Quick Answer: What Are the Best Hawaiian Side Dishes?
Some of the best Hawaiian side dishes include— Dishes like Hawaiian Baked Beans, Hawaiian Fried Rice, Pineapple Rice, Pipi Kahlua, Hawaiian Style Poke, Lomi Lomi Salmon, Chicken Long Rice, Poi; Salads like Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, Orange Coconut Salad, Aloha salad, Pineapple Salad, Potato Mac Salad; Desserts like Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Mango Bread, Hawaiian Banana Bread, and Hawaiian Butter Mochi.
Here are 32 amazing Hawaiian side dishes that will wreak tasty havoc on your taste buds. Each of these dishes has the essence of the calm Hawaiian vibes and is bound to make your gatherings festive!
I wasn’t into Hawaiian cuisine until I visited a new Hawaiian restaurant at my place.
Now, I am a regular there. After having several long discussions with the chefs, I have curated this list of all the side dishes that the Hawaiians love and endorse with pride.
Hawaiian Side Dishes – Quick Comparision
| Recipe | Total preparation time |
|---|---|
| 1. Hawaiian Baked Beans | 120 minutes |
| 2. Hawaiian Fried Rice | 30 minutes |
| 3. Hawaiian Coleslaw | 10 minutes |
| 4. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad | 35 minutes |
| 5. Orange Coconut Salad | 10 minutes |
| 6. Hawaiian Rolls | 140 minutes |
| 7. Hawaiian Poi | 50 minutes |
| 8. Hawaiian Style Poke | 15 minutes |
| 9. Bacon-Wrapped Pineapple Bites | 40 minutes |
| 10. Hawaiian Potato Mac Salad | 40 minutes |
| 11. Pipi Kahlua | 370 minutes |
| 12. Pineapple Rice | 25 minutes |
| 13. Lomi Lomi Salmon | 30 minutes |
| 14. Squid Luau | 140 minutes |
| 15. Pineapple Tofu Skewers | 55 minutes |
| 16. Vegetable Pizza with Pineapple | 25 minutes |
| 17. Aloha Salad | 50 minutes |
| 18. Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Salsa | 20 minutes |
| 19. Tropical Pretzel Rods | 10 minutes |
| 20. Grilled Pineapple Ham Kabobs | 23 minutes |
| 21. Hawaiian Roasted Vegetables | 40 minutes |
| 22. Purple Sweet Potato | |
| 23. Chicken Long Rice | 40 minutes |
| 24. Hawaiian Meatballs | 50 minutes |
| 25. Hawaiian Mango Bread | 70 minutes |
| 26. Hawaiian Banana Bread | 70 minutes |
| 27. Taro Rolls | 20 minutes |
| 28. Hawaiian Butter Mochi | 70 minutes |
| 29. Pineapple Upside Down Cake | 90 minutes |
| 30. Pineapple Salad | 10 minutes |
| 31. Grilled Pineapple | 15 minutes |
| 32. Hawaiian Dip | 15 minutes |
1. Hawaiian Baked Beans
Total calories (per 100g): 151
Total preparation time: 120 minutes
Sweet, salty, and a bit spicy—Hawaiian Baked Beans is the most popular Hawaiian side dish that goes amazingly well with BBQ dishes and luaus.
With a thick and rich sauce, Hawaiian Baked Beans is loaded with pineapple, bell peppers, sweet onions, and bacon or ham.
This flavor thriving side dish will work great at Hawaiian-themed potlucks, cookouts, and even barbeques.
Check out this video by The Magical Slow Cooker-
2. Hawaiian Fried Rice
Total calories (per 100g): 174
Total preparation time: 30 minutes
Classic fried rice with a tropical twist.
Made with sweet pineapple and salty ham combination, Hawaiian Fried Rice has its fan base.
It is a colorful, flavor robust, and filling side dish. It is very versatile and easy to make and, therefore, is an excellent choice to be prepared as a side dish.
Here is a quick recipe by Seonkyoung Longest-
3. Hawaiian Coleslaw
Total calories (per 100g): 172
Total preparation time: 10 minutes
Hawaiian coleslaw is visually gorgeous, tummy-filling, and satisfying.
Made with pineapple, cabbages, carrots, sesame seeds, and a lip-smacking vinaigrette dressing— this coleslaw has an interesting tropical twist.
This Hawaiian side dish is perfect for picnics and potlucks.
Check out this easy recipe by Platingsandpairings- Checkout!
4. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Total preparation time: 35 minutes
Isn’t it lovely how people across the world share their love for the same food and try to make it their style? This is one such dish.
It is usually made with elbow macaroni, shredded carrots, and green onions and topped with a tangy dressing.
Creamy, sweet, and tangy—Hawaiian Macaroni Salad, when served as a side dish, will make sure your guests go ‘oh mama!’ with each bite.
Here is a tasty recipe by Keeping It Relle-
5. Orange Coconut Salad
Total calories (per 100g): 150
Total preparation time: 10 minutes
Made with sweetened oranges and coconuts, this Hawaiian salad slays all other fruit salads.
Orange Coconut Salad has a very inviting color and a happy taste which gives you a serotonin-driven calmness.
This salad is a popular Hawaiian side dish and is topped with miniature marshmallows.
Your guests will end up spooning their empty bowls to signal you that they want some more.
Check out this easy recipe by The Spruce Eats- Checkout!
6. Hawaiian Rolls
Total calories (per 100g): 310
Total preparation time: 140 minutes
Fluffy, sweet, and tropical— Hawaiian Rolls are the ultimate side dish.
They are perfectly sweet and soft and have a golden brown appearance that makes them lovable and wholesome.
This Hawaiian side dish can be served plain or with some butter.
Here is a quick recipe by Savor Easy-
7. Hawaiian Poi
Total calories (per 100g): 112
Total preparation time: 50 minutes
A traditional Hawaiian side dish— Poi is very versatile.
Made from boiling taro roots in water, Hawaiian poi is bland in taste but can be seasoned with salt and pepper.
As a versatile side dish, it can be made with salt, sugar, malahini, kalua pork, and salmon .
Check out this easy recipe Menehunes –
8. Hawaiian Style Poke
Total calories (per 100g): 194.4
Total preparation time: 15 minutes
Poke, in Hawaii, means ‘to cut or slice crosswise into pieces ’.
Hawaiian Poke usually consists of a mixture of cubed raw ahi (tuna), salty seaweed, and crunchy sweet onions. As a side dish, it is quite flavorful and refreshing.
This Hawaiian side dish is traditionally prepared with the aforementioned ingredients only; but it can be customized by adding avocado, sriracha, etc as per your taste.
Here is a yummy recipe by Food Wishes –
9. Bacon-Wrapped Pineapple Bites
Total calories (per 100g): 224
Total preparation time: 40 minutes
Made with just four ingredients, Bacon Wrapped Pineapple Bites are a mouthwatering delight!
Sweet pineapples wrapped in salty bacon create a sweet-savory flavor scheme; they are bite-sized which makes them convenient to eat!
This Hawaiian dish can be served as a side dish or an appetizer. Make sure you prepare enough as they tend to disappear right after hitting the tables.
Check out this easy recipe by Lynnsrecipes-
10. Hawaiian Potato Mac Salad
Total calories (per 100g): 241.4
Total preparation time: 40 minutes
Potato Macaroni Salad, or as called in the Hawaiian Islands as ‘Potato Mac Salad’, is a popular Hawaiian side dish.
Made with tender chunks of potatoes and a generous amount of mayonnaise, this salad gets a flamboyant taste from added vinegar, hard-boiled eggs, peas, and carrots.
It has a cool and creamy taste which makes this Hawaiian side dish an excellent partner for grilled or smoked meat dishes .
Here is a yummy recipe by Foodland Hawaii-
11. Pipi Kahlua
Total calories (per 100g): 410
Total preparation time: 370 minutes
This Hawaiian side dish is made of seasoned and semi-dried beef.
It is not beef jerky but has similarities to it.
The two ingredients that make it yummy are ginger and soy sauce.
DIY recipe— Checkout!
12. Pineapple Rice
Total preparation time: 25 minutes
Pineapple rice is sweet, spicy, and savory.
This beautiful Hawaiian side dish is made from sweet pineapple, spicy red chili flakes, and tangy lime juice.
It is a flavorful and delicious side dish that your guests will love and adore.
DIY recipe— Checkout!
13. Lomi Lomi Salmon
Total preparation time: 30 minutes
Lomi Lomi means ‘to rub, massage or soothe’ in Hawaii.
It is made with salted salmon, tomatoes, sweet onions, and green onions.
The connection of this traditional side dish and its name is that one is supposed to break and mix all these ingredients together, by hand.
DIY recipe—
14. Squid Luau
Total preparation time: 140 minutes
Squid luau is a Hawaiian side dish that is a must at luau parties.
Made with squid, taro leaves, and coconut milk— squid luau has a delicious and unique taste.
DIY recipe—
15. Pineapple Tofu Skewers
Total preparation time: 55 minutes
Tofu chunks, green pepper, and pineapple pieces are coated in a sweet and spicy pineapple sauce— this Hawaiian skewer makes for a beyond delicious side dish.
You can serve it with salad or any rice dish or even at BBQ gatherings.
DIY recipe—
16. Vegetable Pizza with Pineapple
Total calories (per 100g): 214
Total preparation time: 25 minutes
Most people who believe that pineapple doesn’t go well with pizza have never tasted a good Hawaiian veg pineapple pizza.
Vegetable Pizza with Pineapple has a sweet and spicy taste and when served as a side dish, will amaze your guests’ wits out of them.
DIY recipe—
17. Aloha Salad
Total preparation time: 50 minutes
Aloha salad is easy, fast, and delicious— these three qualities have made this Hawaiian side dish quite popular in recent times.
Thriving with tropical flavors, this salad is your delicious escape from Caesar or Garden salad.
DIY recipe— Checkout!
18. Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Salsa
Total calories (per 100g): 78.47
Total preparation time: 20 minutes
Generously loaded with pineapple chunks, this Hawaiian side dish is quite refreshing.
Its sweetness is beautifully balanced by the heat from habanero peppers, making this dish a flavorful delicacy.
DIY recipe—
19. Tropical Pretzel Rods
Total calories (per 100g): 380
Total preparation time: 10 minutes
Tropical Pretzel Rods are great to make for a luau-themed party.
It is easy to make— the pretzel rods are dipped in melted candy wafers and topped with tropical sprinkles.
They are not just appetizing but also visually pleasing!
DIY recipe— Checkout!
20. Grilled Pineapple Ham Kabobs
Total preparation time: 23 minutes
This Hawaiian side dish is soft and juicy; it will make you ask for another round of it even before you’ve finished the first one!
You can also add some marinated chicken to this and make it more delicious.
DIY recipe— Checkout!
21. Hawaiian Roasted Vegetables
Total calories (per 100g): 81.4
Total preparation time: 40 minutes
If you do not like plain roasted vegetables, this Hawaiian side dish will change your stand.
Hawaiian Roasted Vegetables has a tropical zing, created by pineapple chunks and pineapple juice, which makes it drool-worthy.
DIY recipe— Checkout!
22. Purple Sweet Potato
Total calories (per 100g): 99
Purple Sweet Potatoes are quite popular in Hawaiian cuisine.
They have a sweet honey-like flavor and can be prepared in a number of ways.
You can mash them, roast them, bake them, or use them to make a pie— they are perfect for making a sweet and tasty side dish.
DIY recipe—
23. Chicken Long Rice
Total preparation time: 40 minutes
Favorite local food in Hawaii— Chicken Long Rice is a light and flavorful side dish.
This side dish has a unique appearance and an accommodating flavor which allows it to be paired with any Hawaiian dish.
DIY recipe—
24. Hawaiian Meatballs
Total calories (per 100g): 371
Total preparation time: 50 minutes
This Hawaiian side dish will bamboozle your mind.
Hawaiian Meatballs are juicy and covered in sweet and sticky Polynesian pineapple sauce.
It goes well on the side of rice dishes.
DIY recipe—
25. Hawaiian Mango Bread
Total preparation time: 70 minutes
Moist and soft, Hawaiian Mango Bread is a healthy and fragrant side dish.
It has a rich mango flavor and its crumbs are tender and moist.
A delicious ode to the Hawaiian Islands, this mango side dish will wake up the latent mango fanatic in you.
DIY recipe—
26. Hawaiian Banana Bread
Total calories (per 100g): 277
Total preparation time: 70 minutes
If you love banana bread, then Hawaiian Banana Bread will leave you drooling.
With the addition of coconut and pineapple, this side dish gets a Hawaiian twist.
This side dish is a pineapple quick bread with chewy coconut and moist bananas.
DIY recipe— Checkout!
27. Taro Rolls
Total preparation time: 20 minutes
Served at most luaus in Hawaii, this side dish will baffle your taste buds with its sweet flavor.
Taro rolls are moister than most rolls and have a perfect amount of sweetness.
This Hawaiian side dish is easy to make and beyond delicious.
DIY recipe— Checkout!
28. Hawaiian Butter Mochi
Total preparation time: 70 minutes
Hawaiian Butter Mochi is a popular side dish in Hawaii.
The Hawaiian Butter Mochi has a smooth taste and dense texture. Coconut can be added to this recipe to enhance its flavors.
DIY recipe—
29. Pineapple Upside Down Cake
Total calories (per 100g): 270
Total preparation time: 90 minutes
It is a soft and buttery cake that is topped with brown sugar caramelized pineapples and cherry.
Pineapple Upside Down Cake has a very luscious taste as the juices tend to seep down into the cake.
This Hawaiian cake makes an exceptional side dish!
DIY recipe—
30. Pineapple Salad
Total calories (per 100g): 100
Total preparation time: 10 minutes
Pineapple salad is a Hawaiian side dish that goes well with grilled meat and seafood.
This salad has a tangy dressing and can be customized by adding cucumber, or avocados, or salmon and mozzarella, or even grilled chicken or ham.
DIY recipe— Checkout!
31. Grilled Pineapple
Total preparation time: 15 minutes
A great summer side dish— Grilled Pineapples is a well-loved Hawaiian delicacy.
Grilling brings out the juices of the pineapple which intensifies its taste. You can also caramelize your pineapple with brown sugar and cinnamon.
DIY recipe—
32. Hawaiian Dip
Total calories (per 100g): 132
Total preparation time: 15 minutes
Hawaiian dips are robust with the flavors of the Hawaiian Islands.
With a thriving sweet and savory taste, it can be made cheesy, creamy, or dense.
Usually made with crushed pineapple and ham, it can be customized in various ways and served as a side dish.
DIY recipe— Checkout!
The Bottom Line
We hope this list enlightened you about the gorgeous world of Hawaiian side dishes.
If you have any suggestions or tips, please let us know below!
Do share this guide with your family and hoa alohas (friends).