This macaroni salad is a classic side dish for good reason.
Elbow macaroni and a handful of add-ins are tossed in a super easy (and extra creamy) tangy dressing.
I love it for potlucks, picnics, or bbqs since it’s fast to make and best made ahead of time.
An Easy Make Ahead Side
Macaroni noodles hold a special place in my heart. I’m in love with mac and cheese and my Mom always served elbows with rouladen gravy and of course this classic macaroni salad. I think the best macaroni salad recipe is a simple side that’s tasty, filling, and budget-friendly. It goes with everything from burgers to fried chicken.
- You can (and should) make macaroni salad ahead of time for the best flavor.
- It’s budget friendly and you likely have the ingredients on hand.
- It’s super fast to put together and versatile (see notes below).
- The dressing uses simple ingredients but it’s extra creamy with lots of tang (and it only takes about 2 minutes).
- Use any short pasta or add-ins to make it your own.
Ingredients for Macaroni Salad
For the best macaroni salad, include small pasta such as elbows or ditalini, a creamy dressing, and some add-ins for flavor and texture.
- Fresh & Crisp – celery, shredded carrots, red bell peppers, fresh parsley, or fresh dill
- Salty – Try adding cheese, bacon, ham, sliced olives, or even capers.
- Savory – Green or red onions, dill pickles, garlic powder, boiled eggs, chopped or shredded cheddar.
- Sweet – Baby peas, sweet bell peppers, sweet pickles, or extra pickle relish.
Macaroni Salad Dressing
This macaroni salad dressing is a very simple mayonnaise-based dressing and takes just a couple of minutes to prepare.
- Mayonnaise (or dressing) is the base of this dressing recipe. To lighten up the dressing you can substitute half of the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt.
- White vinegar or cider vinegar add tang. Swap for dill pickle juice if you’d like.
- Sweet pickle relish and a pinch of sugar add sweetness to balance the vinegar. Sugar substitutes work well in this recipe or swap sugar for a splash of sweet pickle juice.
- Seasonings are kept simple with a touch of prepared or dijon mustard, salt & pepper to taste.
It’s sweet, tangy, and zesty; similar to a dressing similar found in potato salad or coleslaw. You can swap out your favorite creamy dressing in this recipe, bottled coleslaw dressing is a great option too.
How to Make Macaroni Salad
As easy as 1,2,3…
- Cook Pasta: Boil, drain, and cool the macaroni per the recipe below.
- Prepare Add-Ins: While the macaroni is boiling, chop the veggies or add-ins.
- Mix & Chill: Mix the dressing ingredients and toss with the macaroni and add ins.
Tips for Perfection
- Elbows can be swapped for any short pasta. Try ditalini, small shells, or wagon wheels.
- Ensure add-ins are diced about the size of the macaroni.
- Rinsing the pasta after draining stops it from cooking and ensures it isn’t mushy or sticky.
- Mix the dressing directly in the salad bowl and then add the other ingredients, one less dish to wash!
- Dress the salad generously as the pasta will soak up some of the sauce as it sits.
Make-Ahead & Leftovers
More Favorites Sides
What are your favorite add-ins? Leave a comment and rating below!
Classic Creamy Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- ½ pound elbow macaroni uncooked (approx. 2 cups dry), or any short pasta
Add Ins* (see note)
- 1 cup celery diced
- ½ cup carrots shredded
- ½ cup red pepper diced
- ¼ cup red onion diced, or green onion
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt & pepper
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to the instructions on the package. Drain well and rinse it under cold water to stop cooking.
- To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, sweet relish, yellow mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix well.
- In a large bowl, add the cooled macaroni, the dressing, celery, carrots, red pepper, and onion. Mix well.
- Refrigerate the macaroni salad for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving.
Notes
- Elbows can be swapped for any short pasta. Try ditalini, small shells, or wagon wheels.
- Rinsing the pasta after draining stops it from cooking so it doesn’t get mushy and keeps it from being sticky.
- The dressing can be swapped for a bottled dressing of your choice or even coleslaw dressing.
