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.
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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.
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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!
Rinse the pasta in cold water to stop the cooking and remove the starch…let sit to dry for maybe 20 min…this will prevent absorbing of too much dressing…I didn’t add the sugar but added a med size pkg of pepperoni, peas, grated carrot, chopped olives and finely chopped celery to make this a complete summer meal…excellent!!!!
umm do u come here to advert your recipes?
Awesome recipe! Turned out great. Super easy and since I also made your potato salad I had most of the ingredients out. Thank you!!
Good, simple recipe. I made three alterations so i didn’t have to go to the market. I used a garlic honey dijon mustard instead of yellow mustard and omitted the sugar. I used dill pickle juice instead of white vinegar. And i used a tablespoon (maybe 2?) of Sambal instead of pimento. Yum yum yum. And cheap!
I made this early this morning and put it in the fridge. But I can’t stay out of it, it is that good! I hope I have enough left for our late lunch.
Your recipes are straightforward and easy to follow. I really appreciate your suggestions for substitutions, and with what to serve it. I subbed sweet pickle juice for the vinegar, red onion, and added very small cubes of cheese. We are serving this with a brisket we smoked overnight. I can’t wait to see the reactions from my family! Thanks so much!
Thank you for simple and delicious, the complexity of a thousand ingredients couldn’t put you at a checkered table cloth in July under an old oak tree as this recipe does.
Thank you for the recipe! I made it a couple weeks ago and I’m making it again this weekend! Everybody had seconds!
In these uncertain times, I have been fixing most meals at home. Just so happened I had all the ingredients on hand (save the pimento pepper). Came out great! I added diced ham, to make it a heartier meal for dad and me. I rinsed the pasta before adding it to the mix although it didn’t say to do so. Thank you for posting this simple recipe. God bless!
So glad you enjoyed it, Kevin.
Made this for Thanksgiving. Added celery carrots and peas. I did add a splash of milk to thin the dressing becouse i added a bit more pasta and im lazy and didnt want to go get more mayo from store ?. Anyways.. I taste tested before and after milk and it didnt realy change flavor. I will be making this again. Not usualy a pasta salad lover but this was realy good. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it and that it worked out for you! 🙂 Thanks for the review!
Love it made it for Thanksgiving today it’s almost gone
Great recipe. I did almost a quarter cup of pickle juice with about 2 tablespoons of vinegar. didn’t wanna completely substitute all the vinegar out; I wanted it to have a bit of kick. finely chopped red bells, and a couple cans of tuna. Overall a very satisfying pasta!
Sounds like a delicious variation to make it a complete meal. Yum!
That was the plan! Also what would you think of using cider vinegar instead of regular?
You can sub it out, the flavor will change a bit but not too much. Let me know how it turns out!
The recipe has way too much vinegar in it, I had to ad more sugar
My salad was spicy maybe because I used dry pure mustard. Was that my mistake?
Yes, you should have just used yellow mustard.
u can use 2 teaspoons of dry mustard, 1 teaspoon for every tblspoon of yellow mustard
Macaroni salad is one of my favorites and this recipe definitely did not disappoint. It is very easy and simple one..Thanks for a great recipe!!!!
This was a huge hit at my latest bbq. I changed the recipe a bit to my taste but the overall recommendations were easy and delicious. In my version I used red and green bell peppers, half the amount of mustard, and an additional cup of mayo. I did not use the pimento peppers, celery, or relish. 5 stars! Thanks
Sounds amazing!
I have made this twice, following the recipe, and something is just not right. The first time I used a store brand mayo from Sam’s Club and I was thinking that may be the issue. Then I tried Hellmann’s (not sure if that is the correct spelling 🙂 ). The pasta seems to not be creamy at all, like it absorbs the mayo. I’m not sure sure what’s going on with it. I was wondering if the pasta needs to be chilled before adding the other ingredients. The reviews are really good so I’m assuming it’s either the mayo or something that I am doing wrong. I am also using Barilla macaroni. I’m just frustrated as I would like this recipe to work.
Oh no! You just really need to make sure the pasta is fully drained before adding it in. If you’re still having an issue, you could try coating the pasta with a very thin layer of olive oil to work as a barrier. Hope this helps!
When I make this again, I will Def try coating it with O.O and see if that helps! Thanks Sabrina !
I made this following recipe except I drained themacaroni and then rinsed the macaroni out with cold water. Mine turnedout great.. Thanx and am looking forward to trying some more of your recipes..
I’m happy it turned out for you and you enjoyed! Hope to see you around the site trying more recipes!
Hi Laurie. Whenever I make macaroni salad using Barilla Pasta shells or elbows I have the same issue. For whatever reason the mixture does not come out creamy. Try using a different pasta and I think you will have better luck.
I had the same issue Laurie! And I used a cheap brand of elbows. So now I’m wondering what pasta is best for this dish. This was the first time I made it and I had asked my mom why it came out like that and she said she didn’t know lol. BTW- it’s nice to see a Laurie that spells her name like I do ! LoL.. : )
If the macaroni is warm when you mix in the other ingredients it will absorb the dressing (mayo, vinegar, etc). You can either chill the macaroni first or increase the amount of mayo. you put in it, either one will work. I personally would not coat the macaroni with olive oil, it will make the salad greasy and change the taste.
I cook my pasta the day before; letting it drain really well,letting it chill in the fridge over night and then next day I add in the remaining ingredients.
