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Home ยป BEST Macaroni Salad

BEST Macaroni Salad

April 7, 2019

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This recipe ensures that you’ll avoid all the common pitfalls of a mediocre macaroni salad.ย  Deliciously creamy, moist, packed with flavor, the right balance of ingredients, the perfect texture, and visually beautiful, this macaroni salad recipe is simply the BEST!

macaroni salad recipe bestThank you toย Lindsay for sponsoring this post.

The BEST Macaroni Salad Recipe

I know I don’t have to tell you this one simple truth, that not all macaroni salads are created equal. ย Just go to any potluck and sample a dozen different macaroni salads, each a “secret family recipe passed down from Aunt or Granny [so-and-so]”, and you’ll know exactly what I mean.

Macaroni salads tend to be the victims of four cardinal sins: ย 1) Not enough mayo and too darn dry (you can’t be chintzy and expect good results), ย 2) Not enough flavor (it may be called “macaroni” salad, but that doesn’t mean it’s only about the macaroni). ย Flavor and color are needed to keep things interesting. ย 3) ย The noodles are too mushy (keep them al dente so they have a good, chewy texture). ย 4) Not enough salt. ย Carbs – potatoes, pasta, legumes, etc – soak up salt like nothing else. ย Keep in mind, the word salad comes from the Latin base word salย which means “salt.” ย So don’t be afraid to be generous with the shaker.

Another item to consider is that while macaroni salad tastes best a couple of hours later after the flavors have had time to meld, it doesn’t make the ideal leftover food the next day because those noodles are thirsty and they’ll continue to soak up liquid, leaving you with a dry salad. ย If you are going to have leftovers the next day I recommend adding a little more of the mayo sauce before serving.

We’re going to avoid all of these pitfalls and create a macaroni salad we can be showcase with pride!

macaroni salad recipe best

Have you ever wondered where macaroni salad got its beginnings?

The terms “macaroni salad” and “pasta salad” have different meanings different places, but generally, at least in the U.S., creamy noodle salads are referred to as macaroni salads whereas oil/vinegar based ones are called pasta salads. ย Pasta salads really started taking off in the U.S. in the 1960’s but macaroni salads go back to the early 20th century with one of the first known published recipes being in 1916 in the bookย Salads, Sandwiches and Chafing Dish Recipes byย Marion Harris Neil. ย In that early version the author calls for horseradish and heavy cream as the base for the macaroni salad.

While pasta obviously didn’t originate in the U.S. and pasta salads are popular worldwide, the traditional creamy macaroni salad is very much an American classic.

Here is a macaroni salad you can proudly take to any picnic, potluck, or family gathering and you’ll undoubtedly be asked to share your secret recipe!

Deliciously creamy, moist, packed with flavor, the right balance of ingredients, the perfect texture, and visually beautiful, this macaroni salad is simply the BEST!

macaroni salad recipe best

We’re enlisting the flavor-boosting help of three Lindsay products: ย California Ripe Sliced Black Olives, Roasted Red Peppers and Capers.

The deep black of the olives add a nice color contrast to the salad along with a pleasant nutty flavor. ย The roasted red peppers add a bright, vibrant color while infusing the salad with a delicious smoky element. ย If you prefer more “crunch” to your salad than the celery alone provides, feel free to also add some chopped fresh red bell pepper in addition, but don’t leave out these wonderful roasted peppers. ย Capers have a deliciously pungent flavor and aroma all to their own and add some wonderful brininess to our salad.

You’re going to love the blend of flavors these ingredients, along with all the others, add this wonderful macaroni salad!

Macaroni collage 2

Let’s get started!

Place the cooked and thoroughly cooled macaroni noodles in a large mixing bowl along with the celery, green onions, olives, roasted red peppers, capers, relish and onions. ย Toss to combine.

