This Hawaiian Mac Salad is creamy, tangy, and totally delicious. It's made with mayo, sweet pickle relish, a splash of pickle juice, carrots, and sweet onions. Make this easy side dish once, and it’ll quickly become a go-to favorite for barbecues and potlucks!
Traditional Hawaiian Mac Salad is the ultimate side dish for any summer cookout, thanks to its creamy texture, and authentic island flavor. Plus, it's a no brainer if you find yourself cooking for a crowd. Seriously, I recently made a huge batch of this pasta salad for about 500 people. It’s not only a crowd pleaser, but it's budget-friendly, too. We served this with our smoked Kalua pork, and let's just say, no one was complaining!
What's in This Blog Post?
Ingredients Needed
- Elbow Macaroni: The traditional choice of pasta, as it is a "mac" salad. If you don't have any macaroni on hand, you can easily substitute with similar shapes of pasta like cavatappi, shells, or rotini.
- Mayo: Opt for a plain mayo rather than miracle whip, as the there is already a tangy zip from the pickle juice. We recommend Best Foods and Hellmann's. Kewpie (Japanese) mayo is also a great choice.
- Grated Carrots: Shred or grate your carrots for added color and texture.
- Pickle Relish and Pickle Juice: Sweet pickles are what give this pasta salad its signature tang. If needed, you can easily substitute with apple cider vinegar, white wine vinegar, or rice vinegar.
- Sweet Yellow Onion: We use a grated yellow onion for added texture and flavor. You can substitute with a white onion if that's all you have on hand.
- Green Onion: I like to garnish with finely sliced green onion. It adds a pop of color and slight bite. I highly recommend!
How to Make Hawaiian Mac Salad
- Boil Pasta: Boil macaroni in heavily salted water for 10 minutes.
- Drain: Drain pasta and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Add Ingredients: Add warm pasta to a large bowl, and fold in all other ingredients. You will want to add the mayo first. Because the pasta is still warm, it melts a little bit and nicely coats the pasta.
- Let it Chill: Once the ingredients have been combined, let the pasta salad chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight. The pasta will absorb all of that great flavor, and makes it even better the next day.
Tips and Tricks for Success
- Cook the pasta softer than usual. Traditional Hawaiian mac salad calls for macaroni that’s cooked past al dente so it’s tender and absorbs the dressing.
- Let it cool just slightly. Mixing the macaroni while it’s still a little warm helps it soak up flavor without turning mushy.
- Use the right mayo. Best Foods or Hellmann’s are the go-to choices for that classic, creamy taste.
- Balance the tang. Start with a little pickle juice and add more to taste—you want zing, not overwhelm.
- Give it time to chill. A few hours in the fridge (or overnight) lets the flavors meld and makes the salad even better.
- Taste before serving. The pasta absorbs seasoning as it sits, so a final pinch of salt and pepper can make a big difference.
- Finish with a garnish. I like to garnish the mac salad with sliced green onion for color and that perfect crunch that balances out the soft pasta noodles.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. After cooking, the macaroni is drained and cools down for about 10 minutes. This keeps the mayo from completely melting, although you want your pasta to be just a bit warm to make it extra creamy.
Best Foods or Hellmann’s mayonnaise are most commonly used for authentic Hawaiian Mac Salad. They’re the go-to brands that provide a quality, neutral flavor that doesn't compete with the other ingredients' flavors.
We recommend chilling for at least a few hours, but preferably overnight. The chill time helps the flavors meld and allows for the soft texture to settle in.
Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dry elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoons grated yellow sweet onion
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise Best Foods or Hellmann's
- 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice
- ¼ cup grated carrot
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Boil 8 ounces dry elbow macaroni in heavily salted water for 10 minutes, or until al dente.
- Drain pasta and let it cool for 10 minutes.
- Add warm pasta to a large bowl and add the 1 ½ cups mayonnaise. Stir until the pasta is coated and the mayo is warm and slightly melted.
- Fold in the rest of the ingredients: 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, 2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice, ¼ cup grated carrot, 2 tablespoons grated yellow sweet onion , ¼ teaspoon paprika, ½ teaspoon sea salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.
- Let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Video
Notes
- Make sure to let your pasta sit for 10 minutes after draining to cool down before adding the rest of your ingredients. You don't want hot pasta, but you do want it to be warm.
- Best Foods or Hellmann’s mayonnaise are most commonly used for authentic Hawaiian Mac Salad. They’re the go-to brands that provide a quality, neutral flavor that doesn't compete with the other ingredients' flavors.
- We recommend chilling for at least a few hours, but preferably overnight. The chill time helps the flavors meld and allows for the soft texture to settle in.
