Macaroni Salad
intro
Creamy, tangy chilled elbow macaroni salad loaded with crisp veggies and rich mayo dressing, a beloved warm-weather side for casual gatherings.
Ingredients
Steps
Cook the elbow macaroni
Bring 2 liters of water to a rolling boil over high heat, add 20g of the kosher salt (water should taste as salty as seawater). Add 200g dry elbow macaroni, stir immediately to prevent sticking, and cook for 8 minutes until al dente (firm to the bite, no raw white center). Drain thoroughly, rinse with cold tap water for 1 minute to stop cooking and cool pasta completely, then set aside in the colander to drain fully for 5 minutes.
Mix the creamy dressing
In a large 3L mixing bowl, combine 120ml full-fat mayonnaise, 60ml sour cream, 15ml apple cider vinegar, 5ml Dijon mustard, 4g granulated sugar, 3g of the remaining kosher salt, and 1g freshly ground black pepper. Whisk continuously for 30 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth, pale cream in color, and no lumps of mayo or sour cream remain.
Prep salad mix-ins
Pat diced celery, diced red bell pepper, finely diced red onion, diced dill pickles, and thawed green peas dry with paper towels to remove excess surface moisture (this prevents a watery final salad). Chop the 2 peeled hard-boiled eggs into 1cm chunks, taking care not to mash the soft egg yolks into fine crumbs.
Combine pasta and mix-ins
Add the fully cooled, well-drained macaroni and all prepped vegetables and chopped egg to the large bowl with the creamy dressing. Use a flexible rubber spatula to fold the ingredients together gently for 1 minute, until every piece of macaroni and vegetable is evenly coated with dressing, taking care not to break apart the soft egg chunks.
Chill to meld flavors
Taste a small bite of the salad and adjust seasoning with the remaining 2g kosher salt if needed. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for a minimum of 1 hour to let flavors meld, keeping the salad stored at a consistent 4°C (40°F) or below for food safety.
Garnish and serve cold
Before serving, give the salad a quick, gentle stir to redistribute the dressing that may have settled at the bottom of the bowl, then sprinkle the top evenly with 1g smoked paprika for a pop of warm color and subtle smoky flavor. Serve immediately while cold.
Tips
2.Pat all diced vegetables, pickles, and thawed peas completely dry with paper towels before mixing in; excess moisture from wet ingredients will thin the creamy dressing and result in a watery, diluted salad.
3.For the best, most cohesive flavor, make the salad 2–4 hours before serving to let the tangy dressing meld with the pasta and veggies, but avoid making it more than 24 hours in advance as the pasta will soften and lose its ideal texture.
OMG this macaroni salad is exactly the classic version I grew up eating at church potlucks! I made it for our neighborhood block party yesterday and every single person asked for the recipe. The balance of creamy mayo, a little tang from the vinegar, and crunchy celery and onion? Chef’s kiss! I even tossed in a handful of chopped dill pickles like my grandma used to and it fit perfectly. Will be making this all summer long for every cookout!
Total game changer for my weekly meal prep! I was sick of sad desk lunches that left me ravenous by 2pm, so I whipped this up on Sunday to pair with grilled chicken for the work week. It’s so easy to throw together even when I’m chasing my toddler around the kitchen on prep day, and it holds up perfectly in the fridge for 4 whole days without getting watery. 10/10, already added it to my permanent recipe rotation.
Super easy to make even in my tiny dorm kitchen with basically no fancy equipment! I didn’t have any celery on hand so I subbed in diced red bell pepper, and used light mayo to cut a few calories, and it still came out SO good. Only reason I’m not giving 5 stars is I wish it had a little more tang, so next time I’ll add a splash extra apple cider vinegar. Awesome base recipe though!
My kids loved it!! I’ve tried so many macaroni salad recipes over the years that are either too runny, too sweet, or just totally bland, but this one is perfect. I brought it to my extended family’s Easter dinner (yes, we do pasta salad at Easter, don’t judge) and even my super picky sister-in-law who complains about everything went back for a second helping. Pro tip: don’t skip the full hour of chill time, it makes such a big difference!
It’s solid, but I had to tweak it a lot to fit my taste. I ended up adding a big spoonful of yellow mustard, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, and a handful of chopped hard-boiled egg because that’s how my dad always made mac salad growing up. The base is fine, but it’s pretty plain if you don’t add extra stuff, in my opinion.
Made this for a casual backyard brunch with my girlfriends yesterday and we demolished the whole bowl in 20 minutes flat! I added a little sprinkle of Old Bay on top for a subtle extra kick and it paired so perfectly with mimosas and breakfast sliders. Who knew mac salad worked for brunch? It’s a new staple for all my gatherings now, no matter the time of day.
Okay full transparency I messed up the first time I made this because I accidentally grabbed sweetened condensed milk instead of mayo while half-asleep grabbing ingredients before work (don’t ask) and it was… not good. Tried it again yesterday, actually followed the directions, and wow! It’s so creamy and tasty, my roommate ate half the bowl straight out of the container while I was putting leftovers away. Just wish I didn’t waste a whole box of pasta on the first failed attempt lol.
This was the first real side dish I’ve ever made from scratch for my first apartment housewarming party, and I was so nervous it would flop! It was so easy to follow, no confusing steps, and all my guests kept raving about how good it was. I felt like a real adult making food that people actually enjoyed, can’t wait to make it again soon.
I’ve been making macaroni salad for family picnics for over 40 years, and I have to say this recipe is right up there with my old tried-and-true! It’s simple, no weird fancy ingredients, and the creamy dressing doesn’t get all watery after a few hours in the cooler like some recipes I’ve tested over the years. I’ll definitely be pulling this one out for our Fourth of July cookout this summer, it’s a total keeper.