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4.80 stars from 5 reviews

Authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (Easy Recipe)

Hawaiian macaroni salad is a deliciously creamy side that’s the perfect balance of tangy and sweet. Try this easy pasta salad recipe today!
Author: Donna Elick
Servings: 8 -10
Prep Time20 minutes
Chill Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt or Himalayan sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/4 red onion diced small
  • 1 1/2 cups carrots grated
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 3 scallions sliced

Instructions

  • In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni noodles until they are very plump (several minutes longer than recommended cook time).
    Drain pasta. Sprinkle apple cider vinegar over the pasta and toss to combine.
  • Place the pasta in a large mixing bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Allow the apple cider vinegar to soak into the pasta for about 15 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, milk, pepper, salt, and brown sugar. Taste mixture and adjust seasoning to taste. You can also add additional apple cider vinegar to this dressing mixture for a bit of extra zing.
  • Pour half of the dressing mixture over the pasta and add the red onion and carrots. Toss together (the pasta should still be warm). Cover with plastic wrap (or a lid) and refrigerate for about 1 hour until pasta has cooled completely and the dressing mixture has soaked into the pasta.
  • Toss salad with remaining dressing, celery, and scallions. Refrigerate, covered for 3-4 hours longer.
  • Serve pasta alongside traditional Hawaiian mixed plate dishes.

Notes

  1. Serve pasta alongside traditional Hawaiian mixed plate dishes.
  2. Keep refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
  3. We use pre-grated carrots from the produce department at the grocery store. You can also make matchstick carrot pieces by putting whole, peeled carrots through the grater attachment on your food processor.
  4. Tossing the hot pasta with the apple cider vinegar allows the noodles to really soak up the flavor. Mixing a portion of the dressing and some of the vegetables with the warm pasta aids in making a nice creamy salad.
  5. Adjust the seasonings to your personal taste. You can also vary the add-ins. Some diced ham and pineapple and a little extra brown sugar in the dressing would be delicious! Bacon or kahlua pork would also be yummy.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 526cal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 447mg | Sugar: 5g | Fiber: 3g | Calcium: 53mg | Iron: 1mg