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    Home > Blog > Salads > Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

    Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

    by Jenny Park · Published: Jun 30, 2024 · Modified: Jun 30, 2024

    Jump to Recipe
    A rich and creamy Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe that only requires a handful of ingredients and couldn't be easier to make! It's a delicious side dish that pairs so well with so many different dishes, like Carne Asada, Bulgogi, and BBQ Beef Brisket!
    Hawaiian style macaroni salad in a bowl with serving bowls nearby.

    I love Hawaiian Macaroni Salad so much! It’s delicious, creamy and so simple to make! It’s the perfect side dish to bring to a bbq or picnic. It also holds and transports really well and can be made ahead of time!

    Ours is extra special because we add a small scoop of canned tuna into our mac salad, giving it an extra special, delicious flavor. Trust us, it’s the key ingredient in our simple and very delicious Hawaiian macaroni salad!

    How to Make Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

    Ingredients

    Hawaiian Macaroni Salad ingredients on a kitchen counter.

    Process

    1. Fill a large pot with water, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add some salt and the macaroni and stir. Boil macaroni for about 7 to 8 minutes stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
    2. Place mayonnaise, tuna and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
    Cooked elbow macaroni in a colander.
    The start of making Hawaiian style macaroni salad.
    1. Stir together.
    2. In a large bowl combine macaroni, celery, carrot, red onion, and mayo mixture.
    Making Hawaiian style macaroni salad.
    Hawaiian style macaroni salad ingredients in a bowl.
    1. Fold together until thoroughly mixed together. Season with salt and pepper. Place mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour and season with more salt and pepper, as needed, before serving.
    Hawaiian style macaroni salad in a bowl.

    Tools You Will Need

    • large pot
    • colander
    • cutting board
    • knife
    • mixing bowl
    • wooden spoon
    Macaroni salad made in the Hawaiian style in a bowl with a spoon in it.

    Why Add Tuna?

    I know the addition of canned tuna might sound strange, but it adds a really nice touch of savory, delicious yet subtle umami flavor to the overall dish – without making the macaroni salad taste fishy at all (I promise!). It’s what makes our Hawaiian macaroni salad truly special!

    Variations for our Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

    • If you want a more authentic version, you can omit the celery and red onion and grate the carrot instead.
    • Sometimes I like to add bonito flakes, instead of tuna, to the mayo mixture for an even more savory and umami flavor. If replacing the tuna for bonito flakes, just add 1 1/2 teaspoons.
    • You can swap out the mayo for Kewpie, which is a Japanese mayonnaise. It has a richer, more eggy and slightly sweeter flavor than American mayonnaise and is delicious!
    • For a vegan version, replace the mayonnaise with veganaise and either omit the tuna or replace it with a tuna alternative.

    Is Our Mac Salad Traditional?

    Our recipe is slightly untraditional. We don’t grate our onion or carrot (plus we use red onion instead of sweet or yellow onion). We also use more celery than most recipes and as mentioned above, we add a scoop of tuna into our creamy dressing.

    I personally like the added crunch of the larger pieces of veggies, but you can definitely make it more traditional by grating the onion and carrot. You can also omit the tuna, although I enjoy the umami flavor it adds!

    Hawaiian style macaroni salad in a bowl with some served.

    Healthier Macaroni Salad Option

    Yes, there’s a lot of mayo in this recipe. It’s what makes the salad extra creamy and delicious, but if you’re looking for a healthier version you can sub some or all of the mayo with plain greek yogurt or some whipped cottage cheese!

    Make Ahead Instructions

    Our macaroni salad can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If making ahead of time, reserve 2/3 cup of the may mixture and fold it into the macaroni salad before serving.

    What to Serve with Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

    The creamy side dish goes really well with a variety of dishes. Some of our favorite dishes to serve our mac salad with are:

    • Hawaiian Style Crispy Garlic Butter Shrimp
    • Spicy Honey Butter Air Fryer Wings
    • Mango Habanero Glazed Spare Ribs
    • Crispy Grilled Pork Belly
    • Sticky Hoisin Oven Baked Ribs
    • Lamb Kabobs
    • Chicken Satay
    Close up on a big bowl of Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe.

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      Broccoli Salad Recipe (with Bacon)
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    • Creamy potato salad in a bowl with a beer on the side.
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    • A close up of a bowl of corn salad with a spoon.
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    Hawaiian style macaroni salad in a bowl with serving bowls nearby.

    Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

    5 from 7 votes
    PRINT RECIPE Pin Recipe
    A rich and creamy Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe that only requires a handful of ingredients and couldn't be easier to make! It's a delicious side dish that pairs so well with so many different dishes, like Carne Asada, Bulgogi, and BBQ Beef Brisket!
    RECIPE BY Teri & Jenny
    Prep Time: 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 8 minutes mins
    Chill Time: 1 hour hr
    Total Time: 1 hour hr 18 minutes mins
    Servings: 6

      INGREDIENTS  

    • ½ pound elbow macaroni
    • 1 small carrot peeled and diced
    • 1 celery stalk trimmed and diced
    • 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
    • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
    • 2 1/2 tablespoons canned tuna drained
    • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
    • salt and pepper to taste

      INSTRUCTIONS  

    • Fill a large pot with water, place over high heat and bring to a boil. Add some salt and the macaroni and stir. Boil macaroni for about 7 to 8 minutes stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside.
    • Place mayonnaise, tuna and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper and stir together.
    • In a large bowl combine macaroni, celery, carrot, red onion, and mayo mixture.
    • Fold together until thoroughly mixed together. Season with salt and pepper.
    • Place mixture in the refrigerator for at least an hour and season with more salt and pepper, as needed, before serving.

