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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.
And If you follow a vegan or healthy diet, we’ve added alternate ingredients that will allow you to enjoy this macaroni salad recipe.
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.
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 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
- 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!
My mom is from the Philippines and she makes a macaroni salad similar to this. She adds canned pineapples and raisins, hate the raisins but I can’t eat the salad without the pineapples! So much yum!
Erica when you visit Las Vegas (approx 77 miles from St George) visit L & L on Maryland and Flamingo…Yummy! ????
Yes…this salad tasted like Zippy’s. ????
Saint George is more like around 120 miles from Vegas EvaMarie. Since I’ve moved away I miss Honolulu Grill and their mac salad, I hope this recipe is as good as theirs, if it is, I’ll be making it often. Thanks.
I love the macaroni salad at L & L. Thankfully my daughter makes a pretty good rendition of it. Definitely use the Hellman’s/Best Foods (Kirkland’s is good too,) makes a HUGE difference. I haven’t tried your recipe, but I aim to next time we make Katsu.
Honolulu grill just opened down the street from me in Cedar City! I get the Kalua pork with macaroni salad EVERY time! (The sauce over the rice is a must.) Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to try it.
Honolulu grill opened in Cedar City??? That is so awesome!!!! Will definitely go there next time I am in Cedar!
Do you have any idea what they use in their teriyaki sauce??? That’s my favorite restaurant!
Hi Ashely… I don’t know what is in their teriyaki sauce. I will have to have to go there again and see if I can figure it out! Thanks for the suggestion!
Thank you! I couldn’t ever figure out why mine would just absorb all the mayo. It has to be the vinegar bath. Came out perfect!
I will be making the Mac salad for a fundraiser Luau family dance very soon and was wondering about how to add potatoes? Also, is celery a good addition. I would like to see if there are any great recipes for smoking pork butt the Hawaiian way? If so, please share. We are also doing 40lbs of pork butt. Thank you.
You should try our Kalua pork recipe. It’s perfect! If you are doing potatoes I would probably do roasted potatoes. We have a really good recipe for that too.
not roasted but boiled potatoes…not too soft like for mashed, have to have some body to the potatoes and serve in chunks about 3/4 inch by 3/4 inch or so…
yup russet potatoes are the best!
How many do you think this serves?
I would say 8-10 servings when served as a side-dish
Just came back from a 3 Island tour and had falling in love with the Mac Salad, so had to look it up, can’t wait to try it! Out of all the food I ate there it was the best!
Let me know how you like it! Every time I make it, it’s like a trip back to the islands 🙂
Do you think a few slices of a hard boiled egg would taste good in this? I usually add some to my normal macaroni salad but was not sure if it would fit well in this. Thx!
It’s not “traditional” but I am sure it would taste just fine with hard boiled egg!
I always put hard boiled eggs (and celery) in Macaroni salad. But I’ve ever made the Hawaiian version. I’ve read all the comments and never heard anyone mention eggs in the Hawaiian Mac. So it doesn’t seem traditional for that.
I’m also local born and raised from Oahu and we’ve always added boiled eggs to our mac salad. Eggs, tuna, carrots, and some with onions. It is not traditional but. It could be why many friends would comment on how good my Grandma’s mac salad was! 😉😊
Forgot to mention potatoes too!
Haole boy here but work with old time local. Made your recipe and had him try it to see how I did. His only recommendation was celery (optional) and white pepper, not black pepper. Made some tonight for Christmas lunch tomorrow. Mmmmmmm!
Great idea using white pepper! Glad you (and your co-worker) liked it!!!
Do you have a recipe for the pork and cabbage you have pictured beside the mac? It looks so delicious , I can already taste it!
We don’t have the recipe on the site yet… but you have inspired me to get it on! I will put it on my to-do list. It is such an easy recipe. Basically it is just a pork roast cooked with some liquid smoke in a crock pot. 🙂
I use 8lbs of pork butt ( really the shoulder)
1 bottle of liquid smoke
1/4 cup or less of salt.
I got this from someone who had a restaurant in Hawaii.
Thank you for this Mac salad recipe. I was stationed there 20 yes ago and haven’t been able to copy the Mac salad yet
Cooked in the crock pot until its falling apart.
What size bottle of liquid smoke do you use? 🙂
Don’t use the who bottle just a little liquid smoke and Hawaiian Salt or Kosher!
Thanks for the tip, Wendy! Will do!
If you can find NOH Kalua Pig salt or red and black hawaiian rock salt all you need is about 3 tbsp of salt to a 5lb pork butt. Sprinkle over the butt and if you can get them wrap it in ti or banana leaves. If not, corn husk will work too.
