Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
This Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe is the creamy, tangy plate lunch side you have probably had at a luau or a backyard barbecue without knowing exactly what made it so good. It is soft elbow macaroni tossed in a rich, slightly sweet mayo dressing with grated carrots and onion folded in. Once you taste the real island version, the mainland deli stuff at the grocery store just cannot compete anymore.
Equipment
- Large stockpot for boiling macaroni
- Colander
- Box grater for carrots and onion
- Large mixing bowls
- Whisk for dressing
- Airtight storage container for chilling and leftovers
- Silicone spatula for folding dressing and macaroni without breaking noodles
Ingredients
- 16 oz elbow macaroni 1 lb
- 2 cups Best Foods or Hellmann's mayonnaise full fat recommended
- 1/3 cup whole milk
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup carrots finely grated
- 1/3 cup sweet onion finely grated or diced
- 2 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more for pasta water
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 hard boiled eggs diced, optional
- 2 green onions sliced, for garnish
Instructions
- Cook macaroni in salted boiling water a few minutes past al dente until very soft. Drain and rinse briefly under cool water, then let drain completely before transferring to a large mixing bowl.
- Finely grate carrots and onion. Dice celery and hard boiled eggs (if using). Set all prepped vegetables aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, vinegar, and sugar until smooth and sugar dissolves, about 1-2 minutes. Add celery seed, salt, and pepper, whisk again and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Add grated carrots, onion, celery, and eggs to the cooled macaroni. Pour about three quarters of the dressing over top and gently fold with a silicone spatula until evenly coated. The mixture will look quite wet.
- Cover bowl or transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight for best flavor. Before serving, stir in the remaining reserved dressing.
- Give the chilled salad a final stir, top with sliced green onions, and serve cold alongside your favorite plate lunch main dish.
Notes
- Don't skip cooking the macaroni past al dente: Softer noodles absorb the dressing better and give this salad its signature creamy bite.
- Grate, don't chop: Finely grating the carrots and onion creates the most traditional texture and allows the vegetables to blend seamlessly into the dressing.
- Reserve extra dressing: Always set aside about a quarter of the dressing to stir in right before serving, since the macaroni continues to absorb liquid as it chills.
- Best made a day ahead: This salad tastes noticeably better the next day once the flavors have melded together, making it perfect for meal prep.
- Use full fat mayonnaise: For the creamiest, most traditional result, avoid low-fat or light mayonnaise which can thin out and become watery.
- Stir in extra milk or mayo for leftovers: Before serving leftovers, add a splash of milk or extra mayo since the noodles will have absorbed much of the dressing overnight.
- Not recommended for freezing: Mayonnaise-based dressings separate when thawed, so enjoy this salad fresh or within 4 days of refrigeration.
- Keep it simple for authenticity: Traditional Hawaiian mac salad keeps the ingredient list short and lets the creamy dressing be the star, so resist adding too many extra mix-ins.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 6gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 380mgPotassium: 120mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 15IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 4mgIron: 4mg
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