Traditional Macaroni Salad Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
5 mins
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Cook Time
10 mins
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Additional Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 15 mins
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Servings
8 servings
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Calories
249 kcal
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Course
Salad
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Cuisine
North American
Traditional Macaroni Salad Recipe
Description
This recipe starts by boiling macaroni until tender, then rinsing under cold water to cool and stop cooking. While the pasta cooks, a dressing is prepared by mixing mayonnaise, sweet pickle juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, garlic and onion powder, salt, and pepper, thinned slightly with reserved pasta water to reach a pourable consistency. The cooked pasta is combined with diced red pepper, celery, red onion, and sweet pickles, then mixed with half the dressing.
The bowl is covered and refrigerated along with the remaining dressing for about an hour to allow flavors to blend. Before serving, the salad is tossed with the remaining dressing to ensure an even coating, balancing creaminess and tang. The salad offers a cool, crisp texture from the vegetables and a creamy, mildly sweet flavor profile typical of traditional macaroni salads.
You can customize this salad by using different pasta shapes like wheels or mini shells. To avoid dryness when preparing in advance, keep the dressing separate until serving. Milk can substitute the reserved pasta water to thin the dressing, and additions such as olives, cheddar, or bacon can alter the flavor and texture.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces macaroni about 3 cups dry
- 1 medium red pepper finely diced
- 2 medium celery finely diced, stalks
- ½ cup red onion finely diced
- ½ cup sweet pickles finely diced
Macaroni Salad Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickles juice from jar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions. When cooked, remove a cup of the cooking liquid and then drain and rinse the pasta under cold running water.
- While the pasta is cooking, dice the veggies and make the dressing. Add the mayonnaise, pickle juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to a bowl and mix well. Thin with a little of the pasta cooking water so it is a creamy but pourable consistency. About 2 tablespoons does the trick.
- Add the cooked pasta, red pepper, celery, onion, and pickles to a large salad bowl. Pour HALF of the dressing over the top and mix well. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or beeswax wrap and put it and the remaining dressing into your fridge for an hour.
- Before serving, toss the macaroni salad with the remaining dressing.
Notes
- Use wheels or mini shells pasta as alternatives to macaroni for variety.
- When making ahead, toss pasta and veggies together but keep dressing separate to prevent dryness.
- If no pasta water is reserved, milk can thin the dressing effectively.
- Variations include adding chopped olives, banana peppers, pimiento, roasted red peppers, cheddar cheese, or crumbled bacon for extra flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 249 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1 = ⅛ of the recipe | |
| Calories | 249kcal | 12% |
| Carbohydrates | 40g | 13% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 7g | 11% |
| Saturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 1g | 5% |
| Trans Fat | 0.02g | 1% |
| Cholesterol | 4mg | 1% |
| Sodium | 487mg | 20% |
| Potassium | 163mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 564IU | 11% |
| Vitamin C | 20mg | 22% |
| Calcium | 21mg | 2% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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