Classic Macaroni salad is an easy side dish you can make the night before your next picnic or potluck with an easy creamy and tangy classic dressing.
Macaroni Salad is the classic popular summer side dish we all grew up eating. We love bbq’s and picnics serving this along with Cole Slaw, Baked Beans and Baked Mac and Cheese for the ultimate spread.
Macaroni Salad Recipe
Easy Macaroni Salad may seem like a silly recipe since most people tend to go to the grocery store deli and load up on sides (like Pea Salad and Crab Salad too!) in preparation for big parties. But pasta salad can be so easy it won’t even be worth the grocery store trip.
How do you make Macaroni Salad?
Macaroni salad is an easy pasta salad that’s a mix of elbow pasta, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, relish, mustard and pimento peppers.
But, here’s the thing. This recipe is crazy easy. So easy in fact by the time the pasta is done cooking you’ll have the entire mixture ready to go. Then you drain the pasta, toss it in the mixture and refrigerate overnight. The longest part of the recipe? Waiting for the water to boil.
Like This
Like this recipe? Then Like us on Facebook!
Macaroni Salad Add-In Ideas:
- Peas: People LOVE peas in their pasta salad salads, just toss in frozen peas, they’ll thaw out overnight without any issues.
- Ham: Diced ham is also really popular especially in a Hawaiian version which also has pineapple in it.
- Red Onions: They’re slightly sweeter than yellow onions and add a fun color.
- Bell Peppers: Don’t worry they’ll have a slight crunch but also somewhat soften overnight.
- Tuna: Tuna Macaroni Salad is hugely popular and a perfect easy picnic main dish option since you’re adding a protein.
- Eggs: Chopped eggs are and easy and very popular mix-in I sometimes use too. Use 3-4 large eggs that have been hard boiled.
- Pickle Juice: If vinegar is too harsh a flavor for you, try substituting pickle juice!
- Cheese: Cubed bits of cheddar cheese added to your salad is an easy protein addition.
- Noodles: Yes noodles, feel free to swap out the pasta shapes. Sometimes I use rotini or ziti or even broken spaghetti!
One of my kid’s favorite options is when I make a Rainbow Macaroni Salad for them. I add in red bell peppers, orange bell peppers, yellow bell peppers, green bell peppers and red onions for an easy, vegetable filled rainbow.
Another fun option is Hawaiian Macaroni Salad which has grated onions, pineapple, carrot and sometimes cubed ham for a tropic twist. This is generally served along side steamed rice and classic Hawaiian bbq meats.
Pasta Salad is sort of the king of cold summer sides. Because the pasta is so filling and easy and great at room temperature we find ourselves trying out all different pasta salad recipes.
Create a free account to Save Recipes
How Much Macaroni Salad for a crowd:
Macaroni Salad is often made for large parties. A good rule of thumb is about 1/2 a cup or about 5 ounces per person.
What do you eat macaroni salad with?
We love serving Pulled Pork, Pulled Chicken or Fried Chicken alongside other easy side dishes like Three Bean Salad.
Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 stalk celery finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons sweet relish
- 2 tablespoons chopped pimento peppers
- 1 pound elbow macaroni cooked and drained
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients together (except the cooked pasta) in a large bowl then add in the pasta, coat well and refrigerate overnight.
Great recipe! Using at a little sub shop we have! Thank you!
I took a very big bite after I mixed everything up and before I put it in the refrigerator and I could eat it just like that! This is delicious and I will be making this over and over again! Thanks for the great recipe!
Delicious, tangy and classic; will make this recipe again (and again)!!
This was great!
Most other places put 500 ingredients in it and it all gets lost.
some people don’t know when to hold back. I am sure i seen one video that tried mixing in the kitchen sink!