This macaroni salad is the perfect side dish to bring along to a neighbor’s BBQ party or enjoy in your own backyard. This creamy pasta salad is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Not to mention, it’s super easy to make and won’t take you longer than 30 minutes to throw together. Once you’ve mastered this recipe, try our macaroni salad variations below to dial up the flavor!
Macaroni Salad Ingredients
- Elbow macaroni
- Mayonnaise
- Cider vinegar
- Sugar
- Yellow mustard
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sweet red pepper
- Red onion
- Celery rib
- Hard-boiled eggs
Directions
Step 1: Cook the pasta
Cook the elbow noodles according to the package directions. We recommend boiling pasta with salted water.
Drain the pasta. Then, rinse with cold water. After this, drain your pasta one more time.
Editor’s Tip: The rinsing and draining keeps pasta from getting mushy when tossed with the dressing.
Step 2: Make the dressing
In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Blend together until all ingredients are combined. This mixture should have a creamy texture to it.
Step 4: Combine
In a large bowl, combine macaroni, sweet red pepper, onion, celery and eggs. Stir together and make sure all ingredients are mixed thoroughly.
Step 5: Add dressing
Add the dressing to the noodles. Toss gently to coat them. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Editor’s Tip: Cool pasta completely before mixing with other ingredients.
Macaroni Salad Variations
No matter if you’re a veggie lover or a meat connoisseur, this salad is extremely versatile depending on your needs.
- Add protein: Add chicken, beef or your choice of protein to bulk up your mac.
- Add seafood: If you like tuna, then try this tuna macaroni salad.
- Spice it up: If you like your pasta more on the spicy side, feel free to add a dash of red pepper chili flakes.
- Veg-ify: You can always add more veggies to the mix. From broccoli to mushrooms, this mac goes well with just about any vegetable.
Can I make macaroni salad ahead of time?
To make this salad ahead—precook the pasta and make your dressing. You can store the pasta in the fridge overnight but make sure to keep the pasta and dressing in separate containers to ensure freshness and avoid sogginess.
How to Store Macaroni Salad
Store leftovers in the fridge. Macaroni salad should stay fresh for 3 to 5 days. We don’t recommend freezing this salad, as mayo-based pasta doesn’t reheat well from frozen.
Macaroni Salad Tips
How do you prevent the noodles from becoming too soft?
In order to prevent the noodles from absorbing too much sauce, make the sauce slightly thinner. This will result in less moisture, allowing the noodles to become less mushy or soft. Additionally, cook the pasta to al dente pasta directions. Over boiling macaroni results in soggy noodles.
Can you use any type of pasta in this recipe?
This recipe works well with all shapes and sizes of pasta varieties. If you want something similar to elbow macaroni, we suggest using shells.
What kind of vegetables would go well with macaroni salad?
If you want more veggies in this salad, all the better! Feel free to cut up zucchini, kale, carrots or broccoli. All you need to do is add the additional veggies to your onion and pepper mixture.
What kind of meat would go well with macaroni salad?
If you’re a big carnivore or want to add more protein to this dish, chicken or beef would be delightful with it. You also can’t go wrong with pork, chopped up bacon or canned tuna.
What to serve with macaroni salad?
There are a ton of options. Serve dollops of macaroni salad with a hearty meatloaf or BBQ pulled pork. Cornbread and collard greens make this the perfect southern meal. You can also roast Brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes alongside the mouthwatering salad for extra nutrition.