      NOTES  

    Healthier Macaroni Salad Option

    If you’re looking for a slightly healthier version, you can sub some or all of the mayo with plain greek yogurt or whipped cottage cheese!

    Make Ahead Instructions

    Our macaroni salad can be made up to 3 days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If making ahead of time, reserve 2/3 cup of the may mixture and fold it into the macaroni salad before serving.

    Calories: 343kcal Carbohydrates: 30g Protein: 7g Fat: 22g Saturated Fat: 3g Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g Monounsaturated Fat: 5g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 14mg Sodium: 203mg Potassium: 144mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 2g Vitamin A: 1723IU Vitamin C: 1mg Calcium: 16mg Iron: 1mg
    CUISINE: hawaiian
    KEYWORD: macaroni salad
    COURSE: Side Dish

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    June 30, 2024 / 22 Comments

    About Jenny Park

    Jenny Park is half of Spoon Fork Bacon. She is also a food stylist and recipe developer. One of her favorite foods is donuts. #sfbJENNY

    Previous Post: < Previous Post Heirloom Tomato Tart
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    Reader Interactions

    June 30, 2024 / 22 Comments

    Comments

      5 from 7 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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    1. Bonnie

      August 02, 2023 at 2:30 am

      Is the canned tuna you use in oil or water?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        August 02, 2023 at 9:30 am

        Water!

        Reply
    2. Morgan

      January 18, 2023 at 10:46 pm

      Can you omit the Tuna?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        January 19, 2023 at 10:15 am

        Yes! It will change the flavor profile a bit, but still be delicious!

        Reply
    3. Harleen

      May 11, 2021 at 11:20 am

      5 stars
      Made this recipe for the first time last night. My husband, adult daughter and I were all delighted. It’s going into my salad rotation! We all have loved macaroni salads but this one tops all others! I omited the bonita flakes and tuna and served it with cold cuts and some leftover chicken. A big thank you for this delicious recipe!!

      Reply
    4. Julie

      May 30, 2016 at 10:14 am

      I always wondered how they made Hawaiian macaroni salad so delicious. Bonito flakes are a genius idea!

      Reply
    5. Medolark

      May 28, 2016 at 9:11 am

      The link says I need to login. Authentication needed.

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        May 28, 2016 at 11:59 am

        We’ve added the recipe directly to the post!

        Reply
        • Medolark

          May 28, 2016 at 4:35 pm

          Thanks. My grandsons really like Mac salad in the summer. I’m going to try this.

          Reply
    6. Tiffany @ Triple Crème Decadence

      May 30, 2013 at 4:17 am

      I love hawaiian macaroni salad. I always order double scoops at my local hawaiian barbeque joint. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    7. Gourmet Creations

      May 23, 2013 at 7:06 pm

      FANTASTIC!

      Reply
    8. Jocelyn (Grandbaby Cakes)

      May 21, 2013 at 1:00 pm

      Mesmerized! No other words!

      Reply
    9. Tracy | Peanut Butter and Onion

      May 21, 2013 at 4:57 am

      Hawaiian style WHAT!!! this looks incredible

      Reply
    10. Catherine

      May 17, 2013 at 11:04 am

      Why am I having trouble seeing the recipe? Is there a link?

      Reply
      • Jenny Park

        May 17, 2013 at 11:39 am

        Yep…in the post it says “picnic recipe” in pink (right at the end). That’ll take you to the recipe!

        Reply
        • TammyB

          May 28, 2016 at 10:27 am

          Yes there is the link there but it requires a log in. I wonder what’s up with that?

          Reply
          • Jenny Park

            May 28, 2016 at 12:00 pm

            Yea, that was weird, so we added the recipe directly to the post! :)

            Reply
    11. Bev @ Bev Cooks

      May 17, 2013 at 9:09 am

      OMGGGGGGG. G. G. G.

      Reply
    12. Tahny

      May 17, 2013 at 4:06 am

      This looks perfect to accompany a grilled burger! Yum!

      Reply
    13. YOLONDA

      May 16, 2013 at 2:35 pm

      Looks delicious!

      Reply
    14. Eileen

      May 16, 2013 at 2:16 pm

      This looks like the world’s best picnic food! Hooray!

      Reply
    15. Gerry @ Foodness Gracious

      May 16, 2013 at 11:38 am

      Yup, I just got back from Oahu and was very guilty of eating this mac! Looks duh-licious…

      Reply

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    Hawaiian style macaroni salad in a bowl with serving bowls nearby.
    Macaroni salad made in the Hawaiian style in a bowl with a spoon in it.
    Close up on a big bowl of Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe.
    Close up on a big bowl of Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe.

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