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Hawaiian macaroni salad is the ultimate comfort food side dish—simple, creamy, and packed with just the right balance of tangy and sweet flavors. If you’ve ever had a classic Hawaiian plate lunch, you know this no-frills mac salad is a must-have alongside grilled meats or crispy fried chicken. The secret? A rich, creamy dressing that soaks into the pasta, making every bite irresistibly delicious. Whether you’re hosting a summer BBQ, a luau, or just craving a taste of the islands, this easy recipe will transport you straight to Hawaii.

Macaroni combines with fresh vegetables as well as a tangy dressing which is both creamy and tangy. It definitely brings a tropical touch of aloha to your dinner plate!
Love Hawaiian flavors? Try Hawaiian BBQ chicken or slow cooker Hawaiian ribs. Pineapple BBQ chicken foil packs and loco moco are more ideas!
Why You’ll Love It
Simple to prepare: Making a great Hawaiian mac salad is simply a question of cooking the pasta (or maybe you have leftover cooked pasta in which case it’s even simpler!) and mixing in the remaining ingredients.
Versatile: Although this dish pairs wonderfully with Hawaiian style chicken or pork, it’s versatile enough to serve alongside a steak or another favorite protein. You can also use it as a base for a meal, adding chicken, shrimp or another protein, and maybe some more veggies too.
Always in demand: If you’ve never made Hawaiian macaroni salad before, you might not realize just how popular it is. Make this for guests and it will disappear really fast. Don’t be surprised if you are asked for the recipe!
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Ingredients
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Elbow macaroni: The star of the dish.
Onion and carrot: For color and crunch.
Mayonnaise: The main ingredient in the salad dressing.
Apple cider vinegar: Adds flavor to the dressing.
Sugar: Adds sweetness to balance out the dressing.
Milk: To thin the creamy dressing.
How to Make Classic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.
Cook the pasta: Follow the package directions to cook the macaroni.
Prep the veggies: Shred the carrots and onion.
Combine the pasta and vegetables: Stir the carrots, onion and apple cider vinegar gently into the macaroni, then chill it in the fridge.
Make the dressing: Mix the mayo with the milk and sugar, and some salt and pepper to taste.
The finishing touches: Combine the chilled mac salad with the dressing, adjust seasoning if necessary or add a little milk if needed, then serve right away or keep chilled until you’re ready to serve it.
Substitutions and Variations
Elbow macaroni: Use any pasta shape you prefer.
Mayonnaise: Substitute Greek yogurt, as it also has a sweet and tangy flavor.
Apple cider vinegar: You can substitute white vinegar for the apple cider vinegar.
Vegetables: You could add shredded broccoli or shredded Brussels sprouts.
Make it nutty: Add flaked almonds.
Green onions: Use yellow onion instead.
White sugar: Brown sugar would also work in this Hawaiian macaroni salad. Or, if you don’t want the sweetness, you can leave the sugar out entirely.
Potato mac salad: How about using half macaroni and half potatoes for a potato mac salad?
Optional add-ins: Olives, minced dill pickles, celery or chopped hard-boiled eggs would also work in here.
Serving Suggestions
With cooked meats: This pairs beautifully with Hawaiian style BBQ chicken, smoked meatloaf, Hawaiian style ribs, or pork tenderloin.
With fish or seafood: Pineapple salsa salmon would be good with it, or even one of these shrimp recipes.
How to Store Authentic Hawaiian Pasta Salad
Store: Keep leftovers (if there are any – there probably won’t be!) in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eat within 4 days. You can also keep it in the bowl you served it in if you cover it tightly with cling wrap or aluminum foil.
Freeze: Although you can freeze plain cooked macaroni, this salad doesn’t freeze well because the vegetables will go mushy, and the dressing will separate.
Top Tips
Tender macaroni: Cook the pasta until it’s al dente. If you cook it for too long it will be very soft and might break when mixed with the other ingredients.