Macaroni-Salad-prep-1ย Macaroni-Salad-prep-4

Next combine the sauce ingredients in a medium sized bowl.

making the dressing

Pour the mayo sauce over the pasta salad and stir to thoroughly coat the pasta.

adding the dressing to the pasta

Add salt and pepper to taste. ย If it doesn’t taste excellent it needs more salt.

Transfer the salad to a non-reactive bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.ย  Don’t skip this wait time, it’s crucial to the flavor fo the salad.

mixing the ingredients

Serve as a side the same way you’d serve coleslaw with your favorite barbecued foods (steaks, chicken, fish, sausages, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc) and a green salad or, for a lighter alternative, serve with roasted vegetables, rolls and sliced fruit.ย  Enjoy it at home, outside, at a potluck or on a picnic!

Enjoy!

macaroni salad recipe best

For more delicious salads be sure to also try our:

  • BEST Chicken Salad
  • Classic Potato Salad
  • Perfect Creamy Coleslaw
  • Freezer Slaw
  • German Potato Salad
  • Waldorf Salad
  • Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad
  • Watermelon Salad
  • Crunchy Broccoli Salad
  • Greek Wheat Berry Salad
  • Italian Barley Salad
  • Curried Couscous Salad
  • Thai Quinoa Salad

 

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macaroni salad recipe best

macaroni salad recipe best creamy loaded

BEST Macaroni Salad

Kimberly Killebrew
This recipe ensures that you'll avoid all the common pitfalls of a mediocre macaroni salad.  Deliciously creamy, moist, packed with flavor, the right balance of ingredients, the perfect texture, and visually beautiful, this macaroni salad is simply the BEST!
Print Recipe
4.56 from 29 votes
Prep Time 15 mins
Chill Time 2 hrs
Total Time 15 mins
Course Salad, Side
Cuisine American
Servings 12
Calories 188 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 4 cups cooked elbow macaroni (white or whole wheat) cooked al dente in lightly salted water and cooled (about 8 ounces or 2 cups uncooked macaroni)
  • (Gluten-free: Use GF macaroni)
  • 1 cup diced celery
  • 1/3 cup finely chopped onion
  • 1 cup chopped Lindsay Red Roasted Bell Peppers
  • 1/2 cup Lindsay California Ripe Sliced Black Olives ,rinsed and drained
  • 3 tablespoons Lindsay Capers ,rinsed and drained
  • 3 green onions ,sliced
  • For the Sauce:
  • 2 cups good quality mayonnaise
  • (vegans: use vegan mayonnaise)
  • 1/4 cup sweet or dill pickle relish
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Place the thoroughly cooled pasta in a large mixing bowl along with all remaining ingredients, except for the sauce. Stir to combine.
  • To make the sauce, place all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and stir to combine.
  • Pour the sauce over the pasta salad and stir to thoroughly coat the pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste. (If it doesn't taste excellent it needs more salt.) Transfer to a non-reactive bowl. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving (don't skip this step, it's crucial for the optimal flavor of the salad).

Notes

Pasta absorbs a lot of liquid over time and will dry out, so if serving leftovers the next day, add a little more mayo sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 188kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 1150mg | Potassium: 90mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 185IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 1mg
Keyword Macaroni Salad
Tried this recipe? We'd love to see it!Mention @daringgourmet or hashtag #daringgourmet

Thank you to Lindsay for sponsoring this post and to my readers for supporting the brands that help make The Daring Gourmet possible!

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Filed Under: Affiliate, All Recipes, America, By Country or Region, By Course, By Ingredient, By Type of Dish, Disclosure, Food, Gluten Free, North America, Pasta, Salads, Side Dishes, Vegetarian Tagged With: American, barbecue, capers, elbow macaroni, gluten free, grilling, macaroni salad, mayonnaise, olives, pasta, pasta salad, picnic, potluck, red peppers, roasted red peppers, summer, vegan, vegetarian

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104 Responses

  1. Christina says

    July 7, 2020 at 10:45 am

    I just made this. I added red onion because I didn’t have a regular onion and I didn’t have capers so I added some green olives. Everything else I kept the same. I haven’t even chilled it yet and it’s really good!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 7, 2020 at 6:44 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Christina, thank you!

