There are summer side dishes that just never go out of style—and macaroni salad is one of them. It’s the bowl that gets scraped clean at potlucks, picnics, and family barbecues. This version leans creamy, tangy, and just a little sweet, with a dressing that clings to every noodle.

Glass bowl filled with classic macaroni salad with diced vegetables and thick creamy dressing. — This version has just the right balance: creamy without being heavy, tangy with a little sweetness, and full of nostalgic flavor that makes you think, *“Yep, this is the macaroni salad I grew up with.”*

We’ve tested more versions of macaroni salad than I’d like to admit, and this one hits all the right notes: creamy but not heavy, tangy with a touch of sweetness, and balanced so you keep going back for just one more spoonful.

Best Macaroni Salad Ingredients

Flat lay of measured ingredients for macaroni salad including elbow macaroni, mayo, relish, red pepper, celery, and seasonings.

For The Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Mix-ins like eggs, red onion, celery, red pepper, carrots, or peas are optional—but highly encouraged.

Pasta Substitution

If you don’t have elbow macaroni on hand, feel free to use other short pasta shapes such as penne, rotini, or fusilli. These pasta shapes will work just as well and provide a different texture to the salad.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make ahead: Assemble up to 24 hours in advance. The flavor deepens as it chills.
Fridge: Store leftovers in an airtight container up to four days.
Not freezer-friendly: The creamy dressing won’t hold up to freezing.

Serving Ideas

This macaroni salad works for almost any occasion:

Holiday buffets alongside turkey or ham roast
Work lunches with sandwiches or wraps
Comfort-food dinners with meatloaf or fried chicken
Casual potlucks and family dinners, any time of year

4 Steps To The Best Elbow Macaroni Salad

Cook macaroni just past al dente so it can soak up all that dressing goodness. Drain and rinse.
Whip up the dressing – mayonnaise, relish, Dijon, vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, and pepper.
Toss the cooled pasta and your favorite chopped veggies into the dressing until everything is glossy and coated.
Cover and chill at least an hour. This is the part where the flavors get acquainted.

Expert Tips

Don’t skimp on the salt in your pasta water. It’s the difference between bland noodles and a salad people actually remember.
Rinse the pasta. Normally it’s a pasta crime, but here it’s the move—it keeps the salad creamy instead of gummy.
Tiny veggie dice. Nobody wants a forkful of just raw onion. Keep those pieces small so every bite is balanced.

Macaroni salad in a foil tray being scooped with a wooden spoon, showcasing the creamy texture and colorful mix-ins.

More Pasta Salad Recipes

Best Macaroni Salad Recipe with Mayo

5 from 46 votes

This classic elbow macaroni pasta salad side dish combines tender pasta, a quick homemade creamy dressing, and fresh, crunchy veggies.

Prep Time 15

Total Time 45

Servings

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Ingredients

Dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional for boiling the pasta according to package
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Macaroni Salad

12 ounces elbow macaroni noodles, about ¾ of a 16-ounce box
½ cup red bell pepper, diced ½ inch (from ½ large pepper)
½ cup celery, sliced ¼ inch thick (from 1-2 large stalks)
⅓ cup red onion, diced ¼ inch (from ½ medium onion)
¼ cup carrot, finely shredded (from 1 large carrot)
1 large hard-boiled egg, finely chopped

Instructions

Whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, granulated sugar, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper until smooth in a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside while preparing the macaroni salad ingredients.
To a large pot of salted boiling water, cook the elbow macaroni noodles for 9-11 minutes or just until al dente. Drain then rinse with cold water to stop the cooking of the noodles.
To a large mixing bowl add the rinsed elbow macaroni noodles, red bell pepper, celery, red onion, carrot and hard-boiled egg.
Pour the dressing into the bowl and gently toss to combine all the ingredients and evenly coat with the dressing. You can reserve ¼ cup of the dressing to stir in after refrigeration if needed to restore creaminess to the macaroni salad before serving.
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend and the salad to chill slightly before serving.
When ready to serve, stir in any reserved dressing (if needed) prior to transferring to a serving bowl.

Video

Notes

The dressing can be made up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerated in a covered container prior to use in the recipe for easy preparation.
White vinegar can be substituted for the apple cider vinegar in the dressing. If making this substitute, you may want to add an additional 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar to balance the flavors.
You can purchase hard boiled eggs from your local deli or make them up to 3 days in advance of using them in this recipe.
The hard-boiled egg can be omitted or doubled based on personal preference, especially if you’re serving someone who prefers it egg-free.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

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The Only Macaroni Salad Recipe You’ll Ever Need