Cook the whole thing in the crock pot for about 8 hours. Shred the meat separately from any juice and then taste and add juice as desired. If you shred it in the juice it can too salty for some.
We make this at least once a month, primarily for pizza topping followed the next day by Kalua pork sandwiches on onion rolls.
Thank you so much for your comment, that sounds delicious!!!! Thank you for sharing!
18yrs away from HOME….sure miss the food 🙁 Thank you for bringing a little of home to my home away from the islands! I will definitely be making this really soon!!
I hear ya!!!! The food there is the BEST!!!
Maybe it’s only on the Big Island but we always use about half mac and half potatoes.
Mahalo
Ooh that sounds delicious! Haven’t ever had it with potatoes before, yum! Thanks for sharing!
Maui also😉
Thank you, now I don’t have to drive across town to the local L&L for their Macaroni Salad….yum
Exactly! The nearest L&L or Hawiian bbq place to us is almost 30 miles away. I followed the recipe almost to a T (I used regular table salt and no pepper). It chilling in the fridge now. I really hope it comes out great for tomorrow night. Thx
Add can of water-drained tuna to recipe! Yummy!! So local…
I, too, lived in Hawaii and ate many plate lunches. My favorite part was always the macaroni salad. My attempts to copy it over the years never lived up to the original. Now I know why – not enough mayonnaise! And I agree with you, it must be Best Foods! Thanks so much for the recipe.
looks like something I want to make with coconut rice and Kalua pig dish. Thank you,
Yum! I would love your coconut rice and Kalua pig recipes!
Made this and it’s delicious. But for some reason the mayo curdled. Should I have let the macaroni cool longer? Somewhere I read that it might have been the vinegar. Please let me know what I did wrong. Thanks!
Did you use Best Foods mayo? It is supposed to cool to about room temp after tossing it in vinegar. When did you add the mayo?
Yes and yes but maybe it wasn’t cool enough! I’m going to try again this week. ????
Did you ever figure out why this happened? Same thing happened to me. Was thinking the same as you that it has to be something with the temp of the noodles when mayo mix was added or Tuesday vinegar. I used the raw organic type vinegar. Not sure of that matters.
I mix the vinigar in the mayo then add to noodle, but authentic Hawaiian has coconut and pineapple in it, don’t know why they are saying this Mac salad is Hawaiian, it’s just a typical Mac salad recipe
This is the mac salad that they serve all over the place in Hawaii. I can’t say I have ever had a mac salad in Hawaii with either coconut or pineapple in it. But if that is how you like it, by all means, add it 🙂
Same
Go to any Hawaiian restaurant and they will likely serve this near exact recipe as a side with nearly all their main course dishes. (Hawaiian and Hawaiian restaurant owner) thanks
I lived in Hawaii twice, 4 times each for a total of 8 years and I am soooooo happy and grateful that you have posted this recipe!!!! It is EXACTLY like the side on the plate lunches that I had all over Oahu! Oh my, how I have missed this. It is just as addictively delicious now as it was then. I miss Hawaii! Thank you for this taste of Aloha!! My oldest daughter was born there – she’ll be stoked!
Because it’s what you would typically get on a plate in Hawaii. They consume a lot of pork, spam, rice and macaroni salad. I ate this every time I was in Hawaii and now I make it for all my parties!
I was born and raised on Oahu and lived in Waianae. Never have I ever had macaroni salad with pineapple or coconut. This is the basic recipe, variations for it include either tuna or potato but never ever coconut or pineapple.
Have u ever used leftover kahlua pig in the mac salad?? My son insists there’s a island salad made with it. Yes or no?
I was born and raised on the Waianae side of Oahu and have been to the other islands….NEVER HAVE I EVER HAD MACARONI SALAD WITH COCONUT AND PINEAPPLE IN IT. That is NOT authentic and it has NO BUSINESS BEING IN MACARONI SALAD. This is the basic macaroni salad, other local variations are adding Tuna for a Tuna Mac OR Potato for a Potato Mac salad.
Hello Waianae friends !! And thank God for LL every darn day!! 1st place I go when I go home. And you are also very correct to say NO PINEAPPLE OR COCONUT.. Miss home and LL …..
LOL so true…
Aloha! another from Waianae! I grew up in waianae – pokai bay beach area. What the hell? no pinapple and coconut please!
NO, NEVER! Why do folks think if you add pineapple – that somehow makes it Hawaiian? You’re right, macaroni salad is not just served in Hawaii – it’s all over. Having eaten “Hawaii style” Mac salad for almost 40 years (!), I State definitely THIS recipe is totally our own style Mac Salad!! ????????