      Reply
  2. Marie Lawson says

    July 3, 2020 at 4:22 pm

    Making this tomorrow, Kimberly. It looks delicious!!

    Reply
  3. Kimberly says

    July 1, 2020 at 11:52 am

    Donโ€™t even give negative comments a second glance. HATERโ€™S are gonna hate and unfortunately there seems to be one in every crowd.

    Reply
  4. Andrea says

    December 27, 2019 at 10:13 pm

    I like hard boiled egg, tuna, carrots and peas in my mac salad. It’s always a little bland…I added everything except the tuna and it was delicious!

    Reply
  5. El says

    September 28, 2019 at 5:07 am

    Hi,
    I make my version way longer than any presenter on TV. I use spirelli pasta because it absorbs better the self made mayo, which is done in 5 mins. Two more important ingredients are Frankfurter cut in small slices and sun-dried tomatoes. To add colour I also use corn or/and peas.

    El

    Reply
  6. Christine says

    August 31, 2019 at 8:40 am

    Excellent! However your calorie count is way way off. I made this with one cup mayo and a cup of light sour cream which was a reduction of 1100 calories from the total, and my on line calorie counter put this at 350+ calories a serving, of a total of 12 servings. I used whole wheat pasta. But it tastes great. A special treat every once in a while because I usually avoid soybean oil or other omega 6 seed oils like the plague. What would be an alternative? A bean based sauce??? Any ideas?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 31, 2019 at 9:08 am

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Christine, thank you! The nutrition info is automatically calculated by an online calorie counter software program built into the recipe card. I just ran the info through again and it generated the same info as before, not sure what the glitch is. Soybean oil: Like you I do my best to avoid it whenever possible. For alternatives there are a number of brands of mayonnaise that use other oils (e.g., avocado, coconut).

      Reply
      • Christine says

        August 31, 2019 at 9:49 am

        Well I like your numbers a lot better than mine! I love your website. Iโ€™m making the burmese pea fritters and the chocolate deception cake today. Still have your bratwurst recipe in the wings. I appreciate very much your helpful responses.

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          August 31, 2019 at 11:09 am

          LOL, Christine, so do I! :) Thanks so much for the compliment. Great choices, it sounds like your taste is as versatile as my own :) Happy cooking!

          Reply
      • Kimberly Wolt says

        August 2, 2020 at 9:16 am

        Overall good taste, a little too much mayo but I’ll be making it again. I used dill pickle since I didn’t have reliah

        Reply
        • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

          August 2, 2020 at 8:33 pm

          Awesome, Kimberly, I’m glad you enjoyed it and appreciate the feedback!

          Reply
  7. Alan Donald says

    May 6, 2019 at 2:03 pm

    If you want to make a quick and easy to make dessert for a party then macaroni salad should definitely be something that you consider. Macaroni salad is really easy to prepare and it tastes really great too. You can whip up this delicious recipe in just a short amount of time which is one of the good things about this tasty dish.

    Reply
  8. Randy Allen says

    April 20, 2019 at 11:04 am

    Great recipe maybe should give some credit to the “ORIGINAL”Recipe creator Pioneer woman who posted this in 2011, Only change is the added Celery. I am all for pushing recipes farther and tweeking them but at least give credit where it is due.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      April 20, 2019 at 9:55 pm

      Hi Randy, if I had copied this or any other recipe from someone else I would have gladly given them credit. However as it turns out I didn’t copy this from anyone, the Pioneer Woman included. I’ve never seen her recipe before and just looked it up. To suggest “the only change” is the celery is quite a stretch, don’t you think? Feel free to do another side by side comparison, there are several significant differences, both in ratios and ingredients themselves, and the two resulting macaroni salads will taste quite different.