Keep it moist: You’ll find the salad tends to soak up some of the dressing if you have it sitting in the fridge, so consider adding another splash of milk before serving.
Time management: Shred your veggies while the pasta is cooking and work on the dressing while the macaroni is cooling.
Hawaiian Pasta Salad FAQs
Feel free to prep this no-frills macaroni salad Hawaiian style beforehand and keep it covered and chilled until serving. You could even make it a day ahead.
In Hawaii, macaroni salads are always kept simple. A combination of macaroni, carrot and mayo is a typical side dish in sunny Hawaii. Oh, and putting pineapple in a recipe doesn’t make it Hawaiian. Pineapple chunks have no place in an authentic Hawaiian macaroni salad!
The Best Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 16 Ounces elbow macaroni
- 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 carrots, shredded
- ¼ Cup onion, shredded, or ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 3 Cups mayonnaise
- ⅓ Cup milk
- 1 ½ Teaspoons granulated sugar
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook it according to the package instructions until it's tender. This should take about 8 to 10 minutes.
- While the macaroni is cooking, shred the carrots and onion, set aside.
- Once the macaroni is cooked, drain it well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. While the macaroni is still hot, add the apple cider vinegar, shredded carrots and onions. Combine well but be careful not to smush the noodles as you stir, I usually fold the ingredients together. Cool in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes or until completely cooled.
- While the macaroni is cooling, in a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, milk, sugar and salt and pepper to taste.
- Pour the dressing over the cooled macaroni and combine thoroughly. Taste and season with more salt and pepper, adjusting to your liking.
- You can serve immediately but I prefer to cover the macaroni salad and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This allows the macaroni to absorb some of the dressing and the flavors to meld together.
- Just before serving, check the salad. The macaroni likely would have absorbed a lot of the dressing. If it looks a bit dry, just add a splash of milk and stir until it's as creamy as you like it.
Notes
Keep it moist: You’ll find the salad tends to soak up some of the dressing if you have it sitting in the fridge, so consider adding another splash of milk before serving.
Time management: Shred your veggies while the pasta is cooking and work on the dressing while the macaroni is cooling.
Nutrition
Perfect for any cookout or Luau, this colorful macaroni salad is a breeze to prepare. It offers crunch, creaminess, and tanginess in every mouthful. You can enjoy it for lunch, perhaps paired with chicken drumsticks or your preferred protein, and you’ll love the rich and perfectly balanced flavors it offers.
Other Recipes to Try
- This recipe for Cacio e Pepe is an Italian classic.
- Garden Veggie Macaroni Salad is a colorful salad with an avocado dressing.
- Get ready to fall in love with Air Fryer Mac and Cheese Balls.
- This One Pot Taco Macaroni and Cheese is cheesy, spicy comfort food.
- You might also enjoy this Pasta Paccheri.
Bella Bucchiotti
Bella Bucchiotti is a Canadian-based syndicated food, travel, and lifestyle writer, photographer, and creator at xoxoBella. She founded xoxoBella in 2015, where she shares her love for food, dogs, sustainability, fitness, crafts, outdoor adventures, travel, and philanthropy to encourage others to run the extra mile, try new recipes, visit unfamiliar places, and stand for a cause. Bella creates stress-free and family-friendly recipes for weeknight dinners and festive feasts.
It’s creamy, tangy, and oddly refreshing—such a simple side, but it hits all the right notes.
I usually put peas in my mac salad at the end and I don’t use sour cream or sugar. Its good with just the Best Foods. Note: if you make this a few hours before you are serving it, the sauce will be soaked up by the noodles while waiting in the fridge so it could become a little dry. Have a little more dressing available to moisten it before serving. It is definitely better after having some time in the fridge for the flavors to soak in. Even better the next day!
Great tips!
Made this for a cookout last weekend and loved it!
So great to hear! It’s a favorite for us, too.
That was quite the flavor fest! Loved every bite!