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Home » Recipes » Hawaiian Mac Salad

Hawaiian Mac Salad

Published: March 19, 2018 By Kaitlin 27 Comments

Hawaiian Mac Salad, by thewoksoflife.com

Hawaiian Mac Salad is the cornerstone of a good “plate lunch,” i.e. a bed of rice, a scoop of mac salad, and a heaping serving of a meat dish like lau lau, kalua pork, or huli huli chicken. In other words, it’s a peak highlight of Hawaii’s food scene (with the exception, perhaps of the mountains of delicious and cheap poke).

For me, mac (“macaroni”) salad was the unexpected MVP of our first trip to Hawaii––it seems so unassuming, but the brilliance of Hawaiian mac salad is that it’s not a gloopy, undifferentiated mayonnaise-y mess like what you might find on the mainland. It’s a wonderfully complex carb-tastic side-dish, augmented with chunky potatoes which give it lots of texture and body and a subtle vinegary sweetness which makes it a main event in and of itself, not just a side. In short, mac salad is everything you could want as the highly valued sidekick on your plate lunch.

On our most recent trip to Maui, here are the ways this irrational love for Hawaiian mac salad manifested itself…

  • When we did have mac salad for a plate lunch shared among my sister and two cousins, I was verging on wolfishly protective over the small scoop of mac salad it came with.
  • Was at a restaurant with a huge plate of food and a dwindling pile of mac salad. Proved my glutton status by ordering another scoop of mac salad. Proceeded to neglect the rest of my dinner and just eat the mac salad.
  • Went to Foodland to see if they sold house-made mac salad. They did not. Tragic. But we did salvage these trips with poke. Lots and lots of poke.
  • Ate a mountain of mac salad at the luau we went to, augmented with small piles of everything else (which in total ended up being an absurd amount of food). People in the buffet line stared with zero shame as I scooped–also with zero shame.

So, for anyone else who has returned from a Hawaiian vacation and is searching for the elusive taste of paradise, here’s our version of a Hawaiian mac salad recipe!

Hawaiian Mac Salad, by thewoksoflife.comYou’ll need:

  • 12 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 2 cups mayonnaise (It’s a lot. Adjust to taste.)
  • 1/3 cup milk
  • 1-2 tablespoons cider vinegar (to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
  • 1 carrot, grated (about 1 cup)
  • 1 very small onion, grated
  • Salt to taste

Hawaiian Mac Salad, by thewoksoflife.comBoil the macaroni and the potatoes in two separate pots simultaneously. Cook the macaroni until it’s fully softened—not necessarily al dente. Cook the potatoes until fork tender. In a separate bowl, mash the potatoes into a coarse mash. It should be about half chunky and half smooth.

Hawaiian Mac Salad, by thewoksoflife.com   

Next, mix the dressing: add the mayonnaise, milk, cider vinegar, and sugar.

In a large bowl, mix the boiled macaroni with the peas, carrots, and grated onion. Pour the dressing in. Mix thoroughly. Now add the mashed potatoes.

Hawaiian Mac Salad, by thewoksoflife.comHawaiian Mac Salad, by thewoksoflife.comAdd salt to taste.

Hawaiian Mac Salad, by thewoksoflife.comServe with tasty slow cooked BBQ, grilled meat, or a big scoop of Spam Fried Rice! Stay tuned for that recipe in a couple of days!

Hawaiian Mac Salad, by thewoksoflife.com~Aloha~

4.0 from 1 reviews
Hawaiian Mac Salad
 
Save Print
Prep time
10 mins
Cook time
30 mins
Total time
40 mins
 
Hawaiian Mac Salad is the cornerstone of a good “plate lunch,” i.e. a bed of rice, a scoop of mac salad, and a heaping serving of a meat dish like lau lau, kalua pork, or huli huli chicken. Here's our version of the recipe!
Author: Kaitlin
Recipe type: Pasta
Cuisine: Hawaiian
Serves: 8-12
Ingredients
  • 12 ounces elbow macaroni
  • 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 2 cups mayonnaise (It’s a lot. Adjust to taste.)
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 1-2 tablespoons cider vinegar (to taste)
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1½ cups frozen peas
  • 1 carrot, grated (about 1 cup)
  • 1 very small onion, grated
  • Salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Boil the macaroni and the potatoes in two separate pots simultaneously. Cook the macaroni until it’s fully softened—not necessarily al dente. Cook the potatoes until fork tender. In a separate bowl, mash the potatoes into a coarse mash. It should be about half chunky and half smooth.
  2. Next, mix the dressing: add the mayonnaise, milk, cider vinegar, and sugar.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the boiled macaroni with the peas, carrots, and grated onion. Pour the dressing in. Mix thoroughly. Now add the mashed potatoes. Add salt to taste.
3.5.3229

 

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Filed Under: Recipes, Rice, Noodles & Pasta, Vegetarian

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27 Comments

  1. Schultzy says

    March 25, 2018 at 8:32 AM

    Greetings from Minnesota (home of Spam) Good recipe! I noticed the dressing is about the same as my potato salad or mac salad (peas and cheese) dressing. Never thought to combine the 2. Mashed potatoes really make this work!
    Thanks for all your work on this great site.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      April 4, 2018 at 10:40 PM

      Thank you! Also, MAC SALAD WITH PEAS & CHEESE YUMMMMM

      Reply
  2. Lori says

    March 23, 2018 at 11:20 PM

    Apparently, if you even mention the word “spam” in your post, Pinterest won’t go there! :(

    Reply
    • Sarah says

      March 27, 2018 at 11:54 AM

      wooooow. Good to know. Jeez. Thanks Lori!

