This is a classic, tasty, and oh-so easy macaroni salad recipe! Made with classic ingredient staples including celery, red pepper, and onion and dressed up in a simple creamy mayo-based dressing, this is guaranteed to be a hit at every cookout and potluck this year!
Be sure to check out the easy video that shows step-by-step how to make this recipe!
We have had a non-stop week of rain here.
Zach’s first two softball games of the season have been rained out and I’m beginning to forget what the sun looks like (I’m only slightly dramatic I promise 😉). I am completely over it. I’m ready for summertime sunshine and cookout weather, and with Memorial Day weekend just around the corner I’m taking the opportunity to prepare and share my all-time favorite macaroni salad recipe, even if it is grey and gloomy outside.
I’ve shared a few of my summertime salads, including my favorite broccoli salad and ramen noodle salad, but this one may just be my favorite.
Macaroni salad is a party/potluck/cookout staple, no get-together is complete without a giant chilled bowl, and today I’ll show you how I make my favorite recipe and the perfectly creamy, slightly sweet dressing that goes along with it.
What Ingredients are in Macaroni Salad?
Different macaroni salads contain different ingredients, but my staples include:
- Elbow macaroni (obviously 😉)
- Sweet pickles
- Red pepper
- Celery
- Red onion
- Hard boiled eggs or shredded or diced cheddar cheese
- A homemade mayo-based macaroni salad dressing
You can obviously add your favorite additional add-ins or make substitutions (I know some people prefer sliced green onions to red onion and some people like to add paprika to their dressing), but this if my favorite combination and I really recommend you try it out exactly this way at least once for yourself.
The dressing I just mentioned is what really sets it apart from other potluck recipes you might have tried. It provides just the right amount of creaminess — the noodles are coated in just enough sauce and are neither dry nor are they drenched in the dressing. It’s also just slightly sweetened thanks to the addition of some sweet pickle juice and a pinch of sugar.
How long can you keep Macaroni Salad?
Macaroni salad will keep for up to five days when stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. This is a great salad for making in advance (I actually recommend chilling for at least an hour before serving) and serving at picnics and potlucks, but try not to leave it out at room temperature (or worse, in the heat!) for very long as the salad dressing base will not keep well in the heat.
This macaroni salad recipe is a favorite to serve alongside my favorite BBQ pulled chicken and a plate full of deviled eggs (you’re already going to be boiling eggs anyway, might as well make enough for deviled eggs while you’re at it!).
When I shared my deviled egg recipe, so many of you shared your favorite methods for cleanly peeling fresh eggs, and I appreciated those tips so much and have tried many of them. I’d love to keep the conversation going here if you would share your favorite egg-peeling methods in the comments!
How Do You Make Homemade Macaroni Salad?
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Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz macaroni noodles (227g)
- 1/2 cup finely diced sweet gherkins usually 4-6 sweet gherkins for me (80g)
- 3/4 cup finely diced red bell pepper about 1/2 pepper (100g)
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced celery about 1-2 stalks (55g)
- 1/3 cup finely diced red onion (45g)
- 2 large hard boiled eggs, finely diced
Macaroni Salad Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise I use olive oil mayo (175g)
- 1/4 cup sour cream (70g)
- 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle juice
- 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar*
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
Instructions
- Prepare macaroni noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse immediately with cold water, then drizzle with a teaspoon of olive oil and gently stir so the noodles don't stick together as they sit.
- In a large bowl, combine macaroni noodles, sweet pickles, red pepper, celery, red onion, and eggs. Stir until well-combined. Set aside and prepare your dressing.
For the dressing
- To prepare your macaroni salad dressing, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, red wine vinegar, sweet pickle juice, sugar, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper (if using) in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk until ingredients are well-combined.
- Pour dressing over your macaroni salad ingredients and toss until well-combined.
- For best flavor, cover bowl and allow macaroni salad to chill for at least one hour. Stir once more before serving and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Pat says
Going to make this for the weekend family birthday celebration!!!
Sam says
I hope everyone loves it Pat! 🙂
Marilyn says
was delicious – made a little extra dressing to add the next day in leftovers. didn’t use the diced pickles but added baby cooked peas instead. will definitely make again.
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Marilyn! 🙂
Jessica says
This looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it! Is there a reason why you rinse the macaroni after cooking it? I’m just curious because I remember someone telling me not to rinse macaroni because as it cools it will get a bit sticky which will allow the sauce to adhere to the noodles better so the sauce won’t settle at the bottom of the bowl after the dish sits for a while.
Thank you!
Jessica
Sam says
Hi Jessica! I actually do it so they don’t stick together. It’s much easier to get everything nicely coated if the noodles aren’t all stuck together. I hope you love it. 🙂
Kanita says
This recipe is great! It is delicious! I like it because the dressing is light, not alot of mayonnaise. All ingredients work great together. Follwed recipe to a tee. Will definitely keep and will make again!!! Thanks for the recipe!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Kanita! 🙂
Sharon says
Made this salad twice — everyone loved it ❤️.
Sam says
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Sharon! 🙂
Brigitte says
I made this macaroni salad for dinner tonight. My husband and I loved the flavor. I will definitely make this again. I’ve always avoided making a macaroni salad for any occasion for fear it would be too dry or lack flavor. Not now, I will serve this recipe again and again. I didn’t have sweet relish so I used dill. I added about 10 diced, green olives and celery seed.
Sam says
I am so happy to hear it was such a hit, Brigitte! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know how it turned out, I appreciate it 🙂
Ginger says
I am vegetarian and my hubby is not. On top of that I am historically terrible at making macaroni salad on my own. I just omit eggs for mine and add to my husbands for your recipe! Thank you so much for making me look like I can finally do this “on my own”. It tastes so good! I will never use another recipe!
Sam says
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Ginger! 🙂
KarenTheCondimentQueen says
This is almost exactly like my mother’s recipe! She always said to have the dressing ready first so you can pour it over the hot macaroni as soon as it’s drained. The mac absorbs more flavor that way, she said. Well done!
Sam says
That’s an interesting tip. I will have to try it some time! 🙂
Kathi Day says
Try adding your secret ingredient in your deviled eggs … jus’ sayin’ 😉
Sam says
Hmmm sounds interesting! I’ll have to try it. 🙂
Julie H says
Absolutely the best macaroni salad I have ever had. You could easily cut back on the
sugar.
Thank you for such a delicious recipe
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Julie! 🙂
Marc Griffith says
DELICIOUS! Every single elbow was devoured. I made it again today, but added more of each of the veggies ( probably 50% more, as I love the crunch). Also used 4 eggs.
I had sweet relish, do I used that.
Thank you for such a great macaroni salad!
Sam says
You’re very welcome, I’m so glad to hear it was such a hit, Marc! 🙂