Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is a creamy pasta salad made with tender elbow macaroni, grated carrots, onion, and a simple mayonnaise dressing with apple cider vinegar. This classic side dish is chilled for several hours before serving, making it perfect for cookouts, potlucks, and summer dinners.
This is one of those simple pasta salads that gets even better after it has time to chill. I like making it earlier in the day or the night before so it’s cold, creamy, and ready to serve when dinner is.
Why I Love Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
About the Ingredients ⭐
- Elbow Macaroni: The classic pasta for Hawaiian macaroni salad. Cook it until very soft rather than al dente so it absorbs the vinegar and creamy dressing.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Tossed with the warm macaroni to add tang and flavor before the dressing is added.
- Carrots: Grated carrots add a little sweetness, texture, and color.
- Onion: Finely grated onion blends into the salad and adds flavor without large pieces of raw onion.
- Mayonnaise: Makes the dressing rich and creamy. Best Foods or Hellmann’s works especially well for this recipe.
- Whole Milk: Thins the mayonnaise and gives the dressing its creamy consistency.
- Sugar: Just a teaspoon balances the tanginess of the vinegar.
- Salt & Pepper: Season to taste after everything is combined.
- Green Onions: Optional, but they add a fresh finish and a little extra color when serving.
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below
How to Make Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
- Cook the Macaroni: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the elbow macaroni
- according to package instructions until it is very soft, not al dente. Drain well and return
- to the pot.
- Season the Warm Macaroni: While the macaroni is still warm, sprinkle it with apple
cider vinegar. Toss to combine and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, sugar,
salt, and pepper until smooth and well blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning as
needed. - Combine Ingredients: Add the grated carrots and grated onion to the cooled macaroni.
Pour the dressing over the macaroni mixture and stir until everything is well coated and
combined.
Tips I Found Helpful 💙
- Cook the macaroni until very soft: Don’t stop at al dente. The softer pasta gives Hawaiian macaroni salad its classic texture and absorbs the dressing better.
- Add the vinegar while the pasta is warm: Tossing the warm macaroni with apple cider vinegar helps it soak up the tangy flavor.
- Grate the onion finely: Finely grated onion blends into the creamy dressing without leaving large pieces of raw onion.
- Give it plenty of time to chill: Refrigerate the salad for several hours before serving so the flavors come together and the dressing thickens.
- Stir before serving: The macaroni will absorb some of the dressing as it chills, so give everything a good stir before serving. 💙
Frequently Asked Questions
More Salad Recipes I Love
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe
Yield:
8
Prep Time:
15 minutes
Cook Time:
10 minutes
Additional Time:
4 hours
Total Time:
4 hours 25 minutes
Creamy Hawaiian Macaroni Salad made with tender macaroni, carrots, onion, and a simple homemade dressing.
4.5 Stars (2 Reviews)
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 carrots, peeled and grated
- 1/4 cup finely grated onion
- 2 1/2 cups mayonnaise (preferably Best Foods or Hellmann's)
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Green onions (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook the Macaroni: In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the elbow macaroni according to package instructions until it is very soft, not al dente. Drain well and return to the pot.
- Season the Warm Macaroni: While the macaroni is still warm, sprinkle it with the apple cider vinegar. Toss to combine and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
- Prepare the Dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, milk, sugar, salt, and pepper until smooth and well blended. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Combine Ingredients: Add the grated carrots and grated onion to the cooled macaroni. Pour the dressing over the macaroni mixture and stir until everything is well coated and combined.
- Chill: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. This allows the flavors to meld and the salad to thicken.
- Serve: Before serving, stir the salad once more and adjust seasonings if necessary. Garnish with sliced green onions if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
Cook the macaroni until very soft, not al dente, and add the apple cider vinegar while the pasta is still warm. Chill for at least 4 hours or overnight, then stir well before serving. If the salad thickens too much, stir in a small amount of milk or mayonnaise until creamy.
