5 from 59 votes

Authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (VIDEO)

By Chris JoePublished Nov 11, 2025
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31 Comments

Servings: 8

1 hr 15 mins

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This is how to make an authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, island-style – and it’s been approved by my many Hawaiian readers! It’s super easy but there are a key ingredients to get that distinct island taste – make sure to check out all of my tips below!

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad in a bowl with a spoon.

Watch the Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe Video Below!

A Note from CJ

The Best Hawaiian Macaroni Salad!

My love for Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (Mac Salad) comes from my many visits to Hawaii, where the highlight of my day would be a plate lunch with a scoop of mac salad! This authentic island-style recipe hits the spot, especially with Chicken Katsu and Katsu Sauce, Mochiko Chicken (sometimes Chicken Karaage (Japanese Fried Chicken) and white rice! It’s also serve it at barbeques with Grilled Wings, Grilled Thighs, or Korean Marinated Short Ribs (LA Galbi)!

Hands down the BEST mac salad recipe! I followed the instructions exactly and it was perfect. My family devoured this at a bbq and asked for the recipe… They thought they didn’t like mac salad until they tried this!

– Melody

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Ingredient Tips

Refer to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements!

  • elbow macaroni – for mac salad just like you had in Hawaii, you must use elbow macaroni.
  • apple cider vinegar – a splash of apple cider vinegar is key – it gives the dish a tangy, slightly sweet flavor that’s a signature of mac salad.
  • Best Foods or Hellmann’s Mayo – for Hawaiian mac salad, you need to use Best Foods or Hellmann’s mayo only.
  • onion, carrot, scallions – the vegetables should be finely grated, shredded, or chopped into bite-sized pieces so they are slightly smaller than the elbow macaroni.
  • canned tuna – I personally love mac salads with tuna added (shout out to Sparky’s in Maui!) – but you can leave it out if you prefer.

How to Make Authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

Overcook the macaroni and season the pasta: Cook the macaroni in salted boiling water for 3–4 minutes longer than the package instructions until it’s soft and slightly overdone. This step is key to achieving that signature texture found in authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad. The pasta should be “fat” and tender so it can fully absorb the dressing later. After draining, toss the hot pasta with apple cider vinegar to give it a light tang that balances the rich, creamy mayo base.

Combine the ingredients to make the Hawaiian Mac Salad: In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta with mayo, finely chopped onion, carrot, scallions, tuna, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. Season generously with salt, black pepper, and white pepper, then fold in the pasta until everything is evenly coated for that perfect creamy macaroni salad texture. Cover and refrigerate your Hawaiian Macaroni Salad for 1–2 hours to let the flavors meld. Just before serving, mix in the reserved ½ cup of mayo to keep it rich and creamy.

A 3 photo collage of cooking steps to make an authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad at home, including boiling the macaroni, mixing the ingredients and chilling the macaroni salad.

PRO TIPS

CJ’s Recipe & Storage Tips

Overcook the Pasta – you need to overcook the pasta by 3-4 minutes past the instructions to give the macaroni a soft, ‘fat’ texture – this will help the pasta absorb the flavors of the other ingredients.

Chill Before Serving – let the macaroni salad chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This will allow the pasta to aborb more flavor and the dish will meld together longer for a softer texture.

Reserve Extra Mayo – Once the Mac Salad has chilled and is ready to serve, I would add in a little bit more mayo. The macaroni salad will have dried out a little bit in the refrigerator – add a bit more mayo right before serving to make it creamier.

Storage – Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (Mac Salad) tastes best served the same day – store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

If you tried this Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (Mac Salad) or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!

5 from 59 votes

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad (VIDEO)

By: Chris Joe
Servings: 8
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad in a bowl with a apoon.
If you're craving a Hawaiian side dish that's a staple on the island, then you'll love my authentic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe. This salad is perfect as a side for a traditional Hawaiian plate lunch – it's rich, creamy, and delicious!
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Ingredients 

Instructions 

  • Cook macaroni in salted boiling water 3-4 minutes past instructions for al dente. The pasta should be soft, as it will firm up once mixed and cooled in the fridge.
  • Once the macaroni is drained and cooled, add 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar and mix into the pasta to absorb.
  • Add the mayo, onion, carrot, scallions, tuna, egg, black and white pepper, salt and mix thoroughly.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 hours until chilled. Add the reserved 1/2 cup of mayo to the salad, or enough to achieve your desired consistency. Serve with your plate lunch and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Overcook the pasta: To achieve the perfect texture, you need to overcook the pasta by 3-4 minutes past the instructions. This will give the macaroni a soft, ‘fat’ texture that’s perfect for absorbing the flavors of the other ingredients.
Add apple cider vinegar: Adding apple cider vinegar to the macaroni after it’s cooked and cooled will give the dish a tangy, slightly sweet flavor that’s a signature of macaroni salad from Hawaii.
Use Best Foods or Hellmann’s Mayo: When you are making Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, you only have one (two) options when it comes to what type of mayo to use – it has to be Best Foods or Hellman’s (they’re the same company but known as different brands in different parts of the United States). They both have a creamy texture and a rich, tangy flavor that complements the other ingredients perfectly. Furthermore, this specific flavor is a signature of Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, so you can’t use anything else!
Chill before serving: I recommend you let the macaroni salad chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together and give the dish a creamier texture.
Reserve some mayo: Once the Hawaiian Macaroni Salad has chilled and it is ready to serve, I would add in a little bit more mayo. You may find that your macaroni salad has dried out a little bit in the refrigerator. You can ‘refresh’ it by adding more mayo (as much as you prefer, as you should adjust to your preferred consistency).
Storage & Make Ahead Tips – Hawaiian Macaroni Salad tastes best served on the same day you make it (don’t forget to chill for at least one hour before serving).  However, if you want to make it ahead, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. Once you are ready to serve it, I recommend using extra mayo to ‘refresh’ the salad, as it’ll likely dried up a little bit – use as much or as little mayo as you need to get it to the consistency of your preference (I usually add 1/2 cup of mayo). 

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 13gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0.004gCholesterol: 49mgSodium: 363mgPotassium: 237mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 1453IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 31mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Tried this recipe?Mention @cj.eats_ or tag #cjeatsrecipes!

This Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe was originally posted in April 2023, and updated in November 2025.

About CJ

I’m a third generation Chinese-American home cook who has always loved cooking & eating! Welcome to my food blog, where you can find trusted, tested, easy & approachable recipes for the everyday home cook that taste delicious! I am so glad you're here!

Read more about me

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5 from 59 votes (33 ratings without comment)

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31 Comments

  4. 5 stars
    Yet another staple in the house. This is made all the time during many gatherings. Tune was a new addition to it but it was a good one.

    Reply

  9. 5 stars
    Hands down the BEST mac salad recipe! I followed the instructions exactly and it was perfect. Would not making any changes. My family devoured this at a bbq and asked for the recipe… They thought they didn’t like mac salad until they tried this!

    Reply