I agree with Cindy. If I don’t let the pasta cool completely, no matter which brand I buy, I have the same issue. I personally wouldn’t add oil either. Just be sure pasta is cool before making the dish up then the pasta doesn’t soak up as much of the mayo.
I just made this – other than substituting pickle juice for vinegar I followed recipe exactly (could not be easier). Excellent recipe – thank you! Easy but tastes like it was a lot of work. Looking forward to checking out your other recipes.
So glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the 5 stars.
YUM YUM YUM
Just need a quick clarification: You say you can add pickle relish instead of vinegar… is that dill pickle relish or sweet? Since there’s also sugar in the recipe I want to make sure I don’t get it too sweet!
You can add either but I would recommend dill pickle relish. Enjoy!
I’ve made this twice now with everything except the pimento peppers. I added 3 hard boiled eggs and sliced olives. Served at bbqs with carne asada, chicken, Spanish rice, pinto beans. Everyone LOVES! Thanks so much!
Thank you for the recipes
You’re welcome, Marian.
Thank you so much for this recipe – made it to use up some hard boiled eggs and I threw in some peas too, per your recommendations. Delicious! I’ve tried other recipes on your site and I’m never disappointed. I’m truly grateful!
You’re so welcome, Jen. Thanks for coming back to let me know.
Just what I have been searching for. Made per recipe, and very pleased.
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I made this and now it’s in the fridge awaiting lunch tomorrow. I had corned beef I needed to use, so in it went. I cubed some cheese and added that too. Your recipe is versatile and the sauce is very tasty. Not boring! Can’t wait to have some!
Sounds amazing!
Goodness… Is there anything you can’t make? What us your favorite food. Meat starch vegetables desert restaurant???? Do you have a book out? Bottom line… You’re awesome#!! Thanks so much for your teaching and experience. Much appreciated.
You are so sweet! So glad you’re enjoying all of the recipes.
I want to try this recipe for the first time…can you tell me the most important ingredients and steps I should not miss.
Just follow the recipe card step by step and you’ll be set. Enjoy!
I like to add peas, tomatoes and bacon to mine with ranch dressing mix. Yum
Sounds delicious!
I’ve been eating macaroni salad all my life and have NEVER had it with onions….doesn’t even sound right to me. Thank you for posting the only recipe on the internet that doesn’t have them in it. It’s the one I’m going with!
Yay!! So glad you found it!
Sounds great. I am making this tonight. As a side for my chicken. I w know it will be a winner. Thanks for pulling me out of the same old stuff
India.
You’re welcome! It’s fun trying new dishes.
Way too sweet, I think if I were to attempt this recipe again, I’d either forego the sugar or the sweet relish to balance it out. Other than that it wasn’t too bad.
5 stars on the macaroni salad! Thanks, Deb
Thank you!
This recipe was a hit with a group of pilots at an air force function! We doubled the recipe and still, the bowl was completely cleaned-out. Not one morsel left.
Days later, I had calls from some of the wives asking for the recipe as their husbands kept raving about it. The addition of the relish was a wonderful taste enhancer. I referred them to your website. Thank you for your terrific recipes!
Yay!! So glad everyone enjoyed it!
I look forward to trying this Macaroni salad, im so very busy, I usually don’t have time to cook. Our church usually has great potluck dinners. The ladies at our church usually make homemade dishes, most are retired. I needed something I could make in short time. Thanks for the recipes.
You’re welcome!
i love it
Thanks, Allie!
I made this recipe and loved it!
Thanks for dropping by to let me know! I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
I totally LOVE Macaroni Salad, and have probably made it every which way possible over the years. We also love it w/small shrimp, celery, diced red onion, & plenty of fresh dill. I like using a (70-30%) blend of real mayo & sour cream for the dressing when I make it this way (so refreshing on a hot summer day.) Your Macaroni Salad recipe is perfect as written, and I also like all of the optional ingredients which you listed. The possibilities are endless. Thanks for posting this amazing recipe!
Thanks Angelina!
I love macaroni salads, as they are fast and easy to prepare. 🙂 Can’t wait to try this one out! 🙂
Enjoy!
Oh my gosh, I love a good macaroni salad recipe and this one looks like a keeper!
Thanks Emily!
Looks good!
Thank you!
I love the idea of rainbow macaroni salad! Such a fun way to get kids excited about eating vegetables.
Rainbows are always a great go-to for my kids!
I haven’t made this yet but i love macaroni salad. I will be giving this a try. I made the pea salad and loved it. thank you for all the wonderful recipes.
You’re welcome Jackie!
I could eat this salad every day! And I love the addition of sweet relish!
Gives it that little bit of something extra 🙂
In the past when making mac salad the mac absorbed all the mayo etc. I had to add more mayo and liquid .any suggestions on keeping it like store bought mac
Jim
Feel free to adjust the mayo to whatever consistency you prefer. 🙂
Years ago I was taught that to make the perfect pasta salad, no matter what pasta, you drain the pasta then pour it out in a single level, like onto cookie sheets, and allow it to completely cool. Do not rinse, just let it cool. make sure it is spread out and not stacked up. It won’t stick together, once cooled, and your dressing will coat it beautifully.
It works!
Yes. Let your maccaroni cool completely before adding may and liquids. If you domt your maccaroni will absorb the mayo and liquid
Don’t rinse your pasta. Otherwise the sauce, even marinara, will not stick.