This macaroni salad recipe is a true classic. It’s not only incredibly tasty but also wonderfully easy to whip up, making it a perfect choice for any occasion – be it a potluck, a family gathering or a casual summer cookout.
The flavors meld together beautifully, and every bite offers a perfect balance of creaminess and crunch – you can count on this dish to be a crowd-pleaser!
A summer classic – done right!
Nothing says summer quite like a bowl of classic macaroni salad! Just picture crunchy celery, vibrant red pepper, and zesty onion all mixed in with tender macaroni. These ingredients are then coated in a creamy, luscious mayo-based dressing that adds just the right amount of tang and richness.
So, next time you need a go-to side dish that’s sure to impress, remember this classic macaroni salad. It’s easy to make, delicious to eat, and guaranteed to be a star at any event you bring it to this year!
Why this recipe works
- Quick and easy: This recipe comes together in a snap! Even the homemade creamy, tangy dressing takes only minutes to prepare.
- Make it your own: This salad can be customized with chopped chicken, cooked shrimp, canned tuna… to your heart’s desire!
- Make ahead: Macaroni salad is a great dish to make the night before, so you don’t need to stress around in the kitchen while your summer party is in full swing.
The ingredients are simple, and flexible
Any short, small, tubular pasta can be used – elbow macaroni, Ziti, Ditalini, spirals, small shells. They all work! It’s just technically not macaroni salad anymore 😉
Feel free to swap out any vegetables you don’t like. Great alternatives are peas, corn, green onion, other color peppers… Make sure to cook frozen vegetables according to package directions before adding them to the salad – do not add them straight from frozen for food safety reasons!
If you really despise mayo, feel free to use Greek yogurt instead. The taste will be different, but still good. And if you don’t like pickles, feel free to leave them out. You’ll need to add white vinegar to the dressing instead of pickle juice, otherwise you won’t get the tangy flavors.
Finally, I love hardboiled eggs in macaroni salad, but feel free to skip them. You could also add diced ham, cooked and crumbled bacon or shredded chicken to the salad to bulk it up. Or diced cheddar, Monterey Jack, Colby Jack or even Swiss to add some nice flavor and creaminess!
Just a handful of tips make all the difference
Chopping: I personally prefer to dice all of the vegetable ingredients quite small in order to get a good blend of ingredients in each bite.
Mayo amount: Adjust the amount of mayo to get the creaminess of your salad just right! If you make the salad ahead of time and refrigerate it for a few hours, chances are the macaroni soaked up some of the dressing. It helps to add more mayo and pickle juice to make it creamy again.
Macaroni: Make sure you don’t overcook the macaroni, or the salad comes out soggy. I also always drain the macaroni immediately into a colander when they’re just done and rinse them under cold water to stop the cooking process.
Printable recipe
Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Dressing:
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 3-4 tablespoons pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt & pepper (to taste)
Salad:
- ½ pound elbow macaroni (cooked, drained and rinsed under cold water to cool)
- 1 red bell pepper (finely diced)
- ⅓ cup red onion (finely diced )
- 2 ribs celery (finely diced)
- 1 medium carrot (peeled and coarsely grated)
- ⅓ cup sweet pickles (finely diced)
- 4 large eggs (boiled and chopped)
Instructions
- Make dressing: Mix ⅔ cup mayonnaise, ⅓ cup sour cream, 3-4 tablespoons pickle juice, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, salt & pepper in a large bowl until smooth.
- Make salad: Add ½ pound elbow macaroni (cooked, rinsed under cold water and drained), 1 red bell pepper (finely diced), ⅓ cup red onion (finely diced), 2 ribs celery (finely diced), 1 medium carrot (coarsely grated), ⅓ cup sweet pickles (finely diced) and 4 large eggs (hardboiled, cooled, peeled and diced) to dressing and mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to overnight. You may need to add extra dressing to the salad if you let it sit in the fridge for more than a couple of hours.
Helpful hints
Storage
- Leftovers: According to FoodSafety.gov, you can keep macaroni salads in the fridge for 3-4 days. The macaroni tend to soak up more dressing as it sits, so you may want to add some extra mayo and/or sour cream (or Miracle Whip) before serving if it seems too dry.
- Make ahead: You can make the salad up to a day ahead. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for up to a day. Let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes, then adjust mayo and pickle juice to taste before serving.
- Take along: Due to the mayo-based dressing and eggs in the salad, make sure to keep the salad well-chilled in a cooler at 40°F or below if you’re planning to bring it with you to a barbecue or potluck. FoodSafety.gov recommends to keep it out no longer than 2 hours if eating outdoors, or 1 hour if the temperature is above 90°F. A neat trick is to put your bowl of macaroni salad inside a larger bowl filled with ice to keep it nice and cool!
Serving ideas
Macaroni salad is a classic for potlucks and gatherings, but I also like to make a bowl to have at home when it’s really hot out!
We like to eat it for lunch by itself, or as a side with dinner from the grill (or the air fryer – I take it outside to cook on our covered porch during summer, to keep the house cold and free of smells!). Some of our favorite pairings:
- BBQ pulled pork sandwiches
- Air fryer hamburgers
- Air fryer hot dogs
- Air fryer fried chicken (or oven fried chicken)
- BBQ Chicken
More classic summer salads
Recipe first published on 07/04/2020. Updated with better text, new photos and a slight recipe adjustment (added eggs) on 07/13/2024.
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