Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

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.