Food World Cuisines North American Cuisines Hawaiian Cuisine Mac Salad 5.0 (2) 2 Reviews Creamy and velvety, this macaroni salad is a staple side dish of the Hawaiian plate lunch. By Sheldon Simeon Sheldon Simeon Born in Hilo, on the Big Island, Sheldon attended Maui Culinary Academy in Hawaii and was a finalist on Bravo's Top Chef season 10 in Seattle, winning Fan Favorite. His first solo restaurant, Tin Roof, in Kahului, Maui, serves local dishes like poke, kau kau tins, sandwiches, and noodles in takeout bowls. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on May 19, 2026 Save Rate PRINT Share Close Credit: Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 2 hrs 40 mins Servings: 6 to 8 Jump to recipe This classic Hawaiian macaroni salad delivers a rich, ultra-creamy texture with a high ratio of mayonnaise to pasta and potatoes.Overcooked macaroni gives it that signature soft texture and helps the dressing fully soak in.Potatoes, eggs, and carrots keep it simple but add just enough texture and color. Second only to two scoops rice, mayo-rich mac salad is a cornerstone of Hawaiian cuisine. No proper plate lunch is without it: it’s a creamy and comforting side at diners, potlucks, lunch wagons, drive-ins, and picnics. What makes a dish that is so elemental — it’s literally 90% mayo and starch — so craveable? Some believe the origins of mac salad in Hawai‘i came from European potato salad, which classically trained chefs cooked for the wealthy haole families who ran the plantations. Local workers then added cheaper dried macaroni to the potatoes. Much like a mouthful of rice, the soothing blandness of mac salad helps break up a meal, contrasting with a saucy main dish like adobo or beef stew. I guess if you’re not from Hawai‘i, you either love it or hate it, depending on how you feel about mayo. But I’ve also seen supposed mayo haters converted, too, so who really knows. Here's the Difference Between Hawai'i's Local Food and Hawaiian Food, Plus How Spam Fits Into All of It Keys to a good mac salad There are many recipes for mac salad out there, but I believe this one, which I serve at Tin Roof (and which you can also find in my cookbook, Cook Real Hawai‘i), is the peak of the form. Some people like to add peas, ham, tuna, celery, imitation crab, things like that, but I don’t mess — simplicity is king. I do add potatoes and boiled eggs because I feel they complement the macaroni without being too distracting. Grated carrots are for a touch of color. What I can’t stress enough is that you must overcook the macaroni until the noodles are fat and soft, definitely not al dente. It seems crazy when you do it, but it’s what helps the pasta soak up the mayo and become super flavorful. For mayonnaise, it’s got to be Best Foods (sold as Hellmann’s east of the Rockies). No dispute on that. About the finished salad The first time you make mac salad, the almost 2-to-1 ratio of mayo to starch also seems crazy, but just like when you make chicken or egg salad, the two ingredients become one homogeneous thing as they sit in the fridge. Done right, mac salad should be so creamy and lush that you have to take a drink of water after a few bites! As a cherry on top, I like to serve chilled mac salad over a bed of shredded iceberg, which is often done at local diners. To me, it adds a touch of class — and some welcome crunchy freshness. — Sheldon Simeon Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen Don’t skip the salt when boiling the noodles and potatoes. With so few ingredients, this salad depends on the starch being pre-seasoned.Be sure to fully drain the potatoes before folding them in — excess moisture will dilute the mayonnaise dressing. Let them cool a bit before moving on to Step 3.Take care not to overmix the salad. Some breakdown of the ingredients is desirable for a creamy, cohesive texture, but too much stirring will turn the salad to mush.Mac salad is best served cold, so allow plenty of time after mixing for it to chill in the fridge. Keep Screen Awake Ingredients 1/2x 1x 2x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. This recipe was developed at its original yield. Ingredient amounts are automatically adjusted, but cooking times and steps remain unchanged. Note that not all recipes scale perfectly. Original recipe (1X) yields 6 to 8 servings 8 cups water 8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni 3 tablespoons kosher salt, divided 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes 2 cups mayonnaise 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and roughly chopped 1 medium carrot, shredded the on large holes of a box grater (about 1/2 cup) 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt 1 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for serving Directions Bring 8 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high. Stir in macaroni and 2 tablespoons kosher salt. Cook until noodles are very tender but not breaking apart, about 2 minutes longer than package instructions. Drain macaroni in a colander and rinse under cold water. Set colander over a large bowl; cover and let drain in refrigerator at least 2 hours. Combine potatoes and remaining 1 tablespoon kosher salt in a medium saucepan; add cold water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and set aside. Stir together mayonnaise, eggs, carrot, garlic salt, and pepper in a large bowl; fold in potatoes and macaroni. Chill until ready to serve. Serve with additional pepper. Make ahead Mac salad can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to one day. Cook this recipe and more in the MyRecipes app. Get the App Save Rate Print Loading shell for RecipesUgcThreaded1 Vue component in Globe.