      Reply
    • Katy says

      November 16, 2019 at 3:22 am

      Not very nice Randy. I’m sure we could all find very similar recipes that the majority of bloggers post and chefs recreate. And maybe Ree started her macaroni salad from a Betty Crocker recipe and tweaked it by making it her own. Too bad that people today don’t follow a very simple rule: If you don’t have anything nice to say…don’t say anything at all.

      Kimberly The salad is excellent. My entire family loved it just the way you make it. Thanks for putting yourself out there and sharing!

      Reply
      • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

        November 16, 2019 at 11:54 am

        Thanks so much, Katy! :)

        Reply
  9. Rachael Yerkes says

    April 8, 2019 at 6:59 am

    This is perfect for a side dish for BBQs!

    Reply
  10. Katerina says

    April 8, 2019 at 6:13 am

    I LOVE Macaroni salad, this looks incredibly delicious!! A must try recipe!!

    Reply
  11. Courtney O'Dell says

    April 8, 2019 at 6:06 am

    We love this creamy classic macaroni salad!

    Reply
  12. Aimee Shugarman says

    April 8, 2019 at 5:03 am

    Made this over the weekend, we loved it!

    Reply
  13. Becky Hardin says

    April 7, 2019 at 8:55 pm

    The perfect pasta salad for any cook out!

    Reply
  14. Eve Boehm says

    January 6, 2019 at 10:13 am

    I used to make a similar salad with cheese tortilini dressed with light vinaigrette and lhandfuls of fresh basil

    Reply
  15. Stephanie says

    August 24, 2018 at 8:50 am

    I switched up the ‘mixings’ to appease the kiddos a bit…but the dressing on this is hands down – AMAZING! I hate store bought macaroni salads cause of the weird flavor. I have my potato salad recipe perfected so it’s usually my go-to, but I wanted to change things up a bit this summer. I was nervous to try to make macaroni salad, but knowing all of your recipes are awesome I tried this out – and it (the dressing) is simply perfect!

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 24, 2018 at 10:19 pm

      You’re a gem, Stephanie, thanks so much for the compliment! :) Have a terrific weekend!

      Reply
  16. Sabine from Toronto says

    August 9, 2018 at 3:05 pm

    OMG! I just made this today for the first time. Absolutely delish! ๐Ÿ˜‹ Did not change a thing. I think the key to this recipe is to use a good quality mayonnaise, just like the recipe calls for. I splurged and bought a jar of mayonnaise from a boutique delicatessen in my neighbourhood and paid $10 (big cringe!) for it. But what a difference in taste compared to the regular big name mayonnaises that can be found in every grocery store. I also used a good quality sweet pickle relish. I highly recommend making this dish.

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      August 9, 2018 at 5:55 pm

      I’m so glad to hear that, Sabine, thank you for your feedback!

      Reply
  17. Bekka says

    July 13, 2018 at 4:52 am

    Sounds like a fantastic recipe. I plan to try this for a party today. Not particularly fond of capers or black olives but love sliced green olives in Mac salad. Do you think green olives would be ok to add in place of capers and black olives?

    Reply
    • Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

      July 13, 2018 at 6:54 pm

      Hi Bekka, you bet. This all purely comes down to personal preference – black olives are simply milder but it you like green olives feel free to use those.

      Reply
  18. Tori says

    July 9, 2018 at 8:15 pm

    I have made this salad at least 4 times for various potlucks and it’s always a hit. People always ask me for the recipe and I refer them to your blog :) Love your recipes, I’ve made many of them, keep up the delicious work!

    Reply
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kimberly killebrew the daring gourmet

Welcome!ย  Iโ€™m Kimberly and I share delicious originals, revitalized classics and authentic dishes from around the world.ย  Come travel the world through your taste buds!

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure:
The Daring Gourmet is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.ย  As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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