These Hawaiian Recipes Will Give Your Kitchen Major Island Vibes

POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Think of Hawaii, and foods like juicy pineapple, tender pork, and sweet coconut likely come to mind. While a ticket to the Aloha State may not be in the cards today, those tasty ingredients are sitting in your nearest grocery store, ready to be cooked into simple yet scrumptious meals and desserts that will take your mind and tummy back to your last vacation. Make these islander classics, and you're bound to find some weeknight favorites — and learn something new about Hawaiian cuisine — along the way.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
Culinary Hill

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

Carrot and celery create the perfect ratio of crunchiness to creaminess in this cool and kid-friendly pasta salad — the perfect accompaniment to a warm protein like chicken or pork.

Get the recipe: Hawaiian macaroni salad

Tuna Poke Bowl With Avocado
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Tuna Poke Bowl With Avocado

Poke is so hot right now, you probably can't drive anywhere without seeing a new joint for the Hawaiian seafood dish. But did you know you can also make it at home with just a few minutes of chopping and assembling?

Get the recipe: tuna poke bowl with avocado

Healthy Hawaiian Chicken Noodle Bowls
Fit Foodie Finds

Healthy Hawaiian Chicken Noodle Bowls

Shredded chicken gets a sweet, tangy kick from pineapple juice, ketchup, ginger, tamari, and honey. It's served over a beautifully vibrant bowl of stir-fried pineapple, onion, peppers, and kale, plus plenty of rice noodles, for a nourishing dish that will always remind you of Summer days.

Get the recipe: healthy Hawaiian chicken noodle bowls

Hawaiian Barbecue Meatballs
Tastes Better From Scratch

Hawaiian Barbecue Meatballs

These three-ingredient meatballs come together with store-bought frozen meatballs, barbecue sauce, and diced pineapple. They're super cute on toothpicks as an appetizer and highly tasty with veggies over rice.

Get the recipe: Hawaiian barbecue meatballs

Acai Bowl With Berries and Banana
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Acai Bowl With Berries and Banana

If you can't make it to Hawaii for a refreshingly fruity acai bowl, have no fear. They're delightfully easy to make at home, which makes customizing them to your exact liking a total breeze.

Get the recipe: acai bowl with berries and banana

Hula Pie
Crazy for Crust

Hula Pie

A crumbly Oreo crust, sweet macadamia nut ice cream, and oozing hot fudge make up this shamelessly touristy classic. If you're somehow not convinced to make it right now, it also falls into the very tempting no-bake desserts category.

Get the recipe: hula pie

Loco Moco
Cooking the Globe

Loco Moco

This hearty mashup of Eastern and Western cuisine — consisting of white rice, a hamburger patty, gravy, and a fried egg — is the hangover-curing breakfast of your dreams. It may sound unusual, but don't knock it till you try it; the hamburger has just enough fat to hold you over after a night out, while the rice soaks up the savory goodness of the gravy and runny egg yolk.

Get the recipe: loco moco

Lomi Lomi Salmon
Cooking the Globe

Lomi Lomi Salmon

Whip up this classic salmon dish — made extrabright and refreshing with tomatoes and onion — once, and you'll want to eat it with everything from chips to lettuce wraps.

Get the recipe: lomi lomi salmon

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken
The DIY Foodie

Grilled Hawaiian Chicken

Put chicken thighs to use with this wildly flavorful chicken dish. Marinated for four hours in goodies like pineapple juice, ketchup, soy, ginger, and garlic and grilled to perfection, it's no wonder it's an island favorite.

Get the recipe: grilled Hawaiian chicken

Slow-Cooker Kalua Pork
Creme de la Crumb

Slow-Cooker Kalua Pork

This tender, juicy, smoky pork needs only a pinch of Himalayan pink sea salt to be insanely delicious in tacos, bowls, salads, and more. Make a huge batch in your slow cooker, and you'll have some for that week and some to save for later.

Get the recipe: slow-cooker kalua pork

Hawaiian Barbecue Dogs With Mango, Chili, Lime, and Pineapple Relish
Half Baked Harvest

Hawaiian Barbecue Dogs With Mango, Chili, Lime, and Pineapple Relish

These bratwursts are decked out with a citrusy Hawaiian barbecue sauce, fruity and basil-rich relish, pickled jalapeños, and, of course, toasted Hawaiian roll hot dog buns. Serve them at your next cookout, and they're sure to be a hit.

Get the recipe: Hawaiian barbecue dogs with mango, chili, lime, and pineapple relish

Purple Sweet Potato Haupia Pie
The Little Ferraro Kitchen

Purple Sweet Potato Haupia Pie

Nothing will delight you more than cutting into this fluffy, coconut-cream-covered pie to find a pleasantly purple filling. What's in it, you ask? It's a mixture of purple potatoes and coconut milk, sweetened with sugar and vanilla and brightened with orange zest. It is smooth as anything and pairs perfectly with the crunchy crushed macadamia nuts on top.

Get the recipe: purple sweet potato haupia pie

Poke Nachos
Aubrie Pick

Poke Nachos

Nachos are made 10 times less greasy and 20 times more refreshing with toppings of guacamole and poke. Make these babies next time you're poolside, and you'll forget you're not soaking up the sun on a breezy beach in Maui.

Get the recipe: poke nachos from The Poke Cookbook by Martha Cheng

Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken
Cooking the Globe

Hawaiian Shoyu Chicken

This sweet, salty, and savory dish is complete with white rice that soaks up the sauce and green onions that make your plate look oh so pretty.

Get the recipe: Hawaiian shoyu chicken

Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Chicken Kebabs
Recipe Tin Eats

Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Chicken Kebabs

Channel your inner islander with these kebabs, skewering tasty chicken and pineapple with a coconut flavor. Since they're handheld, you can even munch on them while you're practicing your hula dancing.

Get the recipe: Hawaiian pineapple coconut chicken kebabs