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
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.
Christine Page
Love this recipe, I have made it several times. It is always a hit at any occasion. Best macaroni salad ever!!!
Sam
I’m so glad you have enjoyed it so much, Christine! 🙂
Aries
I made this macaroni salad recipe on Mother’s Day and it turns out to be one of the most loved meals of the day! I did some modifications by skipping sugar, crushed red pepper, garlic and hard boiled eggs. Instead I added cooked chicken (shredded), raisins and pineapple tidbits. I will definitely keep this recipe. A great addition to my kitchen collection menu.👌🙌🏽 My family and friends loved it! Thank you so much!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Cassie
I made this today and it is delicious! I made it exactly as written and in my opinion it’s the best I’ve ever had. No mush, bland, plain Mac salad here. I love the texture of all the crunchy veggies along with the tangy sweetness! It’s perfect!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Cassie! 🙂
Heather
Best macaroni salad, hands down! Thank you so much for this recipe! ❤️
Peggy
This was the best macaroni salad. I highly recommend this. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
margaret C McCaig
Best macaroni salad I have ever made . Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Margaret! 🙂
Phyllis
Made this Macaroni Salad today and m husband said it was even better than his mom’s. Now THAT is saying something because she was a great cook. Thank you for an-award winning easy recipe to follow..
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Phyllis! 🙂
Jennifer E
Made it as is and it was LOVE! I’ll be making it again and adding chopped bacon or maybe diced ham so I can pretend it’s a balanced meal on its own. Haha
Sam
🤣 I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jennifer! 🙂
Linda
Oooh. Bacon sounds good! My son loves this salad! Takes it every day in his lunch for work. I make a double batch every week.
Sherrilyn
Super hard to find a great gluten free recipe that doesn’t fall apart and go south! Made this as is without the eggs and cheese, gluten free noodles of course and it was amazing! Didn’t feel deprived at all!! Thanks so much for this recipe.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Sherrilyn! 🙂
Kim
Can you freeze this macaroni salad?
Sam
Hi Kim! I’m honestly not sure how it would do in the freezer. The sour cream may cause issues and it may not keep very long. 🙁
SueBDoo
I followed the recipe exactly and truly wouldn’t change a thing. I usually use dill pickles in these types of salads but the sweet pickles were a nice change- and it tasted even better the next day when the flavors really had a chance to blend. You might want to add a bit more mayo to loosen it up on day two, but I enjoyed it slightly on the dry side. Thanks for the great recipe!
Sam
I’m so thrilled to hear that the recipe was such a success for you, Sue! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for letting me know how it turned out 🙂
Ann Betsinger
Hi, I just made this recipe and it is the best macaroni salad I have ever eaten, Thanks!! I give you a 5 out of 5!!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Ann! 🙂
Marylou
Is it possible to use sweet relish instead of the gherkins?
Sam
That should work just fine here. 🙂
Rick
First time trying this recipe, love it easy !!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Rick! 🙂
Rosie Frankeberger
Made the Macaroni Salad couple days ago and my family loved it! This is a keeper! This is my Macaroni Salad to go to from now on. I followed the recipe exactly and it’s the best. Thank you.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Rosie! 🙂
Robert Goldsmith
This macaroni salad is so good. I used a bit more egg than called for but followed the rest of the recipe. If you like macaroni salad, you’ll love this.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Robert! 🙂
Sandy
Haven’t made this yet but was wondering is it 8 ounces of cooked or dry macaroni?
Sam
Dry 🙂
Abby
Perfect! I omitted the onion as we have an onion hater in the house, and used 1 tablespoon of onion powder instead. Great recipe! Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Abby! 🙂
Danielle P
I’m not much of a macaroni salad lover but my husband is. He loves this recipe! I make it all the time for him. I made it exactly as you instructed. It’s a hit & the perfect amount.
Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Danielle! 🙂
Stephanie Mccurley
I’ve never liked macaroni salad so when my cousin asked me to make macaroni salad for Easter I was hesitant to say the least. I googled and this was the only 5 star rating that popped up so I said, this one will have to do. OMG!!! It turned out amazing! I added enough crushed red peppers to make it noticeable. Wow! I’ll be making this again! It was hit with our very diverse family! Thank you!!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Stephanie! 🙂
Linda Swoveland
I LOVE macaroni salad!!!
Many recipes I’ve found don’t add hard boiled eggs, in my opinion it’s not going to be good without eggs.
I made a few changes to this recipe. I added 5 eggs, I don’t like the egg whites so I just use the yolks. I didn’t use sour cream I just added 1/4 cup extra mayonnaise. I didn’t add the optional red pepper flakes.
I don’t limit enjoying macaroni salad to just the summer… life is to short for that, I enjoy it all year long. But I have to admit, summer wouldn’t be summer without having macaroni salad at least twice a month during the summer.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoy it so much, Linda! 🙂