Hawaiian Macaroni Salad - Food Wishes
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Date: 2025-06-25
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Comments and reviews: 20
ph1shstyx
So a couple of things, granted there's about a million different hawaiian mac salad recipes because everyone there makes it differently. How we always did it growing up, was you grate a half a Maui onion (any sweet onion will do but it's not as good, and this gets mixed in with the onion juice. Then, instead of mixing the vinegar in with the mayo for the dressing, after you cook the macaroni past done, you strain the noodles but don't rinse them, you put them in a bowl and mix the vinegar in with the hot noodles. They'll absorb the vinegar as they cool down. The mayo has to be helmans/best foods original to be authentic, it can't be just any mayo though apparently Duke's is a good substitute. And finally, everyone I know uses garlic salt instead of regular salt.
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So a couple of things, granted there's about a million different hawaiian mac salad recipes because everyone there makes it differently. How we always did it growing up, was you grate a half a Maui onion (any sweet onion will do but it's not as good, and this gets mixed in with the onion juice. Then, instead of mixing the vinegar in with the mayo for the dressing, after you cook the macaroni past done, you strain the noodles but don't rinse them, you put them in a bowl and mix the vinegar in with the hot noodles. They'll absorb the vinegar as they cool down. The mayo has to be helmans/best foods original to be authentic, it can't be just any mayo though apparently Duke's is a good substitute. And finally, everyone I know uses garlic salt instead of regular salt.
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TotallyTurnip
So what makes this Hawaiian-style macaroni salad Macaroni salad is one of my favorite foods no matter where it's from.
As much as I've been to Hawaii twice (Oahu Island for a week in 2001 with parents and older brother before brother graduated high school; then the Big Island for nearly a month by myself in 2007 in order to meet an email pen pal from there, my food wish is for Mr. Mitzewich to attempt in making other Hawaiian classic laulau, specially if one's unable to obtain or afford ti leaves or banana leaves (not that I'm saying I personally have this problem.
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So what makes this Hawaiian-style macaroni salad Macaroni salad is one of my favorite foods no matter where it's from.
As much as I've been to Hawaii twice (Oahu Island for a week in 2001 with parents and older brother before brother graduated high school; then the Big Island for nearly a month by myself in 2007 in order to meet an email pen pal from there, my food wish is for Mr. Mitzewich to attempt in making other Hawaiian classic laulau, specially if one's unable to obtain or afford ti leaves or banana leaves (not that I'm saying I personally have this problem.
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KitKat-8785
Most plate lunch places don’t have crunchy mac salad. Instead of chopping, grate onion and celery. No sugar, and often no vinegar. Other add ins could be diced cooked potato, chopped egg, peas, canned tuna, artificial crabmeat. If you’re used to a tart salad, this will be bland for you because it’s usually served with highly seasoned meat.
To cut back on the mayo and calories, blend ingredients, and salt and pepper everything except the mayo and refrigerate. Before serving, add the mayo. Mayo dries out and this way you don’t have to add extra before serving.
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Most plate lunch places don’t have crunchy mac salad. Instead of chopping, grate onion and celery. No sugar, and often no vinegar. Other add ins could be diced cooked potato, chopped egg, peas, canned tuna, artificial crabmeat. If you’re used to a tart salad, this will be bland for you because it’s usually served with highly seasoned meat.
To cut back on the mayo and calories, blend ingredients, and salt and pepper everything except the mayo and refrigerate. Before serving, add the mayo. Mayo dries out and this way you don’t have to add extra before serving.
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riggitywrckd4325
So you don't really need to wash the pasta at the end in fact on the test kitchen version of this they claim you should over cook your noodles, but they can just cool and instead of rinsing them you can just douse the noodles with the apple cider vinegar after the noodles sat cooling for about 10min. I personally like al dente noodles so i just pull them at the normal time and let them sit without a rinse. You do you though: ) if you feel like giving them a spritz do it hehe
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So you don't really need to wash the pasta at the end in fact on the test kitchen version of this they claim you should over cook your noodles, but they can just cool and instead of rinsing them you can just douse the noodles with the apple cider vinegar after the noodles sat cooling for about 10min. I personally like al dente noodles so i just pull them at the normal time and let them sit without a rinse. You do you though: ) if you feel like giving them a spritz do it hehe
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Apollo-Mason
Looks pretty good! Usually i see the macaroni noodles are the bigger kind, and green onions are often used too. Other versions ive had have used paprika, and/or a bit of curry powder. I'm Hawaiian but i was born in Washington. I've been living here for about 2 months now and have been to Hawaii around 14 times so far in my life.
Mac salad is good! I like your version, I've never made it myself but if i did i would add green onions and a bit of curry powder. Just a touch
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Looks pretty good! Usually i see the macaroni noodles are the bigger kind, and green onions are often used too. Other versions ive had have used paprika, and/or a bit of curry powder. I'm Hawaiian but i was born in Washington. I've been living here for about 2 months now and have been to Hawaii around 14 times so far in my life.
