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!
½poundelbow macaronicooked, drained and rinsed under cold water to cool
1red bell pepperfinely diced
⅓cupred onionfinely diced
2ribsceleryfinely diced
1medium carrotpeeled and coarsely grated
⅓cupsweet picklesfinely diced
4large eggsboiled 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.
Notes
Ingredient notes
Macaroni: Any short, small, tubular pasta can be used – elbow macaroni, Ziti, Ditalini, spirals, small shells...
Mayo: If you really despise mayo, feel free to use Greek yogurt instead.
Vegetables: 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.
Pickles/eggs: 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. I love hardboiled eggs in macaroni salad, but feel free to skip them.
Recipe tips
Leftovers: Keep leftover macaroni salad covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.
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. 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!