Mac Salad
Published July 2, 2022
Chris Simpson for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Sophia Pappas.
- Total Time
- 1 hour
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
1 pound russet potatoes or ½ pound russet potatoes and ½ pound taro (see Tip)
Salt
4 large eggs
1 pound macaroni
1 carrot, peeled and grated through the large holes of a box grater
3 cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon sugar
½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked
½ teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Hot sauce, such as Tabasco, to taste
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 to 10 servings)
43 grams carbs; 101 milligrams cholesterol; 717 calories; 14 grams monosaturated fat; 33 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 56 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 438 milligrams sodium; 10 grams protein; 2 grams sugar
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
If using taro, put on kitchen gloves and wash the taro. Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil in a pot with a steamer insert, then put the taro in the insert and cover tightly with a lid. Steam until tender, about 3 hours. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Use a paring knife to remove the skin, then cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Step 2
Fill a large saucepan with water and add a generous pinch of salt, so the water tastes like the ocean. Scrub the potatoes, then add to the saucepan — there should be just enough water to cover — and bring up to a simmer over medium-high heat. (Don’t go for a roiling boil because you want to keep the potatoes intact.) Simmer until a paring knife inserted in the center goes in and out smoothly, 20 to 40 minutes. The potatoes should look barely translucent and have small cracks and a slightly crumbly texture on the surface. Drain carefully and turn out onto a sheet pan. When cool, peel and cut into 1-inch cubes.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the eggs and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice and water. Replenish the boiling water, if needed, and add the macaroni. Cook until softened all the way through, at least 2 minutes past al dente. Drain well and immediately run under cold water to stop the cooking.
- Step 4
When the noodles are cool, drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Peel the eggs and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Add them to the bowl, along with the potatoes, taro (if using), carrot, mayonnaise, garlic salt, sugar, black pepper, apple cider vinegar and hot sauce. Mix well with a spoon and adjust the seasonings to taste. Eat immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.
The presence of microscopic needle-shaped calcium oxalate crystals in raw taro can make your hands itchy, so it’s a good idea to wear kitchen gloves when handling. Never take a bite of raw taro. Instead of steaming the taro, you can put it in a pressure cooker (at 5 pounds of pressure) for 90 minutes and then let the pressure release naturally.
Private Notes
Comments
When I was growing up we used to make a very similar mac salad but added frozen peas. If we wanted it to be really tangy we added pickle relish. Ono.
Why simmer the russet potatoes intact? Would the flavor be worse if you did what any practical person would do and peeled them, cut them into 1-inch chunks, and then simmered until tender? Or does simmering them whole mean that they are less likely to fall apart?
Growing up on Oahu, we kept our potato salad and mac salad separate. Mac salad (my mother's recipe--forgive her, she grew up on the Mainland) included chopped hard-boiled eggs, chopped celery and green onion, tuna, a bit of sweet pickle relish, and the classic Best Foods REAL mayonnaise, but no carrots. I still make it this way 50 years later--and have been known to make a special trip to Costco for the mayonnaise (markets in Japan generally carry only Kewpie). And yes, I use an ice cream scoop.
I use Duke’s mayo for Southern recipes because it fits that tradition. But this is a Hawaiian-style recipe calling for Best Foods mayo, which is the same brand as Hellmann’s — Best Foods west of the Rockies, Hellmann’s east of the Rockies. I’d respect the author’s intent here and use Best Foods/Hellmann’s.
A very carb heavy dish.Three cups of mayonnaise seems too much. This is not healthy to serve to over-eaters. I can imagine it would be difficult for some eaters to limit their portion size.
for a Hawaiian version it absolutely is essential. Many cook well past two minutes.@Shirokuma