      Reply
  3. Diana says

    March 23, 2018 at 2:05 PM

    What can I use instead of cider vinegar? I don’t want to purchase cider vinegar just for this recipe.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      April 4, 2018 at 10:39 PM

      Just a little white distilled vinegar should work fine, Diana. Or you can omit!

      Reply
  4. Natalie says

    March 23, 2018 at 7:41 AM

    I love when we go to travel to some places and fall in love with their food and also be inspired by them.
    This dish looks really nice and also includes most of my favourite ingredients!!
    I’d like to try this asap xD

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      April 4, 2018 at 10:39 PM

      Thanks, Natalie! Hope you enjoy it! :)

      Reply
  5. Debbe Lee says

    March 20, 2018 at 7:55 PM

    For every potato you add to the salad, add the same number of hard boiled eggs (chopped). Our ohana also add a can of flaked tuna; it’s wonderful with the mayonnaise in the salad. Aloha and keep up the great work of providing us with recipes!

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 20, 2018 at 9:53 PM

      Aloha, Debbe!! Thanks for those adds, I have a feeling I would love the addition of hard-boiled eggs. Macaroni salad + potato salad + egg salad = mac salad gone wild. <3

      Reply
  6. pamela rollins says

    March 20, 2018 at 3:15 PM

    Since this is Hawaiian, would adding crushed pineapple be a viable option?
    Love your site, so informative and always fun to read.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 20, 2018 at 9:52 PM

      Hey Pamela, You can definitely give it a whirl with a small batch! If you like it toss more into the rest of your batch! Experimentation is the mother of all tasty foods, after all. Cheers!

      Reply
  7. Michele says

    March 19, 2018 at 2:58 PM

    Aloha
    We like to add hard boiled eggs and thinly sliced cucumbers ( soak in salt water then rinse thoroughly) Auntie Jeans special trick.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 20, 2018 at 9:51 PM

      Alohaaa~ sounds like a good way to make it a full meal!

      Reply
  8. Ana says

    March 19, 2018 at 12:54 PM

    Reminds me of the kinds of “salads” we would have at birthday parties growing up in Hong Kong. My family background is Macanese, so our birthday parties had all kinds of interesting dishes. The original fusion food movement! We used Miracle whip instead of mayo, and also added diced apples along with the other ingredients, but did not mash the potatoes. Not sure if that recipe was influenced by the British style salads. Sounds kind of strange, but it was a favorite and oddly satisfying.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 20, 2018 at 9:51 PM

      Hi Ana, interesting! Never heard of those fusion salads coming out of Hong Kong, but it makes total sense!

      Reply
      • Ana says

        March 21, 2018 at 11:59 AM

        It is the cuisine of Macau. A little Portuguese, a little Chinese and some English thrown in there for good measure. Grew up eating all these great “fusion” dishes. I don’t think the phrase was quite in vogue at that time.

        Reply
      • Ana says

        March 21, 2018 at 12:04 PM

        Let me correct that. Probably applies more to the Macanese population that lived in Hong Kong. My mother was born and raised in Macau before she moved to Hong Kong to find work like so many others before her. My mixed up cultural heritage.

        You should definitely investigate Macau. Forget the casinos and go to old Macau, like a bit of Europe in Asia.

        Reply
  9. Susan Caughman says

    March 19, 2018 at 11:50 AM

    This sounds truly disgusting. I trust your judgment so the question is: what about this recipe makes it tasty? The vinegar/sugar sweet and sour?

    Reply
    • Amy says

      March 19, 2018 at 12:27 PM

      I wouldn’t knock it until you try it Susan! Sometimes the tastiest dishes don’t look that great (see: every and all hotdishes). I personally love mac salad, can’t wait to try this recipe out.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin says

        March 20, 2018 at 9:50 PM

        Truthhhhh, Amy. Truth. ;)

        Reply
    • Ti says

      March 20, 2018 at 11:40 AM

      I haven’t tried this exact recipe but I have had plenty of Mac Salad and it’s the sweetness that makes it good. You don’t taste the potato at ALL. It lends texture to the dish.

      Reply
      • Kaitlin says

        March 20, 2018 at 9:50 PM

        Agreed, Ti! :)

        Reply
  10. Chi-Sum says

    March 19, 2018 at 10:26 AM

    On course,there is no shame when it comes to a good meal..err side dishes…side meals or in your case Mt. Sides ? I distinctively remember a terrible experience I had with a macaroni salad from a KFC reststop after an eight drive. I may have been partially traumatized now that I look back on it…

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 20, 2018 at 9:49 PM

      MT. SIDES = MY MAC SALAD PHILOSOPHY. Thank you for giving it a name. ;)

      Reply
  11. Logansver Iline says

    March 19, 2018 at 1:22 AM

    Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe..
    I like this a lot..
    And I will definitely try this..
    Pasta is my favorite dish ever.

    Reply
    • Kaitlin says

      March 20, 2018 at 9:49 PM

      You’re welcome! :) Pasta’s definitely way up there for us too <3

      Reply

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