Hawaiian Mac Salad

On May 12, 2025

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This classic Hawaiian Mac Salad with a creamy, tangy dressing, and crisp, cool veggies makes the perfect side for Kalua Pork, Huli Huli Chicken, or any other smoked or grilled BBQ meat you love making.

A bowl of macaroni salad. The text overlay reads "Hawaiian-Style Mac Salad" at the top, and "Hey Grill Hey" at the bottom.

Hawaiian-Inspired Mac Salad

Add a little aloha spirit to your next cookout with my Hawaiian-inspired Mac Salad. This bright and creamy side brings the vibes of an authentic Hawaiian plate lunch straight to your backyard. With a rich, tangy dressing balancing creamy mayo with bright vinegar, this isn’t your typical pasta side. The gentle crunch of grated carrots red onion create a satisfying contrast against the creamy dressing and mac.

Whether paired with smoky Kalua Pork, sweet-savory Huli Huli Chicken, or your favorite grilled creation, this Hawaiian Mac Salad delivers that authentic island taste.

Ingredients for Mac Salad

My Hawaiian Mac Salad uses just a handful of simple ingredients so you’ve probably got everything on hand already. Just in case, here’s what you’ll need:

1 pound elbow macaroni noodles (cooked until very soft, 12-14 minutes)
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
¼ cup red onion (grated)
¼ cup carrots (grated)
1 cup mayonnaise (Best Foods or Helmann’s)
½ cup milk
1 Tablespoon sugar
salt and pepper, to taste

To achieve that authentic plate-lunch mac, the mayonnaise brand matters! I recommend using only Best Foods Real Mayonnaise (Helmann’s depending on where you live). This is the only truly Hawaiian-approved mayo for mac salad I know of. Save the light mayo or substitutes this time.

An overhead shot of several bowls and piles of raw ingredients, including uncooked pasta noodles and seasonings.

Variations and Substitutions

Now, let’s talk about making this Mac Salad your own. While I love this recipe for capturing those authentic Hawaiian flavors, there’s always room to play around with flavors and ingredients. Fire up your creativity and try these tasty twists:

Basic mac salad: Although this recipe uses minimal ingredients, you can make it even easier. Cook your favorite noodles, then add mayo, shredded carrots, and some salt and pepper for seasoning. It won’t have the same depth of flavor, but it will “alo” enough “ha” to get you by.
Add-ins: Don’t be afraid to mix things up. This recipe is inspired by traditional Hawaiian flavors, but I put my own twist on it. Feel free to do the same. A lot of recipes for mac salad include chopped egg. You can use my Smoked Eggs, if you want a layer of smoky flavor.
Switch up the noodles: Most traditional Hawaiian mac salads call for elbow macaroni noodles. Some recipes use large elbows for extra surface. I used cavatappi for that same reason, but can go with any pasta noodle you love.

One hand holding a bowl of dressing in place as another hand whisks shredded carrots into the dressing.

How to Make Hawaiian Mac Salad

Creating this island-inspired side dish is wonderfully simple, but the results are absolutely mouthwatering. Get ready to make the creamiest, most addictive Mac Salad that’ll have everyone at your cookout asking for the recipe:

Make the pasta. Start by cooking your elbow macaroni until it’s perfectly soft and tender, about 12-14 minutes. This is longer than you’d normally cook pasta, but the extra-soft texture is the secret to my Hawaiian Mac Salad by allowing the noodles to soak up all that creamy, tangy dressing.
Make the dressing. While your pasta cools, use a whisk to whip up the luscious dressing. The velvety mayo base gets brightened with a punch of vinegar, smoothed out with milk, and balanced with just a touch of sugar. The vibrant grated carrots and aromatic red onion, create a dressing that perfectly balances the creamy, tangy, and subtly sweet with fresh, crunchy bites.
Combine and settle. Pour that luxurious dressing over the warm pasta and fold it in gently so every noodle gets coated in the creamy goodness. As it chills in the refrigerator, the flavors meld and intensify, the dressing penetrates the pasta, and the texture becomes silky. Trust me on this, your patience will pay off in deep layers of flavor.
Serve and enjoy. Once your noodles have time to absorb the dressing, and all the flavors marry, your salad is ready to serve. Add a generous scoop next to your favorite island-inspired meat, and enjoy!

