This is the Macaroni Salad recipe I’ve made for years!! It’s perfectly creamy, even after chilling and has the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and crunchy. The dressing is super simple and this can be made with ingredients you likely have on hand.
It’s perfect to prepare ahead of time for BBQs, potlucks, or even for weeknight dinners.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Macaroni Salad
Why Make It: I like this recipe because the dressing is mixed right in the serving bowl, so I end up with one less dish to wash.
Flavor: Creamy, tangy-sweet dressing with relish and mustard for classic deli-style vibes.
Tools: Use a veggie chopper to speed up prep.
Serving Suggestions: A classic side dish that pairs perfectly with burgers, ribs, grilled chicken, pulled pork, and sandwiches.
Total Time: 1.5 hours (including 1 hour chill time) Serves: 6
Ingredient Notes
- Elbow Macaroni: Classic elbow macaroni holds the creamy dressing well, but any short pasta such as ditalini, small shells, or wagon wheels work nicely.
- Carrot: Shredded carrot adds color and a touch of sweetness. Pre-shredded bagged carrots are a great time-saving option.
- Red Bell Pepper: Adds crunch, color, and mild sweetness. Green or yellow bell peppers can be used as well.
- Red Onion: Red onion has a sharper bite, while green onion is milder. To mellow red onion’s flavor, soak the diced pieces in cold water for a few minutes.
- Dressing: Swap up to half of the mayonnaise for sour cream or Greek yogurt for a little extra tang or to lighten up the recipe a bit. Replace the homemade dressing with prepared coleslaw dressing.
- Optional Add-Ins: Pickles, olives, ham, sweet peas, cheddar cheese, or chopped hard-boiled eggs can all be added for extra flavor and texture. The salad works well with up to 2½ cups of total add-ins.
How To Make Macaroni Salad
- Cook the macaroni to al dente. Whisk the dressing together in a large bowl (as per recipe below).
- Add the cooled pasta and chopped vegetables to the dressing.
- Toss well, season to taste, and chill.
Macaroni Salad Secrets
- Cook Al Dente: Cook the pasta just until tender so it does not turn mushy after chilling. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it quickly. Drain it really well so extra water does not thin the dressing.
- Perfect Bites: Cut the vegetables small, about half of the size of the macaroni, to help it mix well and get a little crunch in every bite.
- Only One Bowl: Mix the dressing in the salad bowl first to save dishes and coat everything evenly.
- Chill Time: Chill for at least 1 hour so the flavors blend. Stir and add a spoonful of mayonnaise if the pasta has absorbed too much dressing.
Make-Ahead and Chill Time Tips
This macaroni salad recipe is best when chilled for an hour or two before serving. This allows the flavors to blend, and the dressing thickens and soaks into the pasta. It can be made up to 24 hours before serving.
Chill, Store, Enjoy
Refrigerate: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This salad is best served cold, so keep it chilled until ready to serve.
Freeze: Do not freeze.
Tips: Stir before serving, since the dressing can settle or absorb into the pasta as it sits. For BBQs, picnics, and potlucks set the bowl over ice outdoors to keep it cool, and discard the salad if it has been sitting out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour in hot weather.
More Creamy Potluck Salads
Did you enjoy this Macaroni Salad Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni approx. 2 cups dry, or any short pasta
Add-Ins (see notes)
- 1 cup diced celery
- ½ cup shredded carrot
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- ¼ cup diced red onion or thinly sliced green onion
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard or Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, cook the elbow macaroni in salted water according to the instructions on the package. Drain well and rinse it under cold water to stop cooking.
- To make the dressing, in a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, relish, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
- Add the drained macaroni, celery, carrots, red pepper, and onion to the dressing. Toss well to coat. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
- Refrigerate the macaroni salad for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
- Elbows can be swapped for ditalini, small shells, or wagon wheels.
- Dice the add-ins about half the size of the macaroni.
- Rinse the pasta after draining to stop it from cooking.
- Mix the dressing directly in the salad bowl and then add the other ingredients, one less dish to wash.
- Store leftovers in the fridge in a covered container for up to 4 days.
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
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
Sadly, it does not freeze well.
Macaroni salad is best made beforehand, making it party-perfect. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I love to serve macaroni salad as a side for anything off the grill! u003ca href=u0022https://www.spendwithpennies.com/grilled-bbq-chicken/u0022 type=u0022postu0022 id=u0022152749u0022u003eGrilled BBQ chickenu003c/au003e, hot dogs, or u003ca href=u0022https://www.spendwithpennies.com/classic-hamburger-recipe/u0022 type=u0022postu0022 id=u0022152536u0022u003ehamburgersu003c/au003e are great options. It’s also a great dish to serve with u003ca href=u0022https://www.spendwithpennies.com/dr-pepper-pulled-pork-slow-cooker-recipe/u0022 type=u0022postu0022 id=u002271330u0022u003epulled porku003c/au003e.
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.