Mac salad is good! I like your version, I've never made it myself but if i did i would add green onions and a bit of curry powder. Just a touch
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AmyBeougher
Born & raised in Hawaii. I did not hear the two most important things about making a Hawaiian style Mac salad. #1 The mayo has to be Best Foods or Hellman's brand. Absolutely no substitutes allowed.
#2 When cooking the macaroni, we always cook it longer than the package directions, until the macaroni is tender. We do not use it if it's al dente'.
There are other variants, but these two are of utmost importance.
Mahalo for selecting this recipe to be featured!
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Born & raised in Hawaii. I did not hear the two most important things about making a Hawaiian style Mac salad. #1 The mayo has to be Best Foods or Hellman's brand. Absolutely no substitutes allowed.
#2 When cooking the macaroni, we always cook it longer than the package directions, until the macaroni is tender. We do not use it if it's al dente'.
There are other variants, but these two are of utmost importance.
Mahalo for selecting this recipe to be featured!
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benvaughn2367
This recipe is 100% 808 approved. Just the fact that the final shot of the Mac salad is served along with white rice and Kalua pig. Even better though is Chicken Katsu, extra Mac salad, my favorite Zippy's order when I'm drunk as hell and it's 4: 30 in the morning. Gonna need Chef John to do a video on Chicken Katsu, minus the Katsu sauce recipe. Bulldog is the katsu sauce equivalent of Hidden Valley ranch dressing. Don't mess with perfection.
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This recipe is 100% 808 approved. Just the fact that the final shot of the Mac salad is served along with white rice and Kalua pig. Even better though is Chicken Katsu, extra Mac salad, my favorite Zippy's order when I'm drunk as hell and it's 4: 30 in the morning. Gonna need Chef John to do a video on Chicken Katsu, minus the Katsu sauce recipe. Bulldog is the katsu sauce equivalent of Hidden Valley ranch dressing. Don't mess with perfection.
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foodwishes
My mom made this and did call it Hawaiian. She made it, without onions, for my sister who was a very fussy eater as a child. But the rest of the family all felt it was too gloopy and tasted only of mayo. My mom served it with bowls of chopped red onion, diced celery, chopped green pepper, and tuna, so we could add these in as we liked. But we never like it and it disappeared from our table soon enough.
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My mom made this and did call it Hawaiian. She made it, without onions, for my sister who was a very fussy eater as a child. But the rest of the family all felt it was too gloopy and tasted only of mayo. My mom served it with bowls of chopped red onion, diced celery, chopped green pepper, and tuna, so we could add these in as we liked. But we never like it and it disappeared from our table soon enough.
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gregorykelley5555
I should have had a bit more patience. I made Hawaiian mac salad just last week, along with 5 lbs kalua pork (Chef John's technique, which is quite authentic to the real thing. I was disappointed that the salad wasn't Island style. It was creamy when I dressed it but super dry next day. Please note his carrot grating technique. Mine were too big and contributed to meh mac salad.
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I should have had a bit more patience. I made Hawaiian mac salad just last week, along with 5 lbs kalua pork (Chef John's technique, which is quite authentic to the real thing. I was disappointed that the salad wasn't Island style. It was creamy when I dressed it but super dry next day. Please note his carrot grating technique. Mine were too big and contributed to meh mac salad.
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koretechx1
We had a Hawaiian family owned restaurant in town for a really long time. Sadly, they couldn't survive the lockdown and they moved back to Hawaii. They had a potato macaroni salad with chunks of white tuna in it that was out of this world! Everything they made was family recipes and delicious. I was a huge fan of their Huli Huli chicken, Kalua pork and Coconut shrimp.
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We had a Hawaiian family owned restaurant in town for a really long time. Sadly, they couldn't survive the lockdown and they moved back to Hawaii. They had a potato macaroni salad with chunks of white tuna in it that was out of this world! Everything they made was family recipes and delicious. I was a huge fan of their Huli Huli chicken, Kalua pork and Coconut shrimp.
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foodwishes
Really love this salad. Always use Best Foods/ Helmans mayo. I also sprinkle the apple cider vinegar on the hot macaroni then spread out on a cookie sheet to cool. Red onion is usually used, but a sweet (Vidalia or Maui) is great, too. Before serving if it's too thick, I'll use a mayo and milk blend to loosen. Don't forget the sugar! It balances the vinegar.
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Really love this salad. Always use Best Foods/ Helmans mayo. I also sprinkle the apple cider vinegar on the hot macaroni then spread out on a cookie sheet to cool. Red onion is usually used, but a sweet (Vidalia or Maui) is great, too. Before serving if it's too thick, I'll use a mayo and milk blend to loosen. Don't forget the sugar! It balances the vinegar.
