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Macaroni Salad

Classic macaroni salad with tender elbow pasta, finely diced celery and onion, and a tangy creamy dressing. Chill for hours for a traditional, potluck-style BBQ side with visible veggies in every bite.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 25 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 560
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Elbow macaroni
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
Creamy tangy dressing
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 0.25 cup sour cream
  • 2 tbsp white vinegar
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped vegetables
  • 1 cup celery, finely diced
  • 0.5 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
  • 0.25 cup red onion, finely diced
Optional hard-boiled eggs
  • 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional)
Garnish
  • 0.25 tsp Paprika for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
  2. Spread the rinsed macaroni on a sheet pan and let it cool until no longer warm, about 5 minutes (do not chill yet).
Make the tangy creamy dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, white vinegar, yellow mustard, sugar, and salt and pepper until smooth and fully combined.
Combine macaroni salad
  1. Add cooled macaroni to a large bowl along with finely diced celery, red bell pepper, and finely diced red onion.
  2. Stir in chopped hard-boiled eggs if using.
  3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until every noodle looks evenly coated.
Chill and finish
  1. Refrigerate the macaroni salad for at least 3 hours or overnight for best flavor.
  2. Stir before serving, then sprinkle with paprika for garnish.

Notes

For the best texture, rinse the macaroni well with cold water and cool until just warm, so the dressing clings instead of turning runny. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; the salad is not recommended for freezing. For a lighter version, use reduced-fat mayonnaise and reduced-fat sour cream without changing the chilling time.