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Southern Macaroni Salad

An easy Southern macaroni salad is the perfect make-ahead side dish for your next potluck, cookout, or family gathering.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Additional Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 28 mins
Servings: 8 cups
Calories: 1572 kcal
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni pasta (about 1 ½ cups uncooked or 3 cups cooked)
  • 1 cup mayonnaise (we prefer Duke's brand)
  • 2 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
  • ½ teaspoon minced, pressed, or grated fresh garlic
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 1 red bell pepper, diced
  • 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cook macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  2. While the pasta cooks, chop the onion, celery, bell pepper, eggs, and parsley. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, pickle relish, and garlic until smooth.
  3. In a large bowl, combine cool pasta, onion, celery, bell pepper, eggs, and parsley. Toss with dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

  • Use any short pasta, such as elbow macaroni, mini shells, ditalini, or rotini.
  • Add cooked, diced chicken, ham, shrimp, or tuna to the salad. You might also like this ham pasta salad, Aunt Bee's shrimp pasta salad, this tuna pasta salad, or this chicken pasta salad with shrimp and pepperoni.
  • If you like a sweet burst of flavor, add peas to your macaroni salad.
  • Omit the hardboiled eggs if you don't care for them.
  • Instead of sweet pickle relish, use chopped sweet pickles, chopped dill pickles, or dill pickle relish.
  • A hint of garlic in the background adds another layer of flavor. You can omit this ingredient altogether if you don't care for raw garlic in your salad, or substitute with a pinch of garlic powder.
  • Add cheese, such as diced cheddar cheese or mozzarella.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1/2 cup Calories 157.2kcal (8%) Carbohydrates 10.6g (4%) Protein 3.5g (7%) Fat 11.3g (17%) Saturated Fat 1.8g (9%) Cholesterol 38.7mg (13%) Sodium 111.8mg (5%) Fiber 1.3g (5%) Sugar 2.2g (4%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8cups

Amount Per Serving

Calories 1572

% Daily Value*

Serving 1/2 cup
Calories 157.2kcal 8%
Carbohydrates 10.6g 4%
Protein 3.5g 7%
Fat 11.3g 17%
Saturated Fat 1.8g 9%
Cholesterol 38.7mg 13%
Sodium 111.8mg 5%
Fiber 1.3g 5%
Sugar 2.2g 4%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.