Classic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe

Name: Classic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 15 min
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: Elbow Macaroni: 1 pound; Mayonaise: 1 and 1/2 cups; Milk: 1/4 cup; Sugar: 2 tablespoons; Apple Cider Vinegar: 2 tablespoons; Salt: 1 and 1/2 teaspoons; Pepper: 1/4 teaspoon; Yellow Onion, shredded: 1/4 cup; Carrot, shredded: 1 large carrot

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 1 review

This classic Hawaiian macaroni salad recipe is creamy, easy to make, and super delicious! It comes together quickly in just 15 minutes and makes for a delicious side dish for any meal on any occasion!

Classic Hawaiian macaroni salad in a wooden bowl with an onion and shredded carrots in the background.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Step-by-Step Instructions
Helpful Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Serving Suggestions
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💬 Comments

Growing up, my vova (that's grandma in Portuguese) always made macaroni salad, and my sisters and I were obsessed with it!

It was so creamy with the perfect amount of cracked black pepper. We would have it at pretty much every holiday or occasion on the side of other delicious food, but sometimes i'd take home leftovers and just eat it on its own. Can anyone relate?

I decided to make my own version of macaroni salad, and this delicious recipe was born!

I even made a second recipe (check out my creamy cheddar macaroni salad too) cause it's just so good! I plan to make even more and share them with you!

If you love pasta salad recipes in general, you should try this delicious zesty Italian pasta salad, this chicken tortellini pasta salad, and this Caprese pasta salad as well!

Want to know the best part about this recipe? Basic ingredients. That's all you need. If you are an avid Cup of Flour recipe maker, I bet it's because you know all our recipes are made with basic ingredients you can confidently find at any grocery store to make them.

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Why you'll love this recipe

Quick: This recipe comes together quickly in just 15 minutes!
Easy: All you need is some basic ingredients and this recipe will be ready in 3 simple steps.
Perfect for sharing: Whether you're making a side dish for a holiday or a BBQ cookout, this is a delicious and will impress everyone!

Recipe Ingredients

MACARONI PASTA: the classic noodle in macaroni salad is of course the macaroni...however, you can really use any pasta noodle of your choice! I've made it with other noodles like fusilli before!
MAYONAISE: mayo makes the pasta salad incredibly and deliciously creamy.
MILK: the milk adds to the creaminess of the pasta salad and also keeps it moist (as it can sometimes begin drying out in the fridge).
SUGAR: the sugar adds a little sweetness to the salad.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR: the apple cider vinegar is acidic and helps balance the creaminess of the salad while adding a slightly sweet flavour to the salad.
SALT & PEPPER: these help to enhance the overall flavour of the salad.
VEGGIES: onions and carrots add flavour, colour, and texture to the salad.

See the recipe card below for the ingredient measurements.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Cook the pasta: Cook the macaroni according to the package. Strain and rinse it with cold water and then transfer it to a large bowl.
Make the dressing: In a bowl, combine and mix the mayonnaise, milk, sugar, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper. Fold in the grated onion and carrot.
Make the salad: Pour the dressing over the pasta and mix until it is fully incorporated. Cover and refrigerate the salad for up to 1 hour before serving. If the noodles have absorbed much of the dressing, just mix in a couple of tablespoons of milk and it will become creamy.

Classic Hawaiian macaroni salad in a wooden bowl with a wooden serving spoon in it.

Helpful Tips

Cook the noodles to al dente. This will ensure that the noodles are not overcooked and mushy. The best way to do this is to cook the noodles for a couple of minutes less than specified on the package.
Rinse the noodles with water. After cooking and straining the noodles, rinse them under cold water. This will help stop the noodles from cooking and becoming overcooked.
Make the salad ahead of time. Making the salad and storing it in the fridge overnight will give it time to intensify all the flavours and make it extra tasty,

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I make my macaroni salad creamier?

You can add some more mayo and milk. You can also consider adding some sour cream.

How do I keep my macaroni salad from drying out?

If you find it drying out after spending time in the fridge, add a few tablespoons of milk to it.

Can I make macaroni salad ahead of time?

Yes you can make it ahead of time and store it in the fridge until ready to serve.

How do I keep macaroni salad from being soggy?

You should cook the noodles to al dente and run them under cold water after cooking to stop the cooking process. Overcooked noodles will absorb too much dressing and make them soggy.

How do I keep macaroni salad from being runny?

When you first mix in the dressing, you may find it looks runny, however after at least 1 hour in the fridge some of the dressing will be absorbed by the noodles.

Serving Suggestions

This creamy macaroni salad tastes delicious with a saucy rack of ribs and creamy scalloped potatoes or next to some saucy pulled pork sandwhiches.

It also goes great with bbq hamburgers and hot dogs next to some other delicious summer side dishes like a creamy dill potato salad or zesty Italian pasta salad.

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