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    You are here: Home / Sides / Macaroni Salad

    Macaroni Salad

    May 19, 2018 By Sam 807 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    The Best Macaroni Salad

    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!

    A heaping bowl of homemade macaroni salad

    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.

    Macaroni salad ingredients

    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.

    Macaroni salad with mayo-based dressing

    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?

    If you enjoy watching these videos, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel to be notified each time I publish a video!

    Macaroni Salad

    Macaroni Salad

    How to make the BEST Macaroni Salad! This recipe can easily be doubled to serve a crowd.
    4.99 from 480 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Salad
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 7 minutes
    Chilling Time: 1 hour
    Total Time: 1 hour 22 minutes
    Servings: 6 cups
    Calories: 408kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz macaroni noodles (227g)
    • ½ cup finely diced sweet gherkins usually 4-6 sweet gherkins for me (80g)
    • ¾ cup finely diced red bell pepper about ½ pepper (100g)
    • ⅓ cup thinly sliced celery about 1-2 stalks (55g)
    • ⅓ cup finely diced red onion (45g)
    • 2 large hard boiled eggs, finely diced

    Macaroni Salad Dressing

    • ¾ cup mayonnaise I use olive oil mayo (175g)
    • ¼ cup sour cream (70g)
    • 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle juice
    • 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar*
    • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    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

    *If you don't have red wine vinegar on hand, white wine or apple cider vinegar would also work well.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cup | Calories: 408kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 79mg | Sodium: 463mg | Potassium: 210mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 884IU | Vitamin C: 25mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    Macaroni Salad in a serving dish

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Tina

      May 19, 2022 at 11:29 am

      5 stars
      Delicious! This is my go to dressing recipe for all macaroni/pasta salads when I want a slightly sweet dressing! As for egg peeling tips, besides what has already been mentioned, after mine sit in an ice bath for at least 20 minutes I peel the egg under a steady stream of cool tap water to help loosen the shell. Hope that tip helps.

      Reply
    2. Sonia

      May 15, 2022 at 5:53 pm

      5 stars
      Love this recipe and I have made it many times. I just substituted the mac for potatoes and made potato salad and it is fantastic!

      Reply
    3. Norma

      May 08, 2022 at 2:23 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely love this macaroni salad. I left out the sour cream and it’s still amazing!!

      Reply
      • Mrs. Smokin T

        May 16, 2022 at 6:49 pm

        Love, ❤️ , love this. I’ve made this so many times & keep forgetting to comment. Today, I made it to go with our BBQ for National BBQ Day!! It is AWESOME with BBQ ribs & chicken.

        Reply
    4. Jennifer Martin

      April 28, 2022 at 8:28 pm

      5 stars
      very good; to peel eggs easily, after boiling them, roll them until shells are finely cracked. If they are very fresh, let them soak in water for 20-30 minutes before peeling. Start at the more rounded end; peel the shell with the side of your thumb until you can get the membrane under the shell started; they will roll off the egg like a apple peel.

      Reply
    5. Pam

      April 28, 2022 at 10:25 am

      5 stars
      This is the best macaroni salad I have ever made! I do not like eggs, so they are left out and it is just fabulous. I have requests for it every summer and camping trip.

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        April 28, 2022 at 1:38 pm

        Thanks so much, Pam! We are so happy it’s such a hit for you 😀

        Reply
    6. Marla

      April 22, 2022 at 4:26 pm

      5 stars
      Best macaroni salad ever! Thank you for sharing your delicious recipe:)

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        April 25, 2022 at 11:00 am

        Thank you so much, Marla! We appreciate your review ❤

        Reply
    7. Monica

      April 20, 2022 at 8:09 pm

      Im hosting a dinner for several
      People(possibly 10-12) and would love to make this, how much more macaroni should I use?

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        April 21, 2022 at 9:32 am

        Hi Monica! We’d suggest doubling the recipe for 12 people 😊

        Reply
    8. Dee

      April 16, 2022 at 9:42 am

      Very good made foe Easter lunch.

      Reply
    9. Patricia

      April 14, 2022 at 11:40 pm

      5 stars
      Well balanced and delicious. One of the best we have made.

      Reply
    10. Holly Kim

      April 14, 2022 at 1:58 pm

      5 stars
      delightful recipe I plan to use again to feed 80 people and I have full confidence they will love it 🙂

      Reply
      • THERESA FIELDS

        April 29, 2022 at 12:12 pm

        5 stars
        This is “hands down” THE BEST MACARONI SALAD!! Hubby even asked me to make more this weekend! And he’s never done that! Thank you so much for the delicious recipe! I “boil” my eggs in the air fryer at 270 degrees for 16 minutes! I put them in ice water after that and they feel perfectly!

        Reply
    11. Mike Haney

      April 12, 2022 at 6:53 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Ya Sam,
      Made a version of your salad. Used some broccoli and cucumbers with celery seed. I know it’s a little different, just the same good. Very Good. I like your style and just wanted to say I appreciate your recipe. Thanks

      Reply
    12. Marcia

      March 29, 2022 at 2:13 pm

      Can macaroni salad be frozen? There are only two of us and this made a HUGE bowl. Delicious but way too much for the two of us.

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 01, 2022 at 9:58 am

        Hi Marcia! I haven’t personally frozen it, but I think that should work just fine. 🙂

        Reply
        • Neva

          April 26, 2022 at 1:17 pm

          5 stars
          I made exactly per your recipe this morning. This is, hands down, the best macaroni salad I have ever tasted! My mom (an old Southern gal who’s been making macaroni salad for 60+ years) RAVED over it!

          Thank you so much for yet another fantastic recipe! ❤️🤗

      • Dluvpink

        April 30, 2022 at 3:35 pm

        Delicious! Easy with ingredients you have on hand. The dressing and the eggs made it so creamy and flavorful!!! I will definitely be using this one every time!! Thank you!

        Reply
        • Lynn T

          May 05, 2022 at 4:27 pm

          5 stars
          Yesss, thank you! Came out perfectly, easy to make, tasty and colorful. This will be my go to.
          I was in the supermarket and they wanted $6.00 for a small container! I came home and made this with ingredients I had in the house.

        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          May 05, 2022 at 4:51 pm

          We’re so glad you liked it, Lynn ❤ It’s crazy how pricy the store-bought version can get!

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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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