Best Macaroni Salad Recipe with Mayo
This classic elbow macaroni pasta salad side dish combines tender pasta, a quick homemade creamy dressing, and fresh, crunchy veggies.
Servings: 8
Calories: 293kcal
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
Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 35mg | Sodium: 538mg | Potassium: 101mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1088IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg