Visitors to Hawai’i often book an evening evening luau where they can sample an assortment of Hawaiian luau foods. The experience is one that every visitor should embrace at least once, though locals will tell you that these productions are not an authentic luau.
An Authentic Luau
While the luau productions available to visitors often feature an elaborate show, a homegrown luau is likely a little more low-key. Often a family style party to celebrate a baby’s first birthday or a wedding, there are usually plenty of potluck dishes to serve up alongside the kalua pig. Musicians will pull out their ‘ukulele and kanikapila. When a hula dancer hears a song they recognize and love, they’ll get up to dance. It’s not a show, though; it’s people having fun with their songs and traditions.
The food at Hawaiian luaus – whether luaus hosted by hotels catering to the tourism industry or those served up in someone’s backyard – are always served buffet style. Platters filled with all of the dishes are lined up and guests can pick and choose what to put on their plates.
The luau menu will vary by host, sometimes including more seasonal items, but the dishes listed below are pretty standard fare.
Luau Main Dishes
There are a number of luau foods that fit the category of main dish. These are hearty meat-based dishes including pork, chicken, and fish.
Kalua Pig
Kalua pig is a staple at any luau. It is typically prepared by slow-cooking a whole pig in an underground oven called an imu. If you’re attending a professional luau, ask if the preparation process is open to the public; sometimes it is, and it can be fascinating to watch.
The pig is seasoned simply, with Hawaiian sea salt, and placed into the imu on a base of ti leaves and/or banana leaves. The low, slow cooking of the pork results in tender, flavorful meat with a smoky taste imbued with the flavor of the leaves it was wrapped in. The cooked kalua pig is pulled from the bones and shredded.
Many a backyard luau features wild boar, as local hunters do double duty in eradicating an island pest and putting food on the table.
Make it at home:
Huli Huli Chicken
In the Hawaiian language, huli means to turn around. Huli huli chicken is traditionally cooked on a turning spit over open flames. The chicken is seasoned by marinating in a sauce much like teriyaki sauce, with ingredients including brown sugar, soy sauce, and fresh pineapple juice. It’s a sweet and salty meat dish that’s a favorite for many.
It’s so famous in the islands that there’s a song about this dish. If you’d like to try this chicken but don’t plan to attend a luau, keep your eyes open as you’re driving around. Roadside barbecue stands commonly offer whole chickens for sale.
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Laulau
Laulau is a dish wrapped in two kinds of leaves. (Lau means leaf in the Hawaiian language.) These little packets typically include a piece of pork and a piece of butterfish, but can be made to include other meats or made vegetarian by wrapping sweet potato.
The filling is wrapped in luau leaf first. This is the edible leaf of a taro plant and when cooked, has a texture somewhat like spinach. The packet is then wrapped in ti leaves and steamed. The ti leaves are not edible – you’ll unwrap the bundle and discard this outer leaf – but they impart a unique flavor to the enclosed meat.
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Chicken Long Rice
Chicken long rice is a noodle dish made with cellophane noodles, chicken, ginger, and green onions. The rich, gingery broth is warming and delicious. It’s a simple dish but one rich in flavor.
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Luau Side Dishes
Side dishes make every party sing, and a luau party is no different. Commercial luaus stick to a pretty basic menu, but a luau at someone’s home will feature these staples and more as everyone brings their favorite to share.
Poi
Poi is a traditional Hawaiian dish made from taro root. It is the original luau finger food! Tradition says that the thickness of poi dictates whether it’s a one-finger, two-finger, or three finger poi. Thick poi can be scooped with a single finger; thinner, more watered down poi requires more fingers – or an actual utensil.
To make poi, taro is cooked, pounded, and water is added to achieve a smooth, paste-like consistency. Traditionally, poi is made on a heavy board with a trough at its center. The board is called a papa kuʻiʻai. A specially shaped stone is used as a poi pounder. This is the pōhaku kuʻi ʻai. You can see how it’s done traditionally here.
The poi served at commercial luaus is typically very watered down and not a good representation of traditional poi. If you’re curious about poi but not planning to hit a luau, pick up a bag at a local supermarket. It’s better quality than you’d get at a luau.
Make it at home:
Lomi Lomi Salmon
Lomi lomi salmon is a light dish made with diced salmon, tomatoes, onions, and green onions. The ingredients are mixed together and seasoned with salt. It’s an incredibly simple side dish and a favorite of many.
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Sweet Potato (‘Uala)
Sweet potatoes, known as ‘uala in the Hawaiian language, are often baked or roasted. But surprise! The sweet potatoes you’ll find in Hawai’i are locally grown purple sweet potatoes! The deep purple color is remarkable whether served simply as roasted chunks of sweet potato or as a mash.
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Hawaiian Sweet Rolls
You’ve heard about Hawaiian rolls right? There are a couple of brands that have made their way to the continent, so you may have had a chance to try them already. These soft, slightly sweet bread rolls have a lovely squish and are delightful spread with a little butter. They can be made plain, or with taro root, which gives the rolls a purple tinge.
In addition to being served as a side dish, these sweet rolls can be used to make sandwiches.
Make it at home:
Poke
Poke (pronounced po-keh) is a dish made with raw fish (most commonly ahi, or tuna). There are numerous ways to flavor poke. It’s often combined with shoyu (soy sauce), sesame oil, onions, seaweed, and inamona (ground and roasted kukui nut).
While poke bowls have become quite popular in recent years, it’s served simply as a side dish at Hawai’i luaus. Poke is usually eaten with chopsticks.
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Spam Musubi
Spam musubi is a slice of Spam luncheon meat and sticky white rice wrapped in nori with seasonings like kukui nut relish or furikake. It’s a local fast-food option, readily available at supermarkets and gas stations, but you’ll often find it served as a luau side dish.
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Potato Mac Salad:
You won’t find plain macaroni salad in Hawaii. It’s potato mac all the way! Made with a combination of cooked potatoes and macaroni noodles, generously coated with mayonnaise, it’s a carb lover’s delight. Sometimes you’ll find carrots and peas added, sometimes not.
Make it at home:
Luau Desserts
Cakes featuring island flavors like coconut and pineapple are good bets when it comes to dessert at a luau. There are two other desserts that are a bit more traditional. One is likely to show up on the menu at just about every professional luau; the other will likely require an invite to a private luau.
Haupia
Haupia is a sweet coconut milk-based dessert that resembles a pudding or gelatin. The creamy texture of haupia is usually cut into squares and served as a chilled dessert, but it is sometimes paired with purple sweet potatoes to make a very local-style pie.
Make it at Home:
Kulolo
Kulolo is a dessert made from cooked taro. It is sometimes cooked right in the imu alongside the kalua pig, but that’s a lot of work for dessert! Happily, it can be baked in the oven as well.
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