Hawaiian Macaroni Salad with Pineapple and Macadamia Nuts

This Hawaiian macaroni salad is the soft, extra creamy kind you get on a plate lunch, with pineapple tidbits for sweetness and chopped macadamia nuts for crunch. It makes 8 servings and goes straight from the fridge to the cookout table.

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If your mac salad has ever looked great at noon and turned dry and stiff by the time you served it, this recipe fixes that with one simple move: the dressing goes in twice.

What you need for Hawaiian macaroni salad

• 1 lb elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 cups mayonnaise, divided
• 3/4 cup whole milk, divided
• 1 can (20 oz) pineapple tidbits, well drained, 2 tbsp juice saved
• 2 tsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 2 carrots, finely grated
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts, roughly chopped

Why the dressing goes in two rounds

Warm, freshly cooked pasta keeps drinking up liquid as it sits. That is why so many macaroni salads go from creamy to pasty overnight. Here, the first 1 1/4 cups of mayonnaise and 1/2 cup of milk soak into the noodles during the 2 hour chill and season them all the way through.

The remaining 3/4 cup of mayonnaise and 1/4 cup of milk go in right before serving. That second round gives you the loose, glossy, very creamy texture plate lunch mac salad is known for.

How to make it

• Cook the macaroni a couple of minutes past al dente so it is soft, then drain.
• Toss the drained macaroni with the vinegar and let it cool 10 minutes.
• Whisk 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise with 1/2 cup milk, the saved pineapple juice, sugar, salt and pepper and fold it in with the carrot and green onion.
• Chill 2 hours, then stir in the remaining mayonnaise and milk until very creamy.
• Fold in the pineapple and most of the macadamia nuts and scatter the rest on top.

For a heartier take with savory ham and a pineapple juice dressing, try our pineapple ham macaroni salad .

Small moves that make a softer, creamier salad

Cook the elbows past al dente

For most pasta salads you want a little bite. For this one you do not. Cook the macaroni a couple of minutes longer than the package says for al dente so it is fully soft. Soft noodles take on more dressing and give you that tender, almost melting texture.

Use the vinegar while the pasta is warm

Tossing the drained macaroni with apple cider vinegar while it is still hot lets the pasta absorb the tang. After 10 minutes of cooling, the noodles are seasoned from the inside and still warm enough that the first round of dressing clings well.

Keep the pineapple bright and the nuts crunchy

The pineapple and macadamia nuts go in last for a reason. If the fruit sits in the dressing for hours, it weeps juice and thins everything out. The nuts soften the same way. Adding both at the end keeps the pineapple sweet and the macadamias crisp.

Drain the pineapple tidbits well. Tip them into a strainer and let them sit a few minutes while you work, and save those 2 tablespoons of juice for the dressing before the rest goes down the drain.

Swaps if you need them

Macadamias give a buttery crunch that suits the Hawaiian flavors, but they can be pricey. Chopped cashews are the closest swap. For a nut free bowl, leave them out; the salad still works with just the pineapple, carrot and green onion.

Serving it at a cookout and keeping leftovers

Serve this macaroni salad cold, next to grilled chicken, teriyaki beef, kalua style pork or burgers. On a plate lunch it sits beside a scoop of white rice and whatever is coming off the grill. Keep the bowl in the fridge until right before serving, and on a hot day set it over a tray of ice.

Leftovers keep covered in the fridge for 3 to 4 days. The pasta soaks up more dressing as it sits, so stir in a splash of milk or a spoonful of mayonnaise to loosen it again. This salad is served cold, so there is nothing to reheat. Do not freeze it; mayonnaise dressings separate when thawed.

Building a whole spread of cold salads? Our sweet and tangy Amish macaroni salad is another potluck favorite, a creamy chicken macaroni salad turns the idea into a main dish, and a bowl of creamy dill cucumber salad adds something cool and crisp to the table.

Hawaiian macaroni salad questions

Can I make it the day before?

Yes. Make it through step 3 and let it chill overnight instead of 2 hours. The next day, stir in the remaining mayonnaise and milk, then add the pineapple and macadamia nuts just before serving.

Why does my macaroni salad taste bland after chilling?

Cold dulls salt and tang, and the pasta absorbs much of the first dressing. Taste after the final stir and adjust with a pinch more salt or pepper if needed. The vinegar step at the start also helps a lot with flavor.

Can I use fresh pineapple?

The recipe is built on canned tidbits and their juice. Fresh pineapple cut into small pieces works for the fruit, but you will not have the canned juice for the dressing, so the dressing will be a little less sweet.

Can I swap the elbows for another pasta shape?

Elbows are the classic plate lunch shape, and their hollow centers hold the dressing well. Other short shapes will work if cooked soft the same way, though the texture and the amount of dressing they take up may change slightly.

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Written and edited by The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team

The Foodie Yummy Kitchen Team writes and edits the recipes on Foodie Yummy: classic American potluck salads, holiday sides and easy comfort food, with a few low-carb options. Every recipe lists exact quantities, numbered steps and a printable recipe card, plus notes on swaps, storage and make-ahead timing. Spot a problem with a recipe? Tell us through the contact page and we will correct it. About us