Macaroni Salad from L&L Hawaiian BBQ

Step 1

Bring water to a boil in a large pot or dutch oven.

Step 2

Add the dried elbow pasta and boil for 12 minutes or until cooked.

Step 3

Drain water and cool the pasta thoroughly.

Step 4

Combine all remaining ingredients and chill for at least 1 hour.

Step 5

[Notes: I always add salt to the pot of water so that the pasta is well seasoned. The onion in the macaroni salad at L & L Hawaiian BBQ is very small, more like minced. After dicing your onion, be sure and rinse it in cold running water to remove any bitterness. I never measure out the mayonnaise, just add enough until I am satisfied. The cookbook recommends using Best Foods or Hellman's mayonnaise. I often add 2-3 Tablespoons of milk right before serving to make sure that the pasta is moist enough. The original recipe adds one small can of oil based tuna (drained), but I haven't seen it added to the salad when I have ordered it. Some reviewers are commenting that the recipe is too salty and that the salt should be reduced, so please keep that in mind. I think that I just add to taste, but the 2 teaspoons is what is in the original recipe in the cookbook.].

Step 6

UPDATE May 2014: I checked with my local L&L Hawaiian BBQ and they do NOT put tuna in their macaroni salad, it is totally vegetarian.