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A spoon stirring macaroni Hawaiian salad
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Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

This classic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe is an iconic side dish across all the Hawaiian Islands, served on lunch plates and food trucks. It’s a bit tangy and sweet and very creamy, perfect for backyard summer cookouts or anytime throughout the year.
See below the recipe card for step-by-step images.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Stand50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: hawaiian macaroni salad, macaroni hawaiian salad, ono hawaiian bbq macaroni salad recipe
Servings: 12 servings

Ingredients

FOR THE SALAD

  • 1 lb. dry elbow macaroni pasta
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 large carrot peeled and grated or shredded finely
  • ¼ cup grated onion
  • 4 scallions diced small

FOR THE DRESSING

  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 cups mayonnaise Best Foods mayonnaise (or Hellman’s brand)
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp paprika

OPTIONAL ADD-INS

  • 2 cups small cubed fried SPAM
  • crushed pineapple drained and blotted dry
  • 2 celery ribs diced
  • 5 scallions diced

Instructions

  • In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the macaroni according to package directions, except tack on an additional 3 minutes until it's fat and soft. Drain and then dump it back into the pot, off the heat. Pour the apple cider vinegar evenly over the top and gently stir until the pasta absorbs the vinegar. Stir in the carrots and onion. Cover and let it cool for 10 minutes.
  • While the pasta is cooling, make the dressing. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl until smooth.
  • Remove the lid from the pasta pot and pour in HALF of the dressing.
  • Gently toss to coat, then place the lid back on and let stand for 20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes or so, so the pasta can absorb the dressing.
  • Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl, then pour the remaining dressing over the top along with the scallions and stir to combine.
  • Let it cool for another 20 minutes at room temperature.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (ideally at least 4 hours).
  • Gently stir before serving, adding in 1 to 2 tbsp milk, if needed, to thin it out a bit.
  • Garnish with small diced scallions and enjoy cold.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 18g | Monounsaturated Fat: 14g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 815mg | Potassium: 357mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1312IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 1mg