Try this easy macaroni salad recipe for your next summer potluck! Like potato salad and fruit salad, this chilled side dish is perfect for warm-weather gatherings. The salad is made with macaroni, lots of crunchy veggies, and hard boiled eggs combined with an ultra-creamy mayo-based dressing that gets a tangy punch from pickle juice. This is one of my favorite pasta salad recipes when I need a crowd-pleaser!
This simple recipe comes together with little fuss. While a quick one-hour chill is sufficient before serving, I like to make it a night in advance to let all the flavors blend together. Making it in advance frees up time to focus on making entrees like BBQ chicken and smash burgers that pair so well with the creamy salad.
Key Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients needed for the best macaroni salad. You can find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below.
Macaroni — start with dry elbow macaroni for a classic salad. The tubular shape of macaroni holds the dressing well, making it a great pasta for salads!
Vegetables — for crunchy texture, flavor, and color, finely chop celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and pickles. You can vary these fresh veggies based on your preference or what’s in your fridge. Carrots, cucumbers, and green onions are excellent as well. Feel free to swap the red pepper for a green pepper or another kind of sweet pepper.
Eggs — hard-boiled eggs add to the richness of the macaroni salad. Be sure to cool the hard-boiled eggs to room temperature or chill them before adding them to the salad.
Dressing — sour cream and mayonnaise form the main foundation of the creamy dressing. Pickle juice, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, and sugar enhance the flavor and add a vinegary punch of flavor that balances its creamy counterparts.
Macaroni Salad Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Large bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
Salad:
- 8 ounces dry elbow macaroni noodles (226g)
- 1 cup finely chopped celery (150g)
- ½ cup finely chopped bell pepper (65g)
- ½ cup finely diced red onion (60g)
- ½ cup finely chopped pickles (70g)
- 2 hard-boiled eggs peeled and finely chopped
Dressing:
- ¾ cup sour cream (180g)
- ½ cup mayonnaise (104g)
- ¼ cup pickle juice (60mL)
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
For the Salad:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions or until tender.
- Drain and rinse under cold water. Place in a large bowl. Add the celery, bell pepper, red onion, pickles, and eggs.
For the Dressing:
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, pickle juice, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk until combined. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine.
- Cover and let stand for 1 hour before serving or chill for up to 4 days. Best if made and refrigerated overnight before serving.
Notes
- Use your favorite type of pickles. Any variety of cucumber pickles will work, from dill pickles to bread and butter to sweet pickles like gherkins. My favorite choice is sweet heat pickles for that sweet and spicy flavor!
- If you don’t have distilled white vinegar, use fresh lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar instead.
- Green onions or scallions can be used as a substitute for red onions.
Nutrition
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Use a classic macaroni pasta or any small shape you like. Smaller pasta varieties work best in this recipe since all the ingredients are cut small. This helps you get a bit of everything in every bite. Ideally, use a pasta that is textured or shaped in a way that will trap some of the velvety dressing. Mini farfalle (bowtie), small shells, mini penne, or orzo will work for this recipe.
Rinse the cooked pasta in cold water to keep it from sticking together. Like I recommend in my pasta salad recipe, rinse the pasta with cold water to remove excess starch, which can cause sticking. You can also toss the pasta with a little oil.
Use one of these easy methods for foolproof hard-boiled eggs. For traditional stovetop hard-boiled eggs, follow the method and peeling tips in my egg salad recipe. If you don’t want to watch over eggs on the stove, try my hands-off air fryer hard boiled eggs or Instant Pot hard boiled eggs!
Try other flavor variations: Add Cajun seasoning in place of salt and pepper to the dressing. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs like parsley, dill, or chives. Replace the pickles with diced banana peppers. Use chopped pickled onions instead of raw onion. Swap ¼ cup buffalo sauce for the mustard, pickle juice, and vinegar in the dressing, and add shredded chicken or top with crumbled blue cheese.
Do I have To Add The Sugar In The Dressing?
You only need 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar for the dressing, which helps to balance and enhance the flavors from the creamy mayo and sharp vinegar. The sugar imparts a very subtle sweetness that also pairs well with the tangy, briny pickles! But you can leave it out if you prefer.
Make Ahead Tips
This simple macaroni salad recipe is an excellent make-ahead side dish! For the best flavor, I recommend refrigerating it overnight for the flavors to really meld well. Keep in mind that the pasta will absorb moisture from the dressing. If you make it more than 24 hours in advance, only dress it with two-thirds of the dressing, and stir the rest into the salad right before serving. This will keep it from seeming dry.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store macaroni salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing it as the dressing will separate, and the pasta will easily fall apart when defrosted.
Yes! But gluten-free pasta can sometimes fall apart easier than regular pasta, so be sure to cook the pasta until al dente only.
If you’ve tried this macaroni salad recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
