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How to make easy macaroni salad – the best side dish for picnics, barbecues and potlucks! Homemade macaroni salad with elbow macaroni and creamy dressing requires just a few ingredients.
EASY MACARONI SALAD RECIPE: THE BEST SIDE DISH FOR PICNICS, BARBECUES AND POTLUCKS!
Macaroni salad was 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.
There’d be a whole lineup of creamy, chilled side dishes on the table, with each one slightly different depending on who made it.
Macaroni salad is a popular pasta salad, and for good reason. It is easy to make, requires only a few ingredients, and there are endless variation options to make it your own.
Summer is here! 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!
❤️ Ashley
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Pin It NowMacaroni Salad Ingredient Notes
Gather the ingredients. The full list of ingredients and amounts is found below in the printable recipe card below.
Key Ingredients:
- Elbow Macaroni – the base of the macaroni salad.
- For the dressing:
- mayo – use a good quality mayonnaise. Hellman’s is my preferred option. Best Foods or Kewpie are also great options.
- milk or half and half
- yellow mustard
- sugar
- salt and black pepper – more or less to taste
- apple cider vinegar – red wine vinegar or white vinegar are alternative options
- Vegetables:
- yellow onion – grated (trust the process!)
- celery – finely chopped
- red bell pepper – finely diced
- parsley – finely chopped
step 1: cook macaroni
Don’t forget to salt the pasta water! For 1 pound of pasta add 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of salt.
step 2: prepare the veggies
Finely chop red bell pepper, celery and parsley. Grate a sweet yellow onion – about ¼ cup.
step 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.
step 4: make the dressing
This easy mayo-based dressing consists of mayo, milk or half and half, mustard, and salt and pepper.
step 5: combine and chill
Add chopped vegetables to the macaroni noodles and stir in the creamy dressing. Chill for at least 4 hours before serving.
Serving Suggestions:
Make it your own. Here are a few suggestions:
- Peas – want to throw in some peas? Delicious!
- Tuna- tuna macaroni salad, anyone?
- Eggs – chopped hard boiled eggs are a protein-packed addition!
- Shrimp – mini cocktail shrimp
- Add Green onions or carrots
I prefer to eat it as it’s written, just because it reminds me of the version I ate growing up from the deli, but go ahead and change up this recipe however you’d like.
Make It Ahead of time: This recipe gets better with time. It should chill for at least 4 hours before serving but make it an entire day ahead of time before a party or barbecue.
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 elbow macaroni noodles cooked according to package directions
- 3 tbsp cider vinegar
- ¼ cup grated sweet yellow onion (vidalia)
- 1 ½ cups celery, finely chopped
- 1 cup 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 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 4 hours or overnight to allow the flavors to blend.
- Just before serving: stir in a little extra milk or mayo as needed.
Notes
Tips for Perfect Homemade Macaroni Salad
Make it your own. Here are a few suggestions:
- Peas – want to throw in some peas? Delicious!
- Tuna- tuna macaroni salad, anyone?
- Eggs – chopped hard boiled eggs are a protein-packed addition!
- Shrimp – mini cocktail shrimp
- Add Green onions or carrots
I prefer to eat it as it’s written, just because it reminds me of the macaroni salad I ate growing up from the deli, but go ahead and change up this recipe however you’d like.
Make It Ahead of time: Macaroni salad only gets better with time. It should chill for at least 2 hours before serving but make it an entire day ahead of time before a party or an event. The flavors will have more time to meld together and it’s even more delicious.
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 4 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
