Luau Party Food Recipes: What To Serve At A Hawaiian Luau Party

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Check out these delicious Luau Party Food recipes that you can make to serve at your Hawaiian Luau Party!

All the recipes would be perfect not just for a luau but for any summer soiree where you want to serve tasty dishes full of Hawaii’s flavors!

For more tropical flavors, open 99 Hawaiian Recipes for a Tropical Party in a new tab to read next!

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20+ Luau Party Food Recipes

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Luau Party Food

You can’t have a good party without good food and drink, and to help you devise your luau party food menu I’ve put all of my Hawaiian recipes all in one place for you to choose from.

There will be authentic Hawaiian recipes, and ones that are Hawaiian-inspired – plus a few tropical party foods and beverages that I couldn’t resist including!

The cuisine of Hawaii incorporates five distinct styles of food, reflecting the diverse food history of settlement and immigration in the Hawaiian Islands.Wikipedia

Grab a cocktail and take a look through these recipes to begin creating your luau menu!

Don’t have time for these recipes now? Be sure to tap the heart icon in the bottom right of the screen to save this post for later!

Blue Hawaiian Cocktail

Check out my Amazon Party Supplies Shop (USA) for some great products for your Luau!

What Is A Luau?

You may be planning a luau party, but do you know what a luau actually is?

Don’t worry, I got you with this very easy explanation!

A luau (Lūʻau) is a traditional Hawaiian feast with good food and entertainment – simply put, a luau IS a party!

Traditional dishes served at Luaus include poi, kalua pig, Lomi salmon, laulau, poke, and haupia, with entertainment being Hawaiian music, hula dancing, and games.

Visiting Hawaii is on our bucket list, so we’ve not actually been to a luau on one of the islands.

However, we have been to the Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show (now sadly closed for good) at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, where we were treated to a Hawaiian food feast and lots of amazing and traditional entertainment.

Want to learn more about the history of the Hawaiian Luau? Visit the Go Hawaii website.

Hawaiian Hula at Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show at Disney Polynesian Resort
Disney’s Spirit of Aloha Dinner Show

I will be adding to this list of Luau recipes over time, so make sure that you save this post to your Pinterest recipe boards so that you can always find them.

The main focus of this post is to give you lots of delicious food and drink recipes that you can serve at your luau at home!

But before I get into the recipes, here is some handy information for you.

Luau Party Food recipes are not the only ones we have—there are 1500+ Recipes for you to enjoy!

Links to the various recipes on The Purple Pumpkin Blog will open the same window/tab, so to reach this page again, just hit the back button on your browser.

If you are looking for a specific recipe, please use the search function below.

If you can’t find what you are searching for, please contact us, as we take all reader suggestions on board!

Check out my Amazon UK Party Supplies Shop for some great products for your Luau!

Luau Party Finger Food

There is a lot of Asian influence in Hawaiian food, so these Instant Pot Sesame Garlic Chicken Wings and Instant Pot Asian-Style Sticky Ribs Recipe would be great party appetizers.

These Bacon-Wrapped Water Chestnuts are a tasty little party appetizer and inspired by the classic tiki appetizer, Rumaki (but without the chicken livers!).

I’m including my recipe for Quick & Easy One Pan Cheeseburger Sliders.

Use the method for making a lot of sliders in one pan, but add teriyaki sauce to the ground beef and top with pineapple rings.

I made simple Hawaiian burgers for my budget BBQ with a recipe you can follow.

These Cornflake + Coconut Shrimp are not authentically Hawaiian, but they taste so good you just have to make them for a party!

Luau Party Main Dishes

We know that luaus are a feast, and while you may not be able to slow-roast a whole pig, you can make Kalua Pork – Hawaiian-style Pulled Pork in a slow cooker!

You could also try our family-favorite Slow Cooker Hawaiian Pulled Pork, which is sweet and savory and tastes oh-so-good!

Pineapple and Shrimp Stuffed Avocados would be a great appetizer or light meal option.

Another seafood option is Grilled Pineapple and Swordfish Kebabs.

Or, for a more dinner party feel, serve Garlic-Chili Swordfish with Grilled Pineapple and Papaya.

This dish promises to whisk your guests away on a gourmet tropical journey, making every bite a celebration of refined flavors.

Dive into the freshness of the sea paired with tropical flair in the Air Fryer Cod Recipe, where flaky cod meets vibrant mango salsa, promising an exquisite balance of flavors and a culinary journey with every forkful.

One of my favorite dishes when staying at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort is pork fried rice, so I wanted to include this recipe for Teriyaki Pork Fried Rice that tastes amazing!

Hawaiian Barbecue Chicken is spicy and sweet and can be made using any cut of chicken. Use chicken wings as an appetizer or larger cuts for the main dish.

Try Slow Cooker Spicy Pineapple Pork with Cilantro-Lime Rice as a tasty entrée at a dinner party or at a knife-and-fork buffet.

This Sweet and Spicy Hawaiian Chicken Recipe can be baked in the oven, leaving you free to prepare other dishes.

Experience the perfect blend of crispy and savory with Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Wings, a modern twist that delivers traditional flavors in record time, ensuring every bite is an adventure in taste and texture.

Luau Party Side Dishes & Salads

You need to make this delicious Pineapple Coleslaw if you throw a Luau!

