read through the reviews. This Hawaiian Mac salad is truly authentic to the mac salad in Hawaii and most Hawaiian-style restaurants. The flavors will come out after it refrigerates overnight. Let us know how it goes!
Ono has tuna in their macaroni salad, so that alone will change the flavor.
Yep on the money! Yum . These flavors are so addictive together. Umami for sure 👍
Thanks Kim! I’m so happy you love this Mac salad as much as we do. 🙂
I’m going to try this recipe for our family reunion in July.
It’s a winner! Hope you like it!
5 stars…Ono
I’ve tried many recipes but this is the best so far. I’m keeping this one close.
So glad this one was your favorite!
We love storing at the Hawaiian restaurants and the macaroni salad is a favorite! This recipe is exactly like what we get. Love it!
So glad you liked it!
This is great! I use this recipe all the time! I recently made a trip to Hawaii and was a little disappointed after trying several versions of Mac salad there and it just wasn’t as good as this. I do use about 1/2 tsp of Hawaiian red salt and cranberry apple vinegar which tweaks it a bit. I also just realized you are in Idaho(I’m in McCall), so us Idahoans know what’s up with good Mac salad! 🙂
That’s awesome! We family in McCall, it’s beautiful there!
Question:
Does it HAVE to be chilled for 4hrs before serving? Just asking because I wanted to make it for dinner side and I don’t have 4hrs..
It doesn’t have to be chilled for four hours, it just tastes a little better if it has time to chill.
Good and easy yummy too even my picky kid liked it.
It’s a favorite with my kids too!