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!
Super delicious! I doubled the macaroni. (Spirals) I have been looking for a great macaroni salad for some time now. Thank you Sam!
You’re very welcome, I’m so glad you enjoyed, Nicole! 🙂
I loved it and it was so easy! ❤️
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Marilyn! 🙂
OMG!!! I had been craving macaroni salad and especially homemade, I found this recipe all I can say is too die for!!! I will definitely be using this recipe forever thank u sooo much!! My husband doesn’t care for sweet pickles so I used dill instead and it’s perfect.
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Gina! 🙂
Top notch recipe! I didn’t use the eggs because picky eaters at home but I plan on making a batch for myself and maybe they’ll like it for next time. I made it twice.
I am so glad you have enjoyed it so much, Sean! 🙂
Loved! I have been testing out several macaroni salad recipes & was not satisfied until I made this version today. It’s a keeper.
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Janice! 🙂
Wonderful recipe! This one’s a winner in my books! I halved the recipe and it turned out great. Plan on making it for company❣️❣️
D from Edmond, OK
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe. My husbands LOVES macaroni salad , so finding the perfect recipe was very important. I made this exactly like instructed and it was a HUGE hit, he loved it..
So thank you very much ! It will be my go-to from now on…
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Allison. 🙂
Delicious. I use relish instead of pickles to save time, doubled the recipe so added about 3 tablespoons of relish, added peas, and did not do egg or cheese. Tastes great!
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Tiffany! Thank you for commenting! 🙂
Delicious delicious definitely 😋😋😋 delicious.my hold family loved it I had to make enough for 10 people but it worked out fine.
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Kimchi! 🙂
Did you use frozen peas
The dressing is nearly perfect. I just slightly tweaked the recipe, I added finely diced fresh parsley, and some celery seed. I’ve always liked it with pasta salads.
The dressing was sweet, yet tangy, creamy and rich.
I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed, Ed! Thank you so much for commenting! 🙂
My mother and I love this salad! She wanted her miracle whip macaroni salad but I was secretly in search for something with more flavor, and that’s how I found this one. It is so yummy that I’m making my second batch within a week! Love the sweet gherkins and sour cream. The dressing is very creamy and covers the noodles well. I used apple cider vinegar instead of the red wine and it works just as well. I can see why everyone calls this their new go-to because it’s ours now too 👍😊 thank you for the recipe!!
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
I added more veggies such as tomatoes, carrots and cucumbers as well as sweet pickle cubes. Loved the dressing. Made 16 ounces of pasta and dressing was plenty to cover it!
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Melinda! 🙂
We also added sweet peas. Very good.
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Doug! 🙂
I made this today and used plain kefir for sour cream and relish instead of pickles. It’s what I had on hand. Also I try to sneak in healthier ingredients whenever possible. This recipe still turned out better than any pasta salad I’ve ever had. I’m usually not a fan but I’ll be cheating with this dish again although I really would like to make it exactly your way next time. Thank you for sharing your recipes
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Sharon! 🙂
OMG! I loved this macaroni salad. I added dill pickles (and juice) instead of sweet (I really do not like sweet pickles). I used gluten free elbow macaroni and left out the hard boiled egg and cheese. It was so yummy and tasted like “real” macaroni salad (that I haven’t had in forever, since I have been gluten free).
Thanks so much for posting this recipe. It will be a make again and again (and again). Yum.
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Chris! 🙂
I just made this today for a picnic and it was so flavorful, creamy and delicious! I didn’t have celery or pickles, but used olives and peas instead and it was still amazing! Such a solid basis for macaroni salad. Thank you for the recipe!
I am so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Jenn! 🙂
I just made this and OMG score!! Delicious. I didnt have any red wine vinegar on hand so i used white vinegar, it worked really well. Will be making this over and over. I was hesitant bc im not crazy about the Gornichon pickles but everything melded together beautifully. Thank you!!
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Michelle! 🙂