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How to make easy, creamy, classic macaroni salad with celery, red pepper, onion, and a creamy dressing made with mayo, and mustard. It’s easy, nostalgic, and perfect for barbecues, picnics, potlucks, and family gatherings!
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Pin It NowWhy You’ll Love This Recipe
Creamy and classic!
Made for sharing.
Just like your favorite deli macaroni salad.
Easy to make ahead!
Sweet yet tangy dressing!
Truly the best side dish for picnics, barbecues and potlucks!
Ashley
EASY MACARONI SALAD RECIPE: THE BEST SIDE DISH FOR PICNICS, BARBECUES AND POTLUCKS!
Macaroni salad was always a staple at every picnic and barbecue when I was growing up. And it was always served alongside other classic mayo-based sides like potato salad and coleslaw.
This is my version of that creamy, classic side dish with celery, red bell pepper, and a dressing that’s a little sweet and tangy!
Let’s head to the kitchen and make this classic summer side dish that everyone loves to pair with BBQ Ribs, Kabobs, steak, and more!
Macaroni Salad Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy macaroni salad. Ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.
Elbow Macaroni
Yellow Onion
Celery
Red Bell Pepper
Parsley
Apple Cider Vinegar
Dressing Ingredients
Mayo
Milk or half and half
Yellow mustard
Sugar
Salt
Black pepper
Easy Swaps
Elbow macaroni: use small shells, rotini, or another small pasta shape.
Apple cider vinegar: white vinegar or red wine vinegar both work well.
Celery: not a celery fan? Leave it out and it’ll still be delicious!
Red bell pepper: any color bell pepper works.
Make it your own: try adding in peas, tuna, hard boiled eggs, shrimp, green onions or carrots!
How to make Classic Macaroni Salad
Here’s a brief overview of how to make classic and creamy macaroni salad. Full written instructions including ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.
1. Cook Macaroni
Don’t forget to salt the pasta water! For 1 pound of pasta, add 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons salt.
2. Prepare the Veggies
Finely chop red bell pepper, celery and parsley. Grate a sweet yellow onion – about ¼ cup.
3. Drain Pasta
Drain the pasta but do not rinse it! Stir in grated sweet yellow onion and toss noodles to coat with apple cider vinegar. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
4. Make the Dressing
This easy mayo-based dressing consists of mayo, milk or half and half, mustard, sugar, and salt and pepper.
5. Combine and Chill
Add chopped vegetables to the macaroni noodles and stir in the creamy dressing. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Ashley’s Tip
Make it ahead of time: Macaroni Salad gets better with time. It should chill for at least 2 hours before serving, but I like to chill it for 4 hours, or make it an entire day ahead of time before a party or barbecue.
Vinegar in Macaroni salad
Apple cider vinegar is added to the macaroni while it is still slightly warm. The warm pasta absorbs the vinegar which adds a subtle tang. This small step gives the finished salad more tang and flavor, especially combined with the grated onion!
how to keep macaroni salad from getting dry
Pasta continues to absorb dressing as it sits, so the macaroni salad will look less creamy after chilling. In fact, it may look a bit dry. Reserve a little extra mayonnaise or milk to stir in just before serving and be sure to cook the macaroni only until al dente. Keep macaroni salad covered tightly in the refrigerator.
If you try this recipe for easy macaroni salad, please leave a comment or tag me on social media. I love to hear from you! I hope you like this simple recipe as much as I do! Enjoy!
Easy Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound dry elbow macaroni noodles
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar
- ¼ cup grated sweet yellow onion (vidalia)
- 1 ½ cups celery, finely chopped
- 1 ½ cups red bell pepper, finely diced
- ¼ cup parsley – finely chopped
- 2 ½ – 3 cups mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup milk or half and half
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 pound dry elbow macaroni noodles and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain the noodles and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Prep the vegetables: finely chop 1 ½ cups celery, 1 ½ cups red bell pepper, and ¼ cup fresh parsley. Grate ¼ cup sweet yellow onion.
- Add vinegar and onion: to the drained macaroni noodles, stir in 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar and ¼ cup grated yellow onion. Toss until well combined then cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes to slightly cool the noodles.
- Make the dressing: in a medium bowl whisk together 2 ½ to 3 cups mayonnaise (depending on how creamy you like it) with ⅓ cup of milk or half-and-half. Add 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon each of salt and black pepper.
- Combine and chill: stir in the chopped vegetables, pour in the dressing and stir until everything is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate the macaroni salad for at least 2 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend.
- Just before serving: stir in a little extra milk or mayo as needed.
Notes
FAQ
I do not recommend rinsing the macaroni, but it does need to cool for 20 minutes in the refrigerator before getting tossed with the mayo-based dressing.
Macaroni salad should be covered and placed in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours before serving.
Serving and storage
To serve macaroni salad, remove from the refrigerator. Taste it to see if it needs any adjustments to the seasoning. Add more salt and/or pepper to taste.
If it seems a bit dry, stir in milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consistency. You can also add additional mayonnaise.
Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.
This recipe is perfect for summer cookouts and bbq’s or any night of the week! I like to serve it alongside burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, Grilled BBQ Ribs or even these Everyday French Dip Sandwiches. Enjoy!
More Macaroni Salad Recipes
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad – Mac salad the Hawaiian way is a must-try recipe!
- BBQ Macaroni Salad
- Taco Macaroni Salad
