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.
Sandra Stitt
Absolutely delicious!
Jayne Gormley
What I love about this recipe is how versatile it is. I have made this many times.. I’ve added shredded carrots, chopped olives, green onions.. heck sometimes I even add cubed cheddar cheese!!
the only thing I don’t change is the dressing..
excellent recipe!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoy it so much, Jayne! 🙂
Molly Gardner
Best recipe out there! Easy to make and oh so good!
Bobbie Johnson
I have been looking for a macaroni salad similar to the one my mother used to make. She never had a recipe, so every time I made it, I would have to guess the ingredients. I have tried so many recipes and none came close to her recipe.
I discovered your recipe on line and decided to give it a try. It turned out to be the best macaroni salad and tasted just like my mom’s.
I went to make it again and searched everywhere for your recipe and couldn’t find it. I ended up using a different recipe that didn’t come close, and had to doctor it up. It still was not to my liking.
I finally found this recipe and knew it was the same one by looking at the dressing ingredients. First time I made it I thought it was unusual to put garlic powder in a macaroni salad, but it does add to the flavor and melds very well with the other flavors.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe and I will make sure I have it for the next time.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Bobbie! You can always print the recipe or bookmark it in your favorites and that way you won’t ever lost it again. 🙂
Shelley
I made this at the last minute to have with BBQ ribs, and had to make a few changes (no chopped pickle, although I did include the pickle juice and doubled the dijon) This dressing is the best ever! I only wish I had made more.
Melissa Bennett
I have made Macaroni salad for years but came across your recipe and was interested because of the addition of sour cream.I am a southern cook with a large family of cooks and Wow this stuff is good!! I added some green onion, and added both cheese and egg… the dressing was OMG slap your momma good! I add a touch more sweet pickle juice too it and didn’t add celery. The garlic powder was a great addition. I am impressed with this recipe! Me and my family thank you!
God Bless!!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Melissa! 🙂
Anne-Marie
Can I make this a day ahead or is it best to make it day of?
Sam
Hi Anne-Marie! It’s actually best to let it sit for a little while and let all of those flavors really work together. 🙂
Chris Curry
I made this today and oh my goodness the salad dressing is just perfect! This will be my go to macaroni salad recipe!! Thank you!!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Chris! 🙂
Jeani
Best Macaroni Salad EVERRRRR!! TEN STARS!!!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Jeani! 🙂
Teresa
I am certainly no cook but when I came across this recipe last year to take to a gathering I made it and it was so delicious everyone at the campground loved it so again this year I’m going to make it again. I am so glad I saved the recipe. I’m going to triple the recipe this time because it was devoured last time. Thank you so much for providing such a great simple to make, delicious recipe.
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Teresa! 🙂
Denise
This was delicious! Always made my pasta salad the way my mom did… noodles, onion, celery and mayo. Wanted to pump it up and this recipe fit they bill. It was so good! I used rotelle noodles and used sweet pickle relish instead of dicing the pickles. It’ll be me bringing the next pasta salad to the family get together! Thank you.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed, Denise! Thank you so much for commenting, I appreciate it! 🙂
Carol Beckwith
Well, it happened again. I searched through all my family recipes and the recipes I’ve collected for about the last 40+ years, and couldn’t come up with a macaroni salad that I thought would please both me and the picky, particular man in my life. So I came to your website, and as has happened to me with many of your other recipes, I found it – the absolute best! I’m a recently retired person who now has the time and interest to improve my cooking skills. Finding your website is certainly assisting me in my endeavors. Thank you!
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Carol! Hopefully some of my recipes will be passed down for future generations to enjoy as well. 🙂
Kari
I just made this for a BBQ tomorrow. i chose this of all the zillions of others because it’s most like my grandmothers recipe. I have always loved mac salad. my mom and dads side each prefer their mac salad different than the other, it is a mayonnaise vs miracle whip situation. i like them both because i grew up having both. this recipe is so good! i am glad i made a ton of it so i can eat it throughout the week.
the only ingredient i will be adding in the morning is diced tomatoes, or halved cherry tomatoes. i am used to having tomato in mac salad and i think it is a nice touch- but if you add them too soon they can add too much moisture. my family always added olives as well, but i am not fan. thanks for the recipe. 👍👍👍👍
Sam
You’re welcome! I hope everyone loves it. 🙂
Susan L Reits
Made this yesterday using cellentani pasta. This will definitely be a favorite!
Sam
I’m so glad to hear this, Susan! Thank you so much for trying my recipe and for letting me know how it turned out for you!
Lori Holuta
Your dressing is really good!
I made this last night, and followed your recipe exactly. After tasting it (and finding it delicious as it was) I decided to add in a couple more ingredients that I know my husband loves. I grated three large radishes into it, and cut a few dozen black olives into quarters and stirred those in. He appreciated those touches. I’ll be making your recipe, with my two additions, again.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed it so much, Lori! 🙂