Description
Creamy Hawaiian macaroni salad brings island-style comfort to your table. Tangy mayo, sweet onions, and tender pasta create a classic side dish that connects Pacific culinary traditions with simple, satisfying flavors you’ll crave.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
- 2 1/2 tablespoons (35 grams) canned tuna, drained
Vegetables:
- 1 small carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 celery stalk, trimmed and diced
- 2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
Dressing and Seasonings:
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil macaroni in salted water for 7-8 minutes until soft but not mushy. Drain pasta completely and let cool to room temperature.
- Whisk mayonnaise with apple cider vinegar in a mixing bowl, creating a smooth and tangy base dressing.
- Finely dice carrots, celery, and red onion into uniform small pieces to ensure consistent texture throughout the salad.
- Gently fold cooled pasta into the prepared mayonnaise mixture, ensuring each pasta piece is evenly coated with the creamy dressing.
- Add canned tuna and mix carefully to distribute protein throughout the salad without breaking pasta strands.
- Season the entire mixture with salt and pepper, tasting and adjusting flavors as needed for balanced seasoning.
- Cover the salad and refrigerate for minimum one hour, allowing ingredients to meld and flavors to develop fully.
- Before serving, give the salad a quick stir and do a final taste test, adjusting seasoning if required. Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish.
Notes
- Pasta Perfection: Overcooking macaroni can lead to a mushy salad, so aim for al dente texture by testing the pasta a minute before the recommended cooking time.
- Creamy Consistency: For an extra rich and tangy dressing, swap half the mayonnaise with sour cream or Greek yogurt to add depth and slight tanginess.
- Veggie Variations: Experiment with additional vegetables like diced bell peppers, shredded cucumber, or green onions to boost nutrition and add exciting crunch.
- Make-Ahead Magic: This salad tastes even better after sitting overnight, allowing flavors to fully develop and ingredients to absorb the dressing completely.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: Hawaiian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 27 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 20 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 10 mg