Macaroni Salad
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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 dry 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
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
I am planning on trying your recipe today. Thanks for the detailed directions and amazing pics. Just curious about the type of cheese you might recommend…a sharp cheddar or provolone in small chunks? I would love your input.
I personally would use (and have used) a sharp cheddar cut into small chunks. I hope you love it, Michelle!! 🙂
Delicious made it twice. Today I added leftover ham and cucumber in lieu of celery.
I’ve been looking for a macaroni salad that tasted like my Mom’s. This recipe looked the most like hers…….your recipe was nothing like hers. I actually liked YOUR recipe MORE! Thank you, this will be the macaroni salad I will use from now on😊
Woohoo! This is one of the best compliments I think I could’ve gotten on this recipe, thanks so much Pat!! 😀
This has to be the best macaroni salad I have ever made and I have made some that were not so good. My husband liked it so much that he says that he now has a midnight snack now. This is a keeper and will be making again. Thank you so much for the delicious recipe. Yum!
I am thrilled to hear this, Kris!!! Thank you so much for commenting!! 🙂
Just make for our 4th of July celebration! I’ll let you know how everyone likes it. The dressing tastes yummy.
So excited to try this! May add some artichoke hearts. Thanks so much!
This looks so good..I was looking for a really good macaroni salad recipe and I’m so glad I lucked up on this one thank you
I hope you love it, Judith! 🙂
I haven’t made this yet. But I am defiantly going to try this.
I have been wanting to make a Macaroni Salad but
haven’t found a recipe that looks good.
Thank you
Would it make much of a difference if I use dill pickles instead of sweet?
The taste would be different but I don’t think it would be bad, I think that would be fine 🙂
Hi, Sam! The recipe looks great, and I can’t wait to try it. I’m just wondering why you recommend eggs or cheese. My husband loves both!
Thank you!
Hi Connie! I personally prefer the eggs, but I’ve made it with both eggs and cheese and they’re both delicious! In my family we just typically make macaroni salad with eggs and not as often with cheese, so I went with that as the default 🙂
Oh my goodness…that recipe is amazing…IF. there is enough left…we will be having it fathers day cookout..yummy
So happy to hear you enjoyed it so much, Kim! 🙂
I made this yesterday as a practice run before making it for a party this weekend and it was so good I almost ate the whole bowl myself. Will double the recipe for the weekend, thank you for a great recipe Sam!
That dressing was perfection……loved this recipe!
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed it, Jeanne!
I love macaroni salad and will definitely try your recipe for it. You write in a cheerful manner and will be looking for more from you Thanks
Thank you so much for the kind comment, Grace! 🙂
This reminds me of the days I worked in food service in catering, I love making macaroni salad for hundreds. I would also add cheese, ham, olives.it was so good.
Yum! I’m not much for olives but my husband would LOVE that addition! Thanks for commenting, Debra!