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close up of Hawaiian macaroni salad served in a white bowl

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Hawaiian
Keyword: Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, mac salad
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Chill time (minimum): 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: 264kcal
Author: Sharon Wong (Nut Free Wok)
Cost: $5
My favorite part of a Hawaiian plate lunch is the scoop of Hawaiian macaroni salad. It's cold, tangy, and sweet, which is very appetizing when served with some kalua pork, ribs, or other tasty meats.
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Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 medium carrots 1/2 cup grated
  • 1 medium sweet onion 1/2 cup grated
  • 2 stalks scallions greens only, chopped
  • 1 cup mayonnaise Best Foods or Hellmans, more as desired
  • 1/2 cup milk or plain non-dairy milk substitute, I use non-fat milk
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more to salt the pasta water
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper finely ground

Instructions

  • Fill a large 6-8 quart stock pot with water slightly more than halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add the macaroni, salt the water as desired, and cook on medium heat until soft (double the package cook time plus an extra minute, approximately 13 minutes total).
  • While the pasta cooks, use a fine grater to grate the carrots and onion into a bowl. You will only need about 1/2 cup of each and set aside whatever you can't safely grate (~2 pieces of carrot and 1/2 an onion) for other recipes.
  • Drain the macaroni in a colander and drain well. Transfer the macaroni to a large non-reactive mixing or serving bowl, add the apple cider vinegar, and stir. Allow the pasta to absorb some of the apple cider vinegar.
  • Add the chopped scallions, grated onion, and grated carrots to the macaroni.
  • In a small mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, milk, sugar, salt, and pepper and pour the mixture over the macaroni. Gently mix the ingredients together.
  • Cover the pasta directly with plastic wrap to keep the pasta from drying out. Refrigerate until serving (1-4 hours, up to overnight).
  • If stored overnight and/or the macaroni salad looks dry, add 1-2 heaping tablespoons of mayonnaise (as needed) to the macaroni salad and stir (optional).

Notes

This recipe makes approximately 6 cups of macaroni salad and serves 10-12 people as a side dish. The nutrition facts are an estimate. 

Nutrition

Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 264kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 11mg | Sodium: 276mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2097IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg