For the Very Best Macaroni Salad, Overcook the Pasta

But there is one recipe that has helped me understand that the notion of “overcooked” doesn’t necessarily have to mean a ruined dinner, and that’s our Hawaiian Macaroni Salad. And you don’t even need to head to those pristine beaches to get it; you can whip it up in your own kitchen.

Our Hawaiian Macaroni Salad calls for cooking a pound of macaroni for 15 minutes (a pasta that would usually require only about 10 minutes) to ensure that it becomes a little extra waterlogged, or “fat,” as the recipe suggests.

By “overcooking” the pasta in this delicious dish, what you’re really doing is making the macaroni a little softer and more porous, allowing it to soak up the tangy mayonnaise dressing that is poured over it.

With a hit of pepper, the addition of the creamy dressing, and a pop of color and crunch from fresh carrot and celery, this potluck crowd-pleaser is guaranteed to convert any macaroni skeptic.

And don’t forget to brag about the overcooked pasta.