Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

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Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is unlike any other pasta salad! Macaroni noodles in a sweet and sour creamy dressing with shredded carrots!

A HAWAIIAN ISLAND FAVORITE RECIPE

I had a friend, Leilani, who made it her goal to educate folks on all things Hawai'i. She was born and raised there. She would always joke about our (and by "our" - I mean us mainlanders) use of pineapple. "Mainlanders think that just cause you put pineapple in something, it automatically becomes 'Hawaiian'." It's pretty true about us mainlanders though! Anyhow, she thankfully gave me her family's recipe for Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (everyone has their own version) and I still make her recipe after all these years and everyone raves over it!

overhead photo of macaroni salad in a white bowl.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What is Hawaiian Macaroni Salad?

It's a macaroni salad recipe that is particularly popular in the Hawaiian Islands and is often served as a side to Kalua pork.

How to make Hawaiian Macaroni Salad with tuna?

A lot of people enjoy Hawaiian Macaroni Salad with tuna. It's very easy to add tuna to this recipe. Prepare as written then stir in a can of drained tuna. If you prefer a lot of tuna, add two cans.

What makes Hawaiian Mac Salad different from other macaroni salads?

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is very basic in that there are not a lot of add-ins like green peppers, etc. It usually only has shredded carrots added. The sauce is also more like a sweet and sour dressing rather than just a standard mayonnaise dressing. However, I learned that everyone in Hawaii has their own way of making mac salad as we do here on the mainland.

What do you serve with Hawaiian Macaroni Salad?

It is traditionally served with Kalua pork. Any type of pulled pork will go great with this or some BBQ ribs or a traditional Hawaiian favorite, Huli Huli Chicken.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad shown in a white bowl with a dish towel in the background.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED FOR HAWAIIAN MACARONI SALAD: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

elbow macaroni
shredded carrots
shallot
boiled eggs
mayonnaise
milk
seasoned rice vinegar (or apple cider vinegar)
sugar
salt and black pepper
celery seed

elbow macaroni, shredded carrots, shallot, boiled eggs, mayonnaise, milk. seasoned rice vinegar, sugar, salt and black pepper, celery seed.

HOW TO MAKE HAWAIIAN MACARONI SALAD:

Boil macaroni according to box directions until al dente: about 9 minutes. Drain noodles, rinse under cold water until cool then put into a large bowl.

Add in the shredded carrots, diced shallot and boiled eggs.

diced boiled eggs, shredded carrots and diced shallots added to bowl with cooked macaroni.

In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper & celery seed. Whisk together until sugar is completely dissolved, about 2 - 3 minutes.