Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
This easy pasta salad recipe is a perfect addition to any Hawaiian themed meal. A classic recipe popular on the island, no lunch plate is complete without this delicious and easy macaroni salad!

If you have never had Hawaiian macaroni salad you are in for a treat. This simple and no frills side dish is creamy and flavorful and a favorite the world over. Often served as part of a “lunch plate” because its simple and cheap to make, this pasta salad pairs so well with any barbeque you want to serve it with.
For a complete Hawaiian themed meal, serve this beside some Huli-Huli Chicken and white rice.
Ingredients needed:
Here are the things you need to make this recipe. For the full set of instructions, please make sure you scroll down to the recipe card below.
- Pasta – You will need elbow macaroni for this recipe. You will want to cook it until it is done, just slightly past al dente. Then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process and help it combine with the dressing. This is the only time I rinse pasta, but don’t skip it here!
- Mayo – People always have strong feelings about which brand of mayo is “right”, but most recipes are very opinionated that if you are making a true Hawaiian macaroni salad with the right flavor, then it needs to be Hellman’s. You can do what you want with that information.
- Yellow onion – You will need 1/4 of an onion, and grate it on a box grater so that it is nice and fine and mixes nicely with the pasta salad. Trust me, you want to grate it super small.
- Shredded carrot – Another fun addition to this salad is shredded carrot. You can purchase either pre-grated carrot or do it yourself, either is fine. If you do it at home yourself, make sure you grate it on the coarsest grate setting so that it gives some texture and bite to the salad.
- Sugar – Just a pinch of granulated sugar helps sweeten the dish just a bit.
- Salt and Pepper
How to make a Hawaiian macaroni salad
This recipe is simple to make! For the full set of directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below. This is just a general overview on how to make it to help you plan.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. You want to cook it until just past al dente so it is nice an soft. Then drain and rinse the pasta in cold water to stop the cooking process. Cool the pasta.
- Place the pasta in a large mixing bowl and toss with the mayo, shredded onion, shredded carrot, sugar, salt, and pepper. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Chill for 1 hour and enjoy.
Recipe Note: There are a lot of conflicting theories about chilling the pasta salad. Some recipes say to serve immediately. Some say to chill 1 hour beforehand. I tried it both ways, and I think chilling it to letting the flavors blend together is best, however it was still perfectly good when served immediately.
Storage information
This macaroni salad stores really well! Store in an airtight container with a lid in the fridge for up to 4 days. Give it a good stir before serving to redistribute the dressing evenly.
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Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- ¼ yellow onion grated
- ¼ cup carrot grated
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions.8 ounces elbow macaroni
- Drain the pasta and then rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process.
- Cool the pasta at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Grate the onion on a box grater so it is finely grated.1/4 yellow onion
- Grate the carrot on the coarsest hole of the box grater.1/4 cup carrot
- Place the pasta in a large mixing bowl and mix with the mayo, shredded onion, shredded carrot, sugar, and salt and pepper. Taste and add more seasoning if you want.1 cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Mix to combine.
- Place the bowl in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.