Macaroni Salad
This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
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?
If you enjoy watching these videos, please subscribe to my YouTube Channel to be notified each time I publish a video!
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 haven’t yet made the recipe but am eager to try it. I was wondering, though, whether you could recommend how to make a variant with tuna fish. We buy mac salad at our local Hawaiian cuisine fast food place and it’s really good, I believe due to the addition of tuna fish (which blends in so you don’t even realize it’s in there, but makes the taste richer and more complex). I’d love to make something like that at home and was wondering whether I could start with your recipe and just add in some tuna? Thanks for any advice you could provide.
Hi Susan! That sounds like a really delicious addition. I haven’t personally tried it so I can’t say for sure how it would work. I think it could be a great addition. I would probably break the tuna up nice and small and just mix it in. 🙂
Deliciously good recipe!
BEST PASTA SALAD I EVER MADE I WENT BACK FOR SECONDS AND RUINED MY PLANNED MEAL,LOL
This is one of the best pasta salad recipes I have ever tried, but I haven’t actually tried the exact recipe as I do not like celery or red onion. I also did not think it needed chopped pickles, as it has the two tbsp of pickle juice. Well, I would say the macaroni “dressing” its self is beyond excellent. This is a great basic dressing and you can add what you want to the salad. I used black olives, diced cucumber, red or yellow bell pepper and even some bacon.
Really great macaroni salad! I added a little extra sweet pickles , little more salt and a little extra dijon mustard! But, I always put extra ingredients in all my recipes. Would definitely suggest others to try this recipe out!
I have an egg pod. You microwave your eggs then shake them 10 times. The shells just fall right off. No peeling needed and perfect eggs every time. Comes in 4 egg or 6 egg maker. Available on amazon. Looks like a big egg!
the dressing is the key. Makes all the difference.
I have finally found a perfect macaroni salad! I am a sucker for the classic deli counter macaroni salad and have struggled to find the right recipe. This is wonderful – the sweet pickles and juice, the eggs, and dijon really push it over the edge! The only changes I made were using green pepper instead of red and a full cup of mayo instead of the 1/4 cup sour cream because I didn’t have either of those. Still heavenly and I’ll probably keep it that way. This recipe is going in my binder!
I made this for my husband’s “guy night” and they all loved it!
Great recipe and so easy to make, thank you
Great taste and good recipe
my whole family absolutely loved this recipe! definitely will be doing it again!
Excellent! I get requests for your recipe every time I take it to a pot luck. I overlooked the 2 T. pickle juice in the dressing instructions …. and while I had enough the first time I made it, the next time I barely had enough leftover in the little jar of pickles to squeeze out another 2 tablespoons. On my printed copy, I’ve penciled in “save 2 T. pickle juice!” under the top list of ingredients so I wouldn’t be short. Anyway. Love the recipe. Thanks for sharing your family treasure. Now it’s on my treasured list, too.
This recipe is really good! I did do a few things though. I used spiral noodles instead of macaroni and sweet pickle relish instead of juice. I also added about 4 Oz. of shredded triple cheddar cheese. I may try it with diced ham too. I will definitely be making it again!
I made it tonight for my aunts surprise 87th Bday party w/the gals tomorrow. Taste really good to me, will followup w/all after tomorrow’s true test.
The best I ever had!! 🔥🔥