Hawaiian Macaroni Salad - Easy Budget Recipes (2024)

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Ingredients & Estimated Cost:

• 2 cups half-and-half – $1.00
• 2 cups mayonnaise – $1.28
• 1 ½ Tablespoons yellow onion – $0.06
• 1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar – $0.04
• 2 teaspoons pepper – $0.10
• 1 teaspoon salt – $0.01
• 1 pound elbow macaroni – $1.58
• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar – $0.15
• 5 green onions – $0.50
• 2 large celery ribs – $0.36
• 1 cup carrots – $0.35

To learn more about how we price our recipes, check out Budget Recipes Explained.

See Also

Classic Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe - Hungry HuyHawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe with PotatoesL&L Hawaiian Barbecue Macaroni Salad Recipe - Secret Copycat Restaurant RecipesHow to make Hawaii-style barbecue (teriyaki) sauce. A recipe. - Hawaii Magazine

How To Make Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

1. First, add the half-and-half, mayonnaise, grated onion, dark brown sugar, salt, and pepper to a large bowl.
2. Whisk until smooth and then set the bowl in the fridge until needed.
3. Next, cook the macaroni, following the package instructions, plus five more minutes of cook time. Drain the macaroni in a colander and then place the pasta back in the pot.
4. Then, stir in the apple cider vinegar and cover the pot with a lid to cool for twenty minutes.
5. Stir in half of the dressing and cover with the lid again to cool for another twenty minutes.
6. Add the remaining dressing, green onions, celery, and carrots to the pot and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper as needed.
7. Finally, allow the pasta to cool to room temperature for thirty minutes. Transfer the salad to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and chill in the fridge for at least two hours before serving.

***For complete recipe instructions, see the recipe directions below.

Storage Tips

SERVE: As with most recipes with dairy products, you shouldn’t leave this macaroni salad out for longer than 2 hours.

STORE:Store the macaroni salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

FREEZE: Place the assembled macaroni salad in the freezer in an airtight container. When you are ready to use it, put it in the fridge the day before you want to eat it to defrost.

Get Kids Involved

Ages 2-3: As you grate the carrots, have your little one count the number of carrots it takes to get to one cup of grated carrots. They can then pour the grated carrots into the Macaroni Salad.

Ages 4-5: Your child can assist you by adding the prepped ingredients to the pot and mixing them together. Ask your child to count the number of ingredients they add to the pot as they mix them in.

Ages 6-8: Ask your child to pre-measure the ingredients. They can whisk the dressing together and help with adding all ingredients to the pasta at the designated time.

Ages 9-11: Supervise them while they prepare the entire recipe. Remember to have them read it twice before beginning the recipe.

Ages 12+: Let them prepare the entire recipe, unsupervised, while you do the happy dance in the corner!

Budget Tips

Making copycat recipes at home is a great way to save on your grocery and eating-out budget. It is typically the case that it costs less to make a bigger portion of the dish at home than to buy it when you eat out.