- Dress the salad generously as the pasta will soak up some of the dressing as it sits.
- Ensure add-ins are diced about the size of the macaroni.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Pasta, Salad, Side Dish
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Sadly, it does not freeze well.
Macaroni salad is best made ahead of time, which makes it party perfect. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days.
We love to serve macaroni salad as a side for anything off the grill! Bbq chicken, hot dogs, or hamburgers are great options. It also is a great dish to serve with pulled pork.
More Make-Ahead Side Salads
- Italian Pasta Salad – five-star favorite
- Fresh Corn Salad
- Broccoli Salad– fresh & delicious
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Salad – full of flavor
- Creamy Cucumber Salad – creamy & fresh
Im planning on making this today
Great web site
This is a very tasty and easy salad to make. I used large macaroni and added red onion, sliced carrots and celery. For the dressing I made as directed except I used 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup mayonnaise. I also reduced apple cider vinegar to 2 Tablespoons.
Wow! Made this yesterday, it was wonderful. The dressing has a nice little tang. Will definitely use this recipe again. Thanks!
You’re welcome Debby!
I add a package of tuna fish. I also use halved cherry tomatoes. No relish but def apple cider vinegar.
Amazing, simple go to salad that is a crowd favorite!!
Fantastic recipe!! This reminds me of my childhood bbq’s. I use this recipe all the time. Thank you Holly for sharing. All of your recipe’s I have used are always delicious
Thank you for the review and your kind words Alison!
Awesome!!!
This is not a classic recipe. I was hoping to find a good macaroni salad recipe here. Why the ham, carrots and especially the peas?
We love this Classic Macaroni Salad Glenn. Feel free to leave out those ingredients if you prefer!
My wife doesn’t like macaroni (no, I don’t understand it either) and I try to avoid too much gluten – so made this with 500g / 1lb waxy baby potatoes, unpeeled, diced quite finely and steamed. Had a few green beans to use up as well so they were chopped small and went in to the steamer with the frozen peas two minutes before taking it all off the heat. All else as the recipe content (except Dijon mustard rather than yellow). Served with fried pork steaks, the results were absolutely excellent; big hit, requests for repeat some time. Leftover salad went with her to work as lunch the following day and her co-trainer is asking for the recipe now.
Lots of brownie points earned – thanks!
Wow, your variations sound delicious, Mark! So glad you enjoyed the salad!
Delicious!!! Best I’ve ever made.
No sugar, vinegar, carrots, or relish in mine. I use diced spam, diced boiled eggs, diced tomatoes, and cheese. It’s a complete meal serve with saltine carackers yum yum.
Love this site. Cant wait to try your recipes
Thank you Sharon!
love everything I am reading!!!
Love your site and your recipes!
Thank you!
Thank you so much Tammy!
Would I use sweet peas or regular?
We used regular peas for this recipe Megan, but you could use sweet peas if you prefer!
This is excellent but for my family I think about half the sugar would be perfect.
You can definitely adjust it to suit your family Nicole! Enjoy.
I used this Macaroni Salad recipe. It tastes very good I did add extras. I used 2 boiled eggs,I also used shredded mild Cheddar Cheese, it taste Great next I’m gonna put some thinly cut Red Onion in it. That’s gonna make it taste Perfect and I’m not a Big Onion Person. I can’t wait to eat it. It will be Chilling in the Fridge All Day TODAY♥️♥️
Very tasty! I think that Macaroni Salad is a ‘regional’ dish, since the protein in it seems to differ as to the preference of most folks in any certain area. I was brought up on the east coast in New England by the ocean (CT), so our Macaroni Salad always had some sort of a seafood in it….Tuna, Shrimp, Crab, Lobster. Nevertheless, Macaroni Salad is ALWAYS a huge hit with everyone\ at every gathering. I made yours a while ago for a cookout, and it was gobbled up in no time, even though I doubled the recipe! :-)
I love your east coast additions!
I add onion, cucumber and tomatoes to macaroni salad.