Description
Hawaiian macaroni salad is a creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet side dish made with simple ingredients like mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and fresh carrots, perfect for summer cookouts.
Ingredients
1/3 cup finely diced red onion (optional)
2 2/3 cups mayonnaise, plus more as needed
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 small carrots, peeled and grated
1 pound elbow macaroni
Instructions
- If using red onion, place the diced onion in a bowl with enough cold water to cover it. Let it soak for about 20 minutes, then drain the onion well.
- While the onion is soaking, mix the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper together in a large bowl.
- Once the onion is drained, stir it into the mayonnaise mixture. Add the grated carrots and stir to combine.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and cook the elbow macaroni until tender but still firm (about 5 minutes, or according to package directions).
- Drain the macaroni and rinse it with cold water until it cools down to room temperature, about 30 seconds. Let it drain for about 20 seconds more.
- Add the macaroni to the dressing and mix everything well. Make sure the dressing coats the pasta evenly.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface of the salad to prevent it from drying out. Refrigerate the salad for at least 3 hours or overnight for best results.
- Before serving, stir the salad and adjust the texture by adding more mayonnaise and/or a little water if necessary. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.
Notes
- If you don’t like red onion, try substituting it with scallions for a milder flavor.
- Feel free to experiment with different veggies like celery, peas, or bell peppers for added texture and color.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling, Mixing
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
