Best Macaroni Salad

4.84 from 24 votes

My viral Best Macaroni Salad is a potluck, cookout and party staple dish. It's a top recipe on the site and for a reason, it's truly the best! Tender pasta is tossed with fresh crunchy veggies, eggs, and a tangy dressing, be sure to make a lot since everyone will be wanting more.

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: summer, vegetables

Servings: Servings

Calories: 258kcal

Ingredients

Dressing

15 ounces Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute or less if desired
1 teaspoon celery seed
½ teaspoon garlic salt
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
Salt/Black Pepper to taste

Salad

1 pound elbow macaroni or ditalini pasta use less for a heavier dressing to pasta ratio
3 hard-boiled eggs peeled and chopped
¾ cup diced red onion
¾ cup diced celery
¾ cup diced bell peppers

Instructions

Cook pasta in boiling salted water per package directions, drain and cool.
In a large bowl, whisk together Miracle Whip, sugar, celery seed, garlic salt, vinegar, relish, mustard, salt and pepper. Taste for balance of flavors.
To the dressing, add eggs, vegetables and pasta. Stir until well combined.
Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Video

Notes

Tips:

- Customization: You can add or omit any ingredient from the ingredients noted in this recipe. Macaroni salad taste and texture preference is individual from person-to-person.

- Add-Ins or Substitutions: Optional ingredients you can add to the salad or substitute with existing ingredients are cucumbers, peas, carrots, cubed cheddar cheese, dill pickles, green pepper, red bell pepper, sweet pickle relish, chopped bread and butter pickles, bacon, ham, diced tomatoes, and green onions.

- Boiled Eggs: Visit Perfect Peel Boiled Eggs for your easiest egg peeling experience ever!

- Creamy Ingredient Options: Light Miracle Whip or mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, sour cream and sugar substitute can be used instead of the regular versions. Dijon Mustard is a great alternative to yellow mustard as well.

- Pasta Tips: Cook the pasta until it is slightly firm (al dente) to ensure it holds its shape in the salad. Rinse with cold water to cool it down quickly and prevent it from becoming mushy. Use less pasta if you like a heavier dressing to pasta ratio.

- Spices: Feel free to experiment with fresh herbs and spices, such as dill, garlic powder, onion powder, or paprika, to add a unique twist to your macaroni salad.

- Marry Flavors: Letting the macaroni salad chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight will enhance the flavors and make it even more delicious.

Storage Instructions:

Properly stored macaroni salad can last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. Make sure to keep it in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

Freezing macaroni salad is not recommended as the texture of the pasta and other ingredients can change upon thawing, resulting in a less desirable consistency.

If served at a gathering and left out at room temperature longer than 2 hours, discard it as it's not safe to eat. If possible, serve in a chilled bowl.

Nutrition

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