A bowl of dressing being poured into a bowl of pasta noodles.

Susie’s Mac Salad Pro Tips

The recipe card alone will give you an awesome salad for any occasion, but I want to help you deliver a knockout side. Here are my top tips to make your Hawaiian Mac Salad stand out at your next backyard cookout:

Let it settle: Give your Mac Salad time to chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This resting period allows the flavors to meld together and the pasta to absorb all that creamy goodness.
Overcook the noodles: This isn’t your typical pasta salad! Cook those elbows a few minutes past al dente (12-14 minutes) so they’re nice and soft. The slightly overcooked pasta will better absorb the milk and dressing, creating that authentic Hawaiian texture.
Red onion: For that perfect balance of sharp flavor and pretty color, stick with red onion. It adds just the right amount of bite and visual appeal that yellow or white onions can’t match.
Season in stages: Add a pinch of salt to your pasta water, then taste and adjust seasoning again after mixing in the dressing. This layered approach ensures your Mac Salad is perfectly seasoned throughout rather than just on the surface.

What to Serve with Mac Salad

Want to complete your Hawaiian-style macaroni salad with a full plate lunch? Make a side of steamed white riced, then check out these Hey Grill Hey recipes to round things out.

Meats

This Hawaiian Mac Salad is the perfect cool, creamy side dish for just about any meat you can smoke or grill, but where it really shines is alongside traditional Hawaiian proteins. Check out my Smoked Kalua Pork or Huli Huli Chicken, if you want to make it a full meal.

Dessert

When you’re hosting a backyard cookout, nothing sends your guests home happy like a dessert tailor-made to complement your starring dish. Both my Piña Colada Grilled Pineapple and Grilled Pineapple with Brown Sugar make for a perfect luau sendoff.

A wooden spoon stirring a cold salad in a glass bowl.

Storage and Shelf Life

This Hawaiian Mac Salad keeps easily in the refrigerator, making it perfect for meal prep or enjoying leftovers from your backyard BBQ:

Refrigeration: Store your Mac Salad in an airtight container or gallon zip-top bag in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The flavors actually continue to develop overnight, making it even more delicious the next day.
Not freezer-friendly: Due to the mayo-based dressing, this salad doesn’t freeze well. The good news is this recipe doesn’t take long to put together, so making it the day of isn’t a big deal.
Serving cold leftovers: Take the Mac Salad out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before serving so the flavor profile and texture can revitalize.
Refreshing leftovers: If your Mac Salad thickens up in the refrigerator (which is normal as the pasta absorbs the dressing), simply stir in a small splash of milk to bring back that creamy consistency.

More Simple BBQ Salad Recipes

After you taste how incredible this Hawaiian Mac Salad goes with your favorite savory meats, you’ll need it all the time. Luckily for you, I’ve got dozens of cool, crisp, refreshing salads perfect for any BBQ meal. You can find them all in the Hey Grill Hey App. For now, check out these popular side salad recipes:

Sides

Tuna Macaroni Salad with Zesty Homemade Dressing

Sides

Chickpea Salad with Lemon Dill Dressing

Sides

Red Potato Salad with Bacon and Caramelized Onion

Salads

Cucumber Tomato Salad

Easy Hawaiian Mac Salad

Follow the recipe card to make this Hawaiian Mac Salad for your next BBQ, then give it a 5-star review and tell me how yours turned out in the comments. Don’t forget to snap some photos of your island-inspired spreads so you can share them to my Facebook and Instagram pages. I love cheering you on as you become a Backyard BBQ Hero.

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