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    Home » Recipes » Salads » Macaroni Salad

    LAST UPDATED: June 12, 2020 • FIRST PUBLISHED: May 17, 2020 By Toni Dash 31 Comments

    Macaroni Salad

    Jump to Recipe

    This post may include affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Macaroni Salad in a bowl and spoon title image

    Macaroni Salad is a ‘must make‘ for summer barbecues and picnics. This easy classic recipe is full of colorful vegetables, soft elbow pasta in a creamy, tangy sauce everyone loves!

    Macaroni Salad in a bowl and spoon title image

    Macaroni Salad and summer go hand in hand.

    It’s an easy chilled salad recipe bursting with beautiful colors and fantastic flavor.

    It goes with any main dish and can be made ahead (it’s actually BETTER made ahead)!

    This classic Macaroni Salad recipe will be a summer staple!

    What is Macaroni Salad?

    If by chance you escaped your childhood without ever trying Macaroni Salad, it’s a chilled pasta salad with elbow pasta, vegetables in a creamy mayonnaise sauce. 

    It’s one of those recipes most of use grew up with our Mom’s or Grandmother’s version being ‘the right way’ to make it.

    Every recipe offers a little change to make it unique and special. 

    This chilled salad recipe is classic salad recipe for summer grill parties, picnics and outings.

    Macaroni Salad in a serving bowl

    Recipe Ingredients

    Simple, wholesome, fresh macaroni salad ingredients make this recipe a family favorite:

    • Elbow macaroni (regular or gluten-free)
    • Celery stalks
    • Yellow bell pepper
    • Orange bell pepper
    • Grape tomatoes
    • Red onion

    For the dressing:

    • Mayonnaise
    • Sour cream
    • Apple cider vinegar
    • Granulated sugar
    • Dry mustard
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    colorful ingredients for Macaroni Salad and dressing

    Macaroni (Elbow Pasta) – Regular or Gluten-Free

    This macaroni salad recipe can be made with traditional elbow pasta or gluten-free pasta.

    My recommendation for gluten-free pasta is Tinkyada. It holds it’s shape and has good flavor. 

    Some gluten-free pastas fall apart easily after cooking and would not be a good choice for a macaroni salad.

    Substitutions

    If you can’t find orange or yellow bell peppers feel free to substitute what you can find. 

    Don’t love tomatoes? Though the sweet grape tomatoes add color and delicious flavor, feel free to leave them out.

    OR swap in a vegetable you love instead!.

    How to Make Macaroni Salad – Step-by-Step

    STEP 1: Cook the macaroni pasta per package instructions, drain and allow to cool (photo 1).

    Macaroni Salad recipes steps (photos) 1-4

    STEP 2: Combine the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sour cream, dry mustard, granulated sugar (photos 2-6). Mix well (photo 7).

    Macaroni Salad recipes steps (photos) 5-8

    STEP 3: Remove the onions from the vinegar. 

    STEP 4: Combine the pasta and vegetables in a large bowl (photo 8). Add 3/4’s of the dressing (photo 9) and mix well (photo 10). Chill in the refrigerator (along with the remaining 1/4 of the dressing not yet mixed into the macaroni salad) until ready to serve.

    Macaroni Salad recipes steps (photos) 9-12

    STEP 5: When ready to serve the salad, toss the remaining dressing (photos 11) and serve (photo 12).

    serving spoon of Macaroni Salad

    Pro Tips for Making Macaroni Salad

    Allow the cooked macaroni to fully cool

    Otherwise it will absorb the dressing leaving dry macaroni salad.

    Better Made Ahead

    This recipe is one that tastes even better if it’s allowed to sit after it is made.

    If possible make it in the morning and serve it later in the day; or even the day before serving.

    If you can’t do that it will still be delicious but making it ahead allows the dressing and salad ingredients to fully blend.

    Change it Up! This salad is very flexible

    If you want to change out the vegetables, do it! Try cucumber, broccoli, or other in season vegetables you love.

    Try the Dressing on other Salad Recipes

    You’ll love this dressing and want to use it on other salad, trust me. It’s great on Broccoli Salad or Cole Slaw too!

    Keep it Chilled!

    Salads with mayonnaise require extra care to not allow them to overheat.

    When left in the sun or heat, salmonella can develop risking food poisoning. 

    Do not let Macaroni Salad sit out more than 2 hours.

    This Party Dips post has some great tips to keep this salad cold when serving at an outdoor summer gathering. 

    Macaroni Salad close up

    How to Change up Macaroni Salad

    First Macaroni Salad is usually considered a side dish recipe.

    You can add some protein and make it a delicious chilled main dish. Easy for summer!

    Cubed Chicken, Ham, Shrimp or Tuna – adding protein makes a hearty main dish option.

    Hard Boiled Eggs – add chopped hard boiled eggs. Make sure they are cooled before adding them.

    Cubed Cheese – small cubes of cheddar cheese or even Pepper Jack cheese add great texture and flavor. You can even buy the cheese already cubed from the store!

    Peas – they bring color and a hint of sweetness to the salad. Use frozen, thawed peas!

    Different Pasta – though macaroni is the classic pasta used, feel free to change it up and use a different pasta you love! 

    Macaroni Salad in bowls

    How to Store Macaroni Salad

    Store the prepared salad 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

    Can I Freeze Macaroni Salad?

    It is not recommended to freeze this salad. Enjoy it freshly made instead!

    Macaroni Salad in a white serving bowl overhead

    Make it a Meal!

