Hawaiian Inspired Macaroni Salad
Hawaiian Mac Salad
I love a good pasta salad or something I can bring to a bbq. I’ve spend hours perfecting my tuna pasta salad, dill pickle salad and various macro friendly bbq sides. Now I bring you one of my favs, the Hawaiian macaroni salad.
If you’ve ever been to the Hawaiian islands, you know macaroni salad is a popular side dish in Hawaiian cuisine. Each restaurant has its own twist and I’d try them all if I could.
This Hawaiian style macaroni salad is made with chickpea noodles, pineapples, fresh veggies and a homemade creamy dressing with a slightly tangy flavor.
Traditional macaroni salad is made with lots of mayonnaise. I used nonfat yogurt and light mayo to get a creamy texture without being too heavy. Chickpea noodles are high in protein and the fresh veggies give the salad a nice crunch.
Serve at your next summer cookout with lemon orzo pasta salad, grilled teriyaki chicken or as a side to a grilled teriyaki chicken bowl.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- Only 145 calories per serving.
- 2g of fat and 7g of protein per serving.
- Only a few, simple ingredients.
Ingredients and Substitutes:
These are the main ingredients and substitutions. See recipe card below for full ingredients list and instructions for this Hawaiian macaroni salad recipe.
Variations and Substitutions
- Use any pasta noodle, but note, the chickpea pasta adds protein.
- Any preferred combination of veggies work in this.
- Adjust with full fat mayo or greek yogurt.
Dietary Modifications
- This recipe is gluten-free, as is.
- For dairy-free, use a non-dairy yogurt and vegan mayo.
How to make Hawaiian macaroni salad:
Step 1: cook the pasta
Cook the macaroni according to the package directions. Once cooked, drain and fill the pot with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta. Set aside.
Step 2: prepare the dressing
In a small mixing bowl, combine the non-fat Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Mix the mayo mixture until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3: assemble your salad
Add the cooled macaroni, pineapple tidbits, red bell pepper, celery, red onion and green onions to a large mixing bowl. Top with the yogurt dressing and gently fold the ingredients together, ensuring that the macaroni and other ingredients are evenly coated with the yogurt dressing.
Step 4: refrigerate
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or until chilled. This allows the flavors to meld together.
Step 5: stir and serve!
Before serving, give the salad a good stir. Taste and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish with additional green onions, cilantro or even shredded coconut, if desired.
Recipe Tips
- Cook chickpea pasta until al dente. Do not overcook, as this type of pasta tends to get gummy, quickly.
Serving and storing notes
The Hawaiian-style macaroni salad is a great side dish. Add a main protein, like chicken, steak or pork.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Give it a good stir before serving.
Check out some of our other easy summer recipes
- Acai Protein Bowls
- Fudgesicle Recipe
- Black Bean Corn Feta Dip
- High Protein Pasta Salad
- Dill Pickle Dip
If you make this recipe, please leave a rating and/or comment! Tag me on Instagram @ohsnapmacros, I love hearing from you!
Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
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Ingredients
- 8 oz chickpea macaroni noodles Banza
- 8 oz can pineapple tidbits drained
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 1/4 cup red onion chopped
- 2 green onions chopped
Dressing
- 1/2 cup non-fat Greek yogurt 112g
- 1/4 cup light mayonaise 60g
- 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. Once cooked, drain and fill the pot with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool the pasta. Set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the non-fat Greek yogurt, light mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and honey. Mix well until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Then, add the cooled macaroni, pineapple tidbits, red bell pepper, celery, red onion and green onions to a large mixing bowl.
- Top with the yogurt dressing and gently fold the ingredients together, ensuring that the macaroni and other ingredients are evenly coated with the yogurt dressing.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until chilled. This allows the flavors to meld together.
- Before serving, give the salad a quick stir. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with additional green onions, cilantro or even shredded coconut, if desired.
Notes
- All nutrition facts are an estimate.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
- Feel free to use any type of noodle.
I made this to pair with pulled pork sandwiches. My family loved it! The texture and flavors are great. I loved how easy it was to make. Definitely add this to your next bbq!
I made the Hawaiian Macaroni Salad for a 4th of July bbq. I did use regular pasta and made a pound, so I doubled the recipe. Everyone complimented how good it was! I will definitely be making it again but want to use the Banza pasta.
Tastes great, even with the chickpea pasta where I struggle a little with texture. (I’m more a fan of whole wheat pastas.) More filling that it seems it would be. Pairs great with teriyaki chicken to an added protein boost. Loved it!