Macaroni Salad
Everyone loves the cool combo of pasta, veggies, and flavorful dressing of classic Macaroni Salad. It’s a must-have at every BBQ this summer!
Why We Love Macaroni Salad
- It doesn’t even feel like a great BBQ if there’s no classic macaroni salad; that’s how much everyone loves this potluck staple!
- From start to finish, this easy macaroni salad recipe takes only 20 minutes to make, so it’s the perfect low-stress, crowd-pleasing dish!
- This macaroni salad is loaded with comforting, filling pasta, fresh, crisp vegetables, and a seasoned dressing that pulls all of these flavors together for one delicious dish!
- You’ll find that this recipe for the best macaroni salad checks off two important boxes: everyone raves about it, and there are no leftovers to take home!
What are the Ingredients of Macaroni Salad?
DRESSING INGREDIENTS
CONDIMENTS: To make the dressing, you will need mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, and Dijon mustard.
SPICES: Set out dried dill, ground pepper, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder, red chili flakes, and granulated sugar to flavor the dressing.
SALAD INGREDIENTS
PANTRY ITEMS: Pick up elbow macaroni for this recipe.
PRODUCE: Grab fresh celery, a red onion, and a red bell pepper from the store.
CHEESE: You will also need a block of cheddar cheese to cube, or you can purchase cubed cheddar.
How to Make Macaroni Salad
Jump to RecipeSTEP 1 Whisk together the mayo, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, dill, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, and chili flakes in a medium bowl and set aside to let the flavors meld.
STEP 2 Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni according to the package directions. While the pasta is cooking, chop and dice the celery, red onion, and red bell pepper, and cube the cheese.
STEP 3 Once the pasta is done, drain it and rinse it under cold water to stop it from cooking further. Add the drained pasta to a large bowl and fold in the dressing.
STPE 4 Add the diced veggies and cheese, and toss the salad again to mix well and serve.
Tips & Tricks
- There are a lot of great additions you can make to this salad. Chop three hard-boiled eggs to fold into this salad, and add diced cucumbers, carrots, peas, corn, gherkins, jalapenos, crumbled bacon, or green or black olives. There’s no shortage of veggies you can include in this salad!
- If you find red onion to be too strong, you can soak the diced onion in cold water for up to 5 minutes and then drain before adding it to the salad.
- You can store the salad in the fridge for up to 5 days. While the salad is best served immediately, you can prep all the ingredients a day or two in advance and then assemble the salad before your guests arrive.
- This recipe is a classic macaroni salad recipe, which is different than a Hawaiian Macaroni Salad. Hawaiian Macaroni Salad typically features a dressing made with mayo and sugar, so it’s tangier and sweeter and has no mustard or vinegar. The veggies are pretty minimal as well, and usually include shredded carrots and sliced green onions.
Recipe FAQ
What is the secret to macaroni salad?
The secret to macaroni salad lies in the use of vinegar! The acid of the vinegar balances out the creaminess of the dressing and also gives it a pop of flavor.
There are a variety of vinegars you can use in this salad, from the white wine vinegar like I’m using, to red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or pickle juice. The brightness the vinegar gives this salad is part of what keeps folks coming back for seconds, thirds, and fourth helpings!
What are the five mistakes to avoid when making pasta salad?
There are a few things to avoid when making the best pasta salad, the first of which is overcooking your pasta.
- Soft, mushy pasta in a creamy dressing equals a big bunch of no thanks! Be sure to start testing your pasta once it reaches the al dente stage and only cook it until firm but soft.
- Since you’re making a pasta salad, you’ll want to rinse it in cold water after draining it. If you skip rinsing the pasta, there’s a good chance your dressing will become sticky from the remaining starch on the pasta.
- Try to stick to the measurements listed in recipes to avoid overdressing your pasta.
- Taste the dressing ahead of time to make sure it’s properly seasoned.
- Use the right pasta for the dish. Medium pastas work best in pasta salads, so avoid long noodles or large-shaped pasta.
There are two schools of thought on rinsing the pasta…
For the pro-rinsing camp, it is believed that rinsing the pasta cools the pasta quickly so that it can be used right away, plus, it will prevent the dressing from developing a sticky consistency.
On the other hand, those against rinsing point out that washing away that beautiful starch prevents the dressing from sticking. In the end, it’s better to spread freshly drained pasta on a rimmed baking sheet to cool quickly and toss it with a little olive oil to prevent sticking.
Other Recipes You May Like
- Antipasto Pasta Salad
- Bacon and Avocado Pasta Salad
- Chipotle Chicken Pasta Salad Recipe
- Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Roasted Pepper Pasta Salad
Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces elbow macaroni uncooked
- 2 cups celery thinly sliced
- 2 cups red bell pepper cored and diced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese cut into small cubes
- 1 cup red onion peeled and finely diced
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (see note)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and run under cold water to stop the cooking.
- Prep the vegetables and cube the cheese while the pasta cooks. (see note)
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayo, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and pepper flakes until smooth.
- Transfer the cooked pasta to a large serving bowl. Pour the dressing over top, and stir until evenly coated. Add the veggies and cheese and stir until mixed. Serve immediately.
Notes
- To tone down the raw onion taste, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 minutes. Then drain and pat dry a bit with a paper towel.
- If you’re worried about spice level, start with 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes. Mix the dressing and add more flakes as desired.
- For other great add-in options, try chopped hard-boiled eggs, cucumber, carrots, peas, corn, crumbed bacon, and olives.
- Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.