I Hawaiian and we don’t put pineapple or coconut in our Mac salad
For all of you who were not born and raised in Hawaii, please don’t say you know what is real local Hawaii Marconi salad. We don’t put pineapple or coconut in it!!!! Im making it tonight and will comment back to let everyone know if this is truly the way it’s made “back home.”
Thank you so much for you comment! What did you think? I am interested to hear if we get a TRUE local’s stamp of approval! 😀
Too funny…. I to am from Hawaii born and raised and have never made or ate mac salad that had pineapple or coconut in it. Just because a Hawaiian Pizza has pineapples on it, doesn’t mean that’s how we eat that too. I’m sure no one from Hawaii even created that. Salad with fruit in it is called a fruit salad =)
Agreed!
Also agree, no fruit. We always added tuna, carrots, onions, both shredded. I still make it the way I was raised. Making Korean Kalbi tonight the ono mac salad, and gotta have my sitcky rice. Also make my own Kim Chee. You can take the girl out of the Islands but you can’t take the Islands out of the girl. You have to use Best Foods mayo and Aloha shoyu in this mac salad. Can’t wait for dinner tomorrow !!!
Yum.. I want to come to your house for dinner tomorrow! That all sounds AMAZING!
Filipino mac salad adds those things I think
Yum – thank you. Have a great day
This is almost the exact way I make my macaroni salad except I add some chopped celery. I think your recipe is great!
Thank you! Celery is a great addition 🙂
No celery
Yes celery
No celery
You people do know that this is what makes the world go around. To celery or not to celery. But it really doesn’t matter, if you like it, put it in, if not, leave it out. But don’t start a war over it.
I think the Hawaiian BBQ place we go to puts tuna in theirs. Is that unheard of? Also, I am looking forward to trying this recipe ????
No, it isn’t unheard of.. it just isn’t as “authentic” 🙂
Tuna is very authentic. I have family in Hawaii and they put tuna in theirs!
Good to know – I love tuna! It would be delicious in this salad.
Yup, a little tuna is going to give you that umami.
Aloha,
I always put tuna in mine too when I make it at home. Matsu’s on the Big Island have my favorite mac salad. And they always have tuna in theirs but it’s good without too. 🙂
Can you substitute milk with almond milk? I will try this for my mom’s Luau party
Yes, you probably could. It probably won’t be as creamy but it should be an ok substitute. Hope this helps!
after being born and raised in Oahu and then moving to Kauai… I realize that Mac Salad also may vary by island. Here they use spaghetti noodles (sometimes a mix of both elbow and spaghetti) and some places add tuna…
Love the spaghetti noodles!,👍
well I suggest that you try a little sore you on top of that mac salad he will find it that is truly a beautiful fusion of flavor that comes traditional Hawaiian back salad I hope you like it
Thanks Chris – I’m guessing you meant Shoyu? (autocorrect gets me all the time too) I will have to try that! I like the idea of trying a little teriyaki sauce over the top too. Bet you can’t go wrong with either!
Why is this Hawaiian?
If you add celery, it’s no longer Hawaiian. We hate that crap.
LOL, I do prefer mac salad in its purest form. I’m with you there. Celery is a common addition on the mainland though and a lot of people like it. haha I hear ya though, it definitely makes it less “Hawaiian”.
This is a great base for the Hawaiian salad I perfected to my families taste after about the third try. I use the recipe above only I give the noodles a quick rinse first then add about 3 tablespoons of the vinegar and let them finish cooling. I leave the milk out of the mixture because it seams to curdle the sauce after refrigeratorating. I add a bit more sugar than the recipe calls and the key is to add 1-2 tablespoons of jack Daniels honey Dijon mustard. Generously add salt and pepper (expectially pepper) then add the noodles to the mixture a bit at a time to make sure you have a good amount of sauce to noodles. You want the recipe to be really creamy! I serve just right after making at room temperature or refrigeratorate. Enjoy!
Yum thank you!
Brok da mout!
I just made this tonight and my husband and i LOVED it!!!! I made it exactly as was stated in the recipe.
Thank you sooooo much for sharing this recipe!????
I MADE THE SALAD SATURDAY MT 1ST TIME IT WAS EASY AN AWESOME I WOULD LIKE 2 PUT PINEAPPLE OR PEACHES MAYBE MANGO IN IT BUT TUNA DO SOUND GOOD WHAT U THINK
I always do the simple way as mentioned in the narrative with mayo, S&P, carrot, tiny bits of pineapple and I add a little garlic powder… why the milk and apple cider though?? I never knew. So awesome.
The vinegar brings out the flavor of the mayo and the milk makes it nice and smooth. Hope this helps!