BEST Macaroni Salad
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!
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 red roasted bell peppers
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives ,rinsed and drained
- 3 tablespoons 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
- 1 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
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