This easy Macaroni salad is a classic summer side dish you can make ahead the night before! Made with a creamy, tangy dressing and plenty of ways to customize the salad to make it your own.
½poundelbow macaronicooked, drained and rinsed under cold water to cool
1red bell pepperdiced
⅓cupdiced red onion
2ribscelerydiced
1medium carrotpeeled and coarsely grated
⅓cupdiced sweet pickles
Instructions
Mix dressing ingredients in a large bowl until smooth.
Add all salad ingredients to dressing and mix well. Adjust seasoning to taste.
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.
Notes
Feel free to add diced hardboiled eggs, cheese, bacon, shrimp, chicken, canned tuna.... To the salad to turn it into a meal.
Switch out any veggies you don't like. Peas, other color peppers, diced green beans or corn are great alternatives.
If you want to skip the mayo, feel free to use Greek yogurt instead. The taste will be different (but still good!). You will need to add more mustard and seasoning to balance out the flavors.