    Everything goes with Macaroni Salad making it a great choice for any meal! Here are some ideas:

    • Grilled Kabob Recipes
    • Grilled Spicy Salt and Pepper Shrimp Skewers
    • St. Louis Ribs
    • Oven Baked Chicken Breasts with Mexican flavors
    • Sweet Tea Roasted Chicken Thighs
    • Blue Margarita
    • Blondies

    More Salad Recipes You’ll Love

    • Bite-Size Insalata Caprese
    • Grill-Smoked Creamy Potato Salad with Bacon
    • Broccoli Sausage Pasta Salad
    • Rainbow Summer Quinoa Salad
    • Chicken Salad
    • Italian Pasta Salad
    • Chickpea Salad
    Did you make it? Please RATE THE RECIPE below!

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    macaroni salad

    Classic Macaroni Salad

    Macaroni Salad is a summertime favorite recipe. This version is full of colorful vegetables, elbow pasta (regular or gluten-free) tossed in a creamy, tangy dressing you'll love!
    5 from 20 votes
    Print Save Recipe Recipe Saved! Pin Rate
    Course: Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Chilling Time (estimate): 30 minutes
    Total Time: 42 minutes
    Servings: 8 8-10 servings
    Calories: 259kcal
    Author: Toni Dash
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 2 cups Elbow Macaroni regular or gluten-free
    • 2 stalks Celery chopped
    • 1 Yellow Bell Pepper seeded and chopped
    • 1 Orange Bell Pepper seeded and chopped
    • 1 cup Grape Tomatoes halved
    • ¼ cup Red Onion minced and soaked in apple cider vinegar for 5 minutes
    • apple cider vinegar for soaking the onions

    For the dressing:

    • ½ cup Mayonnaise
    • ¼ cup Sour Cream
    • 1 tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar
    • 2 teaspoons Granulated Sugar
    • ½ teaspoon Dry Mustard
    • Salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions, drain and allow to cool completely.
    • In a bowl or measuring cup, add all the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar and dry mustard. Stir to combine.
    • Drain the red onion of the vinegar.
    • In a large bowl, combine the cooled macaroni pasta with the vegetables. Pour 3/4ths of the dressing over and stir to combine (reserve the remaining 1/4 of the dressing).
      Refrigerate the salad and the remaining dressing (separately) until ready to serve.
    • Before serving toss with the rest of the dressing into the macaroni salad to freshen it up. Salt and pepper to taste before serving.

    Notes

    • This recipe is better when it sits for a few hours. I like to make it the morning I will be serving it.
    • Be sure to allow your pasta to cool all the way or it will soak up the dressing leaving you with dry macaroni salad. 
    • I will often use up whatever vegetables on hand in my refrigerator, cucumber, broccoli etc.
    • The dressing is good on broccoli salad and coleslaw as well.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 259kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 10mg | Sodium: 107mg | Potassium: 229mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 749IU | Vitamin C: 50mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @boulderlocavore or tag #boulderlocavore!
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    ABOUT THE AUTHOR

    TONI DASH
    Toni Dash head shot

    Toni Dash, is a Certified Nutrition Coach and the writer/blogger, photographer, recipe developer and creator of Boulder Locavore®. She has been developing easy to make, well-tested recipes since 2010. Her seasonal recipes bring excitement to the dining table for both gluten-free and gluten diners. Toni has been featured in numerous publications and on culinary websites for her creative, delicious recipes and travel features. For more details, check out her About page.

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    Comments

    1. Julia says

      May 18, 2020 at 11:45 pm

      5 stars
      I love a good macaroni salad and this recipe offers exactly what I love and it’s grape tomatoes! Genius:) Thank you for sharing, I am saving this recipe!

      Reply
    2. Kimberly says

      May 18, 2020 at 11:02 pm

      5 stars
      I love a good macaroni salad and this looks like the perfect blend of ingredients and flavors!

      Reply
    3. Nart at Cooking with Nart says

      May 18, 2020 at 10:38 pm

      5 stars
      I was searching for a macaroni recipe to make my family and came across this and gave it a go. It was so delicious and everyone enjoyed it so much!

      Reply
    4. Kita Bryant says

      May 18, 2020 at 10:31 pm

      5 stars
      This is my favorite way to eat macaroni salad. All the best ingredients! I often toss in cubes of ham as well.

      Reply
    5. Fatima Torres says

      May 18, 2020 at 9:12 pm

      This macaroni salad looks delicious! You just gave me a side dish for tomorrow’s dinner. Thank you for this!

      Reply
    6. Myrah Duque says

      May 18, 2020 at 7:54 pm

      5 stars
      This macaroni salad is fantastic! It would have never occurred to me, to add grape tomatoes. Thanks for the recipe.

      Reply
    7. Erin | Dinners,Dishes and Dessert says

      May 18, 2020 at 7:37 pm

      5 stars
      This Macaroni Salad is couldn’t look any more perfect!

      Reply
    8. Lisa says

      May 18, 2020 at 5:42 pm

      When we first adopted our oldest daughters, one of the only foods they would eat is pasta salad. I’ve made so many varieties of it over the years. They still love any pasta salad I make. I’ll have to try this macaroni salad. I bet they’d love it!

      Reply
    9. Lindsay Cotter says

      May 18, 2020 at 5:28 pm

      5 stars
      This macaroni salad is so easy to make and the flavors were delish!! This is a side that we’ll make all summer!

      Reply
    10. Amy Desrosiers says

      May 18, 2020 at 3:55 pm

      Yummy! This mac salad is so bright and pretty! I could live off of it in the warmer weather months.

      Reply
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    About Toni Dash

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    Welcome! I’m Toni. I’m a Certified Nutrition Coach and my goal is to MAKE YOUR LIFE EASIER with delicious, well-tested recipes and travel tips! More About Me …

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