These Hawaiian Baked Beans are a great side for grilled meats or inside baked sweet potatoes.

My Tropical Rice Salad and Tropical Island Rice are delicious salads with chicken or fish to eat on the side.

They are also great main dishes for vegetarians and vegans.

Tropical Cocktails & Mocktails

You can’t have a party without cocktails, so here are some tropical cocktails you might want to mix up.

I try to include variations and non-alcoholic mocktail versions, too, so there is something for everyone— including the non-drinkers and kids!

Dive into the Surf’s Up! cocktail, a splash of tropical vodka merriment topped with velvety coconut cream for that beachy summer feel.

Relive magical moments with the Disney-Inspired Polynesian Village Cocktail, a concoction that combines rum with exotic tropical juices, perfect for every adventurer at heart.

Savor the fusion of dessert and drink with Pineapple Upside Down Cake Jello Shots, a delightful concoction that marries the sweetness of cake with a spirited kick, offering a playful and nostalgic escape in every bite-sized treat.

Discover a twist on a classic with the Totally Tropical Whiskey Sour, boasting not one but two distinctive whiskeys for an island-inspired rendezvous.

Dive into a fusion of exotic flavors with the Coconut Dragon Fruit Margaritas, a mesmerizing blend that promises a vibrant journey of tropical notes, making every sip an enchanting escape to paradise.

Escape to an island paradise with the Fruity Island Escape cocktail. A rum-infused tropical delight that promises summer in every sip.

Turn your summer up a notch with the Frozen Piña Colada Cocktail, an icy blend of tropical flavors that’ll whisk you straight to the sandy beaches of the Caribbean.

Dive deep into azure waters with the Tropical Blue Cocktail – Blue Rumba, a mesmerizing blue rum drink that dances on your taste buds.

Indulge in the Banana Colada, a tropical twist that marries the rich flavors of rum and banana, creating the ultimate party beverage.

Sail away to a blissful retreat with the Tropical Paradise Cocktail, blending the lush notes of rum with the seductive allure of banana liqueur.

Experience a unique fusion of the South with the Tropical Island Breeze Cocktail, a harmonious blend of bourbon and rum that’s bound to stir your senses.

Say ‘Aloha’ to the Hawaiian Margarita Cocktail, a tropical reimagination of the classic margarita that beckons with its island allure.

Dive into the crystalline waters of the Totally Tropical Blue Hawaiian Cocktail, a vibrant elixir that promises a mesmerizing, island-inspired journey with every sip.

Embrace the sunlit vibes with the Summer Mai Tai Cocktail, an intoxicating blend of tropical flavors that captures the essence of summer, promising a refreshing getaway with every tantalizing sip.

Unleash the essence of the tropics with the Best Malibu Rum Piña Colada Recipe, a frozen coconut cocktail that promises a cascade of creamy flavors, transporting you straight to a sun-kissed shoreline with each indulgent sip.

Embark on an island getaway with just a sip: Say Aloha to the Hawaiian Screwdriver Cocktail Recipe, a tropical twist on the classic that infuses every moment with sun-drenched flavors and aloha spirit.

Tiki Bar Supplies

If you're throwing a luau and setting up a tiki bar, here are some of my favorite Tiki Bar Supplies on Etsy that I am sure you are going to love as much as me!

Luau Party Desserts & Sweet Treats

Everyone loves something sweet at the end of a meal, so pick one or two of these desserts to serve at your luau!

Here’s a tropical dessert idea for you – Hawaiian Sweet Pineapple Coconut Loaf Cake

These super cute Pineapple Cupcakes are just the ticket for a tropical luau party!

Did you know that Disney has a resort on the Hawaiian island of Ohau? They also have a resort at Walt Disney World called Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. These Tropical Minnie Ears Cupcakes are inspired by that resort!

Make these Tropical Pretzel Rods for guests to nibble as they mingle or as a party favor to take home.

This Pina Colada Layer Cake is a real show stopper, and your guests will be impressed when they see this as the centerpiece of your dessert table!

No time to make a large cake? Why not make Piña Colada Cupcakes instead?

Or delight in Mini Piña Colada Cheesecakes, a tropical fusion of creamy cheesecake, rum, and sweet pineapple, offering a bite-sized island escape.

Cut this Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting into squares to serve to your guests.

Our Pineapple Upside Down Cake Fudge is a tasty tropical treat using cake mix, condensed milk, and candied fruit!

Whisk your taste buds away to a tropical paradise with Pina Colada Muffins, a delightful baked fusion that effortlessly captures the iconic flavors of the classic cocktail, making every bite a sunny escape to Island bliss.

Make this healthy Tropical Fruit Salsa with cinnamon tortilla chips to scoop up the delicious fruits.

This ‘Ohana Bread Pudding is a Disney copycat recipe from the ‘Ohana restaurant at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. One bite, and you’ll be hooked!

Another cake mix recipe! We made this Pineapple and Coconut Upside Down Cake with a few tasty tweaks!

This sweet Hawaiian Pineapple Coconut Bubble Bread tastes so good and goes perfectly with a cup of coffee! 

Indulge in the tropical allure of the Pineapple Sheet Cake with Crumble Topping, where lush pineapple sweetness meets a golden, crumbly crown, ensuring every slice is a delightful journey of texture and taste.

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