L&L Hawaiian's Macaroni Salad Recipe: Experience a Taste of Hawaii

While it is true that complex recipes with lots of ingredients might be more satisfying to make, we all need a simple and easy recipe to turn to every now and then. L&L Hawaiian’s macaroni salad recipe is just that.

A creamy texture, tender pasta, and delicious vegetables all come together in this one. L&L Hawaiian’s macaroni salad recipe is famous for a reason, and it just might be the epitome of comfort food. If you want to change the recipe, we’ve got you covered with different variations. Let’s take a look.

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• Substitutions
• Variations
• Equipment
• Storage
• Pro Tips
• L&L Hawaiian's Macaroni Salad Recipe
• Comments

Ingredients

• Elbow macaroni — ½ pound
• Mayonnaise — 1 cup
• Salt — 2 tsp.
• Black pepper — ½ tsp.
• Onion — ½ cup, minced
• Carrot — ½ cup, shredded
• Water — as needed
• Cold water — as needed

Instructions

1. Fill a large pot with enough water to cover the macaroni.

2. Add some salt and bring to a boil.

3. Add the macaroni. Cook until tender and soft.

4. Drain and rinse under cold water.

5. Combine the mayonnaise, onion, carrot, and pepper in a mixing bowl.

6. Chill for an hour or two.

7. Combine the vegetable mixture with the macaroni. Toss to coat.

Substitutions

• Mayonnaise — While it is definitely best to use real mayonnaise, L&L Hawaiian’s macaroni salad recipe can be definitely done with an alternative ingredient. While sour cream would be the obvious and the ideal replacement, Greek yogurt would be a lighter substitute for mayo. Pesto could work if you are a fan of the nutty flavor, and if you’d like to experiment with the recipe, you might also want to consider using avocado.

• Carrot — Carrot is a traditional ingredient in most recipes, and that also includes L&L Hawaiian’s mac salad recipe. If you happen to be short on this one, feel free to go with parsnips instead.

• Onion — If you do not like onions in your food, you can always use scallions or celery. And chives aren’t bad either.

Variations

• Meaty — As good as L&L Hawaiian’s macaroni salad recipe is, some might find it lacking. The recipe is definitely vegetarian, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’d like to have a salad with some meat, you can get away with adding some chicken to the mix, or turkey or pork.

• Sweet and savory — If the original recipe seems too basic for you, you can always improve the taste by adding various condiments. Why not try apple cider vinegar, white vinegar, or balsamic vinegar? If you’d like to sweeten things up, you can always add some sugar or honey to the mix.

• Cheesy — Who wouldn’t like to have their mac salad with some shredded or grated cheese? Parmesan cheese and cheddar cheese are always great options.

Equipment

• Measuring cups and spoons

• Large pot

• Mixing bowl

Storage

• Transfer any leftovers into an airtight container. Store it in your fridge, where it will last for four days.

• Make sure to throw out the leftovers immediately if you notice any strange looks or odors.

Pro Tips

• Chill the ingredients — Chilling the ingredient mixture is crucial. While if you are short on time, you can get away with one or two hours of chilling. But, the true power of L&L Hawaiian’s macaroni salad recipe lies in chilling the mixture overnight.

• Don’t skip on salt — The macaroni is, at the end of the day, the heart of this recipe so you’d want to make sure that it is done right. Although some might just skip the part where it is advised to salt the pasta water, we’d recommend sticking to it. This will improve your macaroni in a big way.