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“The food of Hawai’i is like the food of the 1950s U.S. but filtered through a tropical lens,” says classics scholar–turned–chef Kiki Aranita, who spent part of her childhood in Honolulu. Aranita and Sheldon Simeon of Top Chef fame join other chefs in sharing recipes for some of the islands’ specialties here. These transportive Hawaiian recipes will give you a flavor of Oahu, Maui, and the Big Island, from the plate lunches that are ubiquitous across the state to poke bowls, musubi, and Gau Gee. We’ve also got recipes simply inspired by Hawai’i and its tropical fruits — even polarizing Hawaiian pizza. Scroll down for recipes with Hawaiian flair.
Kālua Pork
Named after its cooking method, kālua pork is a smoky, shredded meat dish that’s cooked in an underground oven. Also known as kālua pig, the Hawaiian dish is frequently served at celebratory events like luaus and potlucks, and it anchors the ever-popular Hawaiian lunch plate, where it’s typically paired with Mac Salad and steamed white rice.
Mac Salad
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Ali Ramee / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Mayonnaise-rich mac salad is a cornerstone of Hawaiian cuisine — no proper plate lunch is without it. Sheldon Simeon’s version is a creamy and comforting side ideal for diners, potlucks, lunch wagons, drive-ins, and picnics.
Loco Moco with Miso Gravy
Kelsey Hansen / Food Styling by Annie Probst / Prop Styling by Gabe Greco
Loco Moco is a version of the Hawaiian plate lunch of a hamburger patty and miso-rich gravy over rice, topped with fried eggs. Kiki Aranita finishes the dish with a few chef touches: chile pepper water for an acidic heat that cuts through the richness of the rest of the dish, plus a final touch of furikake for a salty, tangy hit of flavor.
Hawaiian-Style Hot Dog
Food & Wine / Photo by Robby Lozano / Food Styling by Chelesa Zimmer / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hauser
Henry Adaniya offers a variety of hot dogs, including this Hawaiian one, at Hank’s Haute Dogs in Honolulu. Hawaiian sausage, also known as portagee sausage, is inspired by Portuguese linguica sausage, which Portuguese immigrants brought to the island in the 19th century. Adaniya opts for spicy Portuguese linguica sausage for this recipe, as it’s easier to source on the mainland. He dresses it with pineapple relish, and mango mustard.
Gau Gee
Kiki Aranita enriches the pork filling in these crispy fried wontons with toasted sesame oil and crunchy water chestnuts. She says are these snacks are ubiquitous at family feasts in Hawai’i.
Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl
Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Prop Styling by Phoebe Hausser / Food Styling by Chelsea Zimmer
Hawaiian poke was traditionally made by fishermen with trimmings from their catch of ahi tuna, plus seaweed, sea salt, sweet onion, and sometimes kukui nuts. Chinese and Japanese people contributed ingredients like sesame oil and soy sauce, which are now part of the beloved, simple, seasoned dish known as poke. Chef Kiki Aranita contrasts textures, flavors, and temperatures to keep each bite of her ahi tuna poke bowl interesting.
Pulehu Steak Tip Skewers with Maui Onion Finadene Sauce
Pulehu is Hawaiian for “to cook over hot coals.” Sheldon Simeon bastes hanger steak with a punchy, bright sauce of sake, soy sauce, brown sugar, sherry vinegar, garlic, ginger, and scallions before grilling it on skewers.
Hawaiian-Style Garlic Butter Shrimp
Inspired by the food trucks that serve garlic butter shrimp on Oahu’s North Shore, Sheldon Simeon marinates shrimp in a mixture of Italian dressing, mayonnaise, calamansi juice, and salt, then grills the shrimp and and tosses it in roasted garlic butter.
Ginger-Ponzu Salmon Poke
Kiki Aranita brings this poke bowl to life with sushi-grade salmon, ponzu, Korean perilla oil, Alaea sea salt, and short-grain white rice.
Cold Saimin Salad with Soy-Ginger Grilled Pork
Saimin is a Hawaiian wheat noodle usually served in broth, but Sheldon Simeon opts for a cold noodle salad with slices of savory, crispy pork shoulder, crunchy bean sprouts, tender ribbons of egg, shredded nori, and slices of Japanese pickled cucumber.
Musubi Lettuce Wraps with Pineapple Salsa
Inspired by the beloved Hawaiian snack comprising Spam, sushi rice, and nori, Robin Bashinsky replaces Spam with ham for the handheld appetizer with pineapple salsa.
Butter Mochi
“Butter mochi is purely an invention of the islands and it is borne from the multicultural roots of Hawai’i’s first potlucks and the mystical union of rice flour, butter, coconut milk, and sugar,” writes Aranita of the chewy, buttery, firm-yet-gooey, and sweet dessert with slightly crispy edges and nutty toasted sesame.
Hawaiian Pizza with Pineapple and Salami
The Food & Wine Test Kitchen pairs the quintessential fresh pineapple with Genoa salami rather than ham for this version.
Beef Poke
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Shell Royster
Poke means “to cut crosswise” in Hawaiian, referring to the small pieces of raw fish that usually star in the popular dish. Steve Balantac, sous chef at Hula Grill Waikiki, opts for seared chunks of prime rib, sweet Maui onions, and crushed kukui nuts (candlenuts) with a savory-sweet sauce in his hearty version, which the Food & Wine Test Kitchen adapted for home cooks.
Huli Huli Chicken Wings
Huli huli (“turn turn”) chicken is a specialty on Oahu, where vendors thread chickens on special rotating grills and broil it over charcoal. Sheldon Simeon uses fresh ginger and pineapple juice to add bright heat and tang to the sweet, teriyaki-like sauce that coats the chicken wings and pineapple slices.
Classic Shoyu Musubi
Wrap Spam that’s been glazed with musubi sauce in nori with sushi rice for this irresistible Hawaiian snack.
Hawaiian Pizza
Anna Painter’s take on Hawaiian toppings calls for thickly sliced ham and sweet, juicy pineapple chunks.
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