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The Make-Ahead Side Your BBQ Needs

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This is the Macaroni Salad recipe I’ve made for years!! It’s perfectly creamy, even after chilling and has the perfect balance of tangy, sweet, and crunchy. The dressing is super simple and this can be made with ingredients you likely have on hand.

It’s perfect to prepare ahead of time for BBQs, potlucks, or even for weeknight dinners.

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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Macaroni Salad

Why Make It: I like this recipe because the dressing is mixed right in the serving bowl, so I end up with one less dish to wash.

Flavor: Creamy, tangy-sweet dressing with relish and mustard for classic deli-style vibes.

Tools: Use a veggie chopper to speed up prep.

Serving Suggestions: A classic side dish that pairs perfectly with burgers, ribs, grilled chicken, pulled pork, and sandwiches.

Total Time: 1.5 hours (including 1 hour chill time) Serves: 6

Ingredient Notes

Macaroni, Celery, Pepper , Dressing , Carrot , Onion and salt and pepper to make Classic Macaroni Salad with labels

Elbow Macaroni: Classic elbow macaroni holds the creamy dressing well, but any short pasta such as ditalini, small shells, or wagon wheels work nicely.
Carrot: Shredded carrot adds color and a touch of sweetness. Pre-shredded bagged carrots are a great time-saving option.
Red Bell Pepper: Adds crunch, color, and mild sweetness. Green or yellow bell peppers can be used as well.
Red Onion: Red onion has a sharper bite, while green onion is milder. To mellow red onion’s flavor, soak the diced pieces in cold water for a few minutes.
Dressing: Swap up to half of the mayonnaise for sour cream or Greek yogurt for a little extra tang or to lighten up the recipe a bit. Replace the homemade dressing with prepared coleslaw dressing.
Optional Add-Ins: Pickles, olives, ham, sweet peas, cheddar cheese, or chopped hard-boiled eggs can all be added for extra flavor and texture. The salad works well with up to 2½ cups of total add-ins.

How To Make Macaroni Salad

Toss well, season to taste, and chill.

Cook Al Dente: Cook the pasta just until tender so it does not turn mushy after chilling. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and cool it quickly. Drain it really well so extra water does not thin the dressing.
Perfect Bites: Cut the vegetables small, about half of the size of the macaroni, to help it mix well and get a little crunch in every bite. Dice the vegetables about the same size for even bites.
Only One Bowl: Mix the dressing in the salad bowl first to save dishes and coat everything evenly.
Chill Time: Chill for at least 1 hour so the flavors blend. Stir and add a spoonful of mayonnaise if the pasta has absorbed too much dressing.

Make-Ahead and Chill Time Tips

This macaroni salad recipe is best when chilled for an hour or two before serving. This allows the flavors to blend, and the dressing thickens and soaks into the pasta. It can be made up to 24 hours before serving.

Chill, Store, Enjoy

Refrigerate: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. This salad is best served cold, so keep it chilled until ready to serve.

Freeze: Do not freeze.

Tips: Stir before serving, since the dressing can settle or absorb into the pasta as it sits. For BBQs, picnics, and potlucks set the bowl over ice outdoors to keep it cool, and discard the salad if it has been sitting out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour in hot weather.

More Creamy Potluck Salads

Did you enjoy this Macaroni Salad Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.

image of Everyday Comfort cookbook by Holly Nilsson of Spend With Pennies plus text

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Chill Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes

▢ 8 ounces elbow macaroni approx. 2 cups dry, or any short pasta

Add-Ins (see notes)

▢ 1 cup diced celery
▢ ½ cup shredded carrot
▢ ½ cup diced red bell pepper
▢ ¼ cup diced red onion or thinly sliced green onion

Dressing

▢ 1 cup mayonnaise
▢ 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
▢ 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons sweet relish
▢ 1 teaspoon yellow mustard or Dijon mustard
▢ ¼ teaspoon salt
▢ ¼ teaspoon black pepper

In a large pot, cook the elbow macaroni in salted water according to the instructions on the package. Drain well and rinse it under cold water to stop cooking.
To make the dressing, in a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, relish, mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
Add the drained macaroni, celery, carrots, red pepper, and onion to the dressing. Toss well to coat. Taste and add additional salt and pepper if desired.
Refrigerate the macaroni salad for at least 1 hour before serving.

*You will need 2 to 2 ½ cups of add-ins. Use the list above for a basic macaroni salad or change them to your liking. Other favorite add-ins include pickles, olives, ham, sweet peas, and cheddar cheese.

Elbows can be swapped for ditalini, small shells, or wagon wheels.
Dice the add-ins about half the size of the macaroni.
Rinse the pasta after draining to stop it from cooking.
Mix the dressing directly in the salad bowl and then add the other ingredients, one less dish to wash.
Store leftovers in the fridge in a covered container for up to 4 days.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Pasta, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.

Can you freeze macaroni salad?

Sadly, it does not freeze well.

How long is macaroni salad good for?

Macaroni salad is best made beforehand, making it party-perfect. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

What to eat with macaroni salad?

I love to serve macaroni salad as a side for anything off the grill! u003ca href=u0022https://www.spendwithpennies.com/grilled-bbq-chicken/u0022 type=u0022postu0022 id=u0022152749u0022u003eGrilled BBQ chickenu003c/au003e, hot dogs, or u003ca href=u0022https://www.spendwithpennies.com/classic-hamburger-recipe/u0022 type=u0022postu0022 id=u0022152536u0022u003ehamburgersu003c/au003e are great options. It’s also a great dish to serve with u003ca href=u0022https://www.spendwithpennies.com/dr-pepper-pulled-pork-slow-cooker-recipe/u0022 type=u0022postu0022 id=u002271330u0022u003epulled porku003c/au003e.

Macaroni Salad in a bowl with a wooden spoon and a title

Macaroni Salad in a bowl and plated with writing

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About the author

Holly Nilsson is the creator of Spend With Pennies, where she creates easy, comforting recipes made for real life. She is also the author of “Everyday Comfort,” which promises to inspire even more hearty, home-cooked meals.
See more posts by Holly