Nothing says summertime eating like a serving of classic macaroni salad with eggs and crisp vegetables dressed in a simple and creamy — but still light — mayonnaise dressing for any picnic, potluck, or barbecue.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“Thank you so much for sharing this awesome recipe! I have made it probably 20 times & receive the best compliments each time!” -Brandi, FoodieCrush reader
Traditional Mayo-Based Salads Like This Are Timeless Favorites
Sometimes you just don’t mess around with the classics. Much like my Grandma’s Potato Salad (THE BEST) and my Creamy Coleslaw, there are no bells and whistles to this traditional macaroni salad recipe.
I’m not reinventing the wheel here, and that’s exactly why it’s a timeless favorite. This macaroni salad was born after years of suffering through versions that were too dry, too plain, or too heavily loaded with a goopy, flavorless mayo dressing that coated the macaroni like oil on a dipstick and likely came from a pre-packaged box from the deli counter.
This easy recipe is everything those others were not. First off, it’s homemade and dressed just right with a tangy but light mayo mixture. The pasta is neither clumpy nor starchy, but smooth and satisfying with every bite.
It’s simple but well-seasoned — everything you want in your favorite macaroni salad.
Enjoy!
Heidi’s Tips for Recipe Success
Cook the macaroni al denté as you would your favorite Italian pasta. Overcook it and you’ll end up with mushy bites that won’t stand up to the mixing with the vegetables.
After cooking, rinse the macaroni so it doesn’t stick. The macaroni salad trick I learned from my mom is to rinse the pasta after cooking and drain it really well so there’s no residual water lurking in the pasta nook and crannies. As the pasta cools, toss it a bit with your hands or a spoon so it stays loose and doesn’t clump together.
Pickle juice is my big secret! The dressing for this salad is a mayonnaise base that’s been thinned out with pickle juice reserved from the sweet pickles added to the salad.
The Key Macaroni Salad Ingredients
The full recipe, with amounts, can be found in the recipe card below.
For the macaroni salad:
- Short macaroni of your choice — I use ditalini (these extra short tubes) but classic shells or elbow macaroni works great too.
- Hard-boiled eggs — In my humble opinion, mayo-based salads always taste better with a touch of a hard-boiled egg.
- Veggies — A blend of finely chopped celery, bell pepper, and red onion add flavor and lots of crunch.
- Sweet pickles (sweet gherkins) — I always use sweet pickles, so if you use another style, taste test it to your liking.
For the dressing:
- Mayonnaise — Choose a quality bottle for a rich and creamy salad.
- Dijon mustard — Deepens the flavor of the dressing without making it taste like mustard.
- Sugar — When mixed with the mayo and pickle juice, it gives it an almost Miracle Wihp-esque flavor.
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper — Season the salad again before serving.
How to Make Macaroni Salad (+ More Tips!)
- Cook the noodles so they have some bite to them. Watching your cooking time and cooking to the package directions should ensure the perfect al dente bite. And to be sure, taste test every minute or so when coming to the end of your cooking time.
- Add the pickles, peppers, eggs, and celery. Transfer the drained and rinsed pasta to a large bowl. Add the eggs, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and sweet pickles.
- Whisk together the mayo dressing. I like to combine the macaroni salad dressing in a separate bowl to ensure it’s mixed fully before tossing with the pasta.
- Stir it all together. Add the dressing to the macaroni and fixings, and toss until everything is evenly coated. Sprinkle with fresh parsley to add a little color if desired.
- Refrigerate for the flavors to meld. This salad tastes best when it’s had some time in the refrigerator for the flavors to meld and the mayo sauce to permeate the noodles.
Ingredient Swaps and Variations
I almost always make this old-fashioned recipe as written, but every once in a while I get the urge to shake things up, just because I can. Here are some mix-ins and flavor swaps I’ve made over the years:
- Add bay salad shrimp for a shrimp macaroni salad
- Make it Mediterranean-style with smoked mozzarella and prosciutto
- Add cubed ham for a macaroni ham salad
- Toss in ⅓ to ½ cup finely chopped olives
- Swap the pickles for vinegar or lemon juice
- Add chopped roasted red peppers for a subtly smoky flavor
- Add finely chopped carrots for crunch
- Replace the mayo with Miracle Whip for a sweeter, tangier dressing (my Grandma’s potato salad recipe also uses Miracle Whip, so use whichever you grew up eating)
If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below, leave a comment to tell us what you think, and tag me on Instagram @foodiecrush.
THE BEST Macaroni Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Salad:
- 1 pound ditalini pasta , or other short pasta or shell
- 3 hard-boiled eggs , diced
- 2 celery ribs , minced
- 1 red bell pepper , seeded and minced
- ¼ red onion , minced
- ¼ cup sweet pickles (sweet gherkins) , chopped
Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper , to taste
- Chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Boil the pasta, then rinse and drain. Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package directions, Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cooled. Shake the colander to toss the pasta, and drain for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally.
- Add the mix-ins. Transfer the drained pasta to a large bowl. Add the eggs, celery, red bell pepper, red onion and sweet pickles.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, pickle juice, sugar, and Dijon mustard; season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add to the macaroni mixture and toss until evenly coated.
- Chill before serving. Season with more salt and pepper to taste then refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Sprinkle with chopped parsley to add a little color if desired.
Nutrition
What Goes with Macaroni Salad
Think: barbecues, picnics, and of course, fried chicken! Here are a few mains to serve along with this classic side.
- BBQ — BBQ Chicken, Saucy BBQ Meatballs, Grandma’s Country Style Ribs, North Carolina-Style Vinegar Pulled Pork
- Mains — Garlic Burgers, Juicy Grilled Pork Chops, Buttermilk Chicken Tenders, Flaky Grilled Salmon
- Sandwiches — BLT Sandwiches, Club Sandwich, Ham Salad Sandwiches
- Sides — Fried Green Tomatoes, Grilled Corn, Grilled Vegetable Skewers, BBQ Baked Beans
FAQs
Go for it! I use Miracle Whip in my potato salad recipe, but prefer richer mayo here. If using Miracle Whip, taste the dressing before adding any sugar to see if the extra hit of sweetness is needed.
If your salad tastes even remotely bland, it probably needs more salt. You’ll want to salt the pasta water generously so the plain noodles are properly seasoned.
The dressing also needs a good amount of salt, *and* you’ll possibly need to salt the finished salad again after it’s chilled in the fridge.
You’re working with a full pound of pasta, plus lots of raw veggies, all of which needs salt to bring out their flavors.
The mayonnaise lends the dressing inherent creaminess, but the real secret lies in rinsing the pasta after cooking. This removes some of the excess starch from the pasta, which tends to make macaroni salad sticky rather than creamy.
Nope, you don’t want to freeze this recipe, trust me! The mayo dressing will separate (i.e. become grainy and gross) and the pasta will expand and turn to mush once thawed.
Storage and Make Ahead Tips
Once tossed with the creamy dressing, this simple macaroni salad should be eaten within 3 to 4 days.
You can definitely make it ahead of potlucks, holidays, and bbqs.
In fact, I recommend chilling it for at least an hour before serving, or make it the night before for the best, flavorful taste. And always remember to taste again before serving to decide if more salt and pepper seasoning needs to be added.
More Potluck Pasta Salads
We send good emails. Subscribe to FoodieCrush and have each post plus exclusive content only for our subscribers delivered straight to your e-mail box.
Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest for more FoodieCrush inspiration.
As always, thank you for reading and supporting companies I partner with, which allows me to create more unique content and recipes for you. There may be affiliate links in this post of which I receive a small commission. All opinions are always my own.
Rate & Comment