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foodwishes
I'm delighted to learn that I've been accidentally making Hawaiian Mac Salad by using Chef John's other mac salad recipe and leaving out the mustard and diced peppers, which I don't care for, and increasing the shredded carrots! I also rinse the pasta, like in this recipe, because I keep forgetting that the other recipe says not to rinse the pasta.
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I'm delighted to learn that I've been accidentally making Hawaiian Mac Salad by using Chef John's other mac salad recipe and leaving out the mustard and diced peppers, which I don't care for, and increasing the shredded carrots! I also rinse the pasta, like in this recipe, because I keep forgetting that the other recipe says not to rinse the pasta.
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ozzietadziu
When I first saw this recipe I thought, Hell, this can't be any good. There's nothing in it.
But since I trust and love you like a brother, (Actually my brother was a jerk) I'll try it once. This coming weekend I'm visiting people in Pennsylvania that I don't like very much, so I'll take it along. If it's lousy, I'll be avenged.
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When I first saw this recipe I thought, Hell, this can't be any good. There's nothing in it.
But since I trust and love you like a brother, (Actually my brother was a jerk) I'll try it once. This coming weekend I'm visiting people in Pennsylvania that I don't like very much, so I'll take it along. If it's lousy, I'll be avenged.
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Mandybeme
I find this incredibly interesting. I am from Pennsylvania and my grandma taught me to cook. She notoriously cooked Pennsylvania Dutch food and this is almost exactly how she would have made my childhood favorite macaroni salad. The big difference would be she always added eggs and mustard, too. I love it!
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I find this incredibly interesting. I am from Pennsylvania and my grandma taught me to cook. She notoriously cooked Pennsylvania Dutch food and this is almost exactly how she would have made my childhood favorite macaroni salad. The big difference would be she always added eggs and mustard, too. I love it!
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davidcarbone3385
Fancy smancy, The simple pleasures are best. LOVE a good, simple mac salad. J/w, could I add some pickle juice instead of water the 2nd day and top it with diced pickle Oh, I'm pretty sure Chef John in part got that red onion bath from me when I returned from South America 3 years ago, ijs lol
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Fancy smancy, The simple pleasures are best. LOVE a good, simple mac salad. J/w, could I add some pickle juice instead of water the 2nd day and top it with diced pickle Oh, I'm pretty sure Chef John in part got that red onion bath from me when I returned from South America 3 years ago, ijs lol
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wayne00k
This looks delicious. have you tried with minced ham (spam) and small diced pineapple
I put one together last Independence Day (but used vegan ham substitute and seasoned silken tofu for the mayo)- and not only was invited back this year but I was asked to bring the salad again also!
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This looks delicious. have you tried with minced ham (spam) and small diced pineapple
I put one together last Independence Day (but used vegan ham substitute and seasoned silken tofu for the mayo)- and not only was invited back this year but I was asked to bring the salad again also!
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jeffm68
Thank God you didn't put any pineapple in it. I was stationed on Oahu for three years and by the time I rotated out I thoroughly despised pineapple. Just because it's the only crop that will grow there doesn't mean you have to put it on FREAKING EVERYTHING.
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Thank God you didn't put any pineapple in it. I was stationed on Oahu for three years and by the time I rotated out I thoroughly despised pineapple. Just because it's the only crop that will grow there doesn't mean you have to put it on FREAKING EVERYTHING.
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StashHouse56
The best Mac salad ever! It’s amazing with chili. Btw we actually cook the macaroni a little over the cooking time by about 2 min. This helps the macaroni absorb more of the mayo mix. We put a lot of mayo. Leaving it in the fridge is a must.
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The best Mac salad ever! It’s amazing with chili. Btw we actually cook the macaroni a little over the cooking time by about 2 min. This helps the macaroni absorb more of the mayo mix. We put a lot of mayo. Leaving it in the fridge is a must.
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jeffhaddox2239
I’ve always found Hawaiian Mac Salad to bland. My Fathers aunt made it using Sandwich Spread and my wife continues that tradition. This last Christmas I had a very hard time finding Sandwich Spread, as nobody puts it on sandwiches anymore
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I’ve always found Hawaiian Mac Salad to bland. My Fathers aunt made it using Sandwich Spread and my wife continues that tradition. This last Christmas I had a very hard time finding Sandwich Spread, as nobody puts it on sandwiches anymore
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haydem0823
While his anti-pasto pasta salad is my favorite, chef j’s pasta salads always taste good. He said this one is simple and basic, and he showed us how to make an inexpensive and easy dish that will be serviceable and tasty at any summer bbq.
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While his anti-pasto pasta salad is my favorite, chef j’s pasta salads always taste good. He said this one is simple and basic, and he showed us how to make an inexpensive and easy dish that will be serviceable and tasty at any summer bbq.
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