Hawaiian Mac Salad
Few local-style Hawaiian dishes are more iconic than mac salad! My Mom (born and raised in Honolulu) makes the best Hawaiian Macaroni Salad this side of the Pacific. Her easy recipe folds perfectly cooked pasta into a creamy mayonnaise dressing with grated carrot and fragrant spices – an ideal side dish for a classic plate lunch, summer cookouts, potlucks, and so much more. Simple, perfect comfort food, guaranteed to broke da mouth! 😁🌺🤙🏼 Naturally vegetarian and dairy-free, easily gluten-free and vegan.
Ingredients
Scaled from 4 servings
- 8 ounces dry elbow macaroni or short pasta of choice
- 1 medium carrot, peeled as desired and grated
- 1 cup Hellman’s Real Mayonnaise (also known as Best Foods Real Mayonnaise in Hawaii and on the West Coast)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- optional: up to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
Instructions
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Boil the macaroni
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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, generously salt the water. Add in the pasta and cook to al dente, according to package directions. Drain the pasta, rinsing with cold water, and set aside.
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Assemble the macaroni salad
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Add cooled elbows to a large mixing bowl with the grated carrot, mayonnaise, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, turmeric, and cayenne (if using). Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper, as desired. Stir to combine, seasoning with additional spices and/or salt as needed.
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Serve immediately
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, garnished with finely sliced green onions or chives as desired. In Hawaii, mac salad is often served plate lunch-style, alongside rice with local favorites like shoyu chicken, kalua pig, teriyaki beef, kalbi, etc. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Per serving
| Calories | 399 |
|---|---|
| Fat | 28.1 |
| Saturated fat | 4.4 |
| Trans fat | 0.1 |
| Cholesterol | 15.4 |
| Sodium | 346 |
| Carbohydrates | 30.8 |
| Fiber | 1.7 |
| Sugar | 2.4 |
| Protein | 5.5 |