Macaroni Salad

Name: Easy Macaroni Salad Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 hard-boiled eggs ($0.24); ½ red bell pepper ($0.63); ½ red onion ($0.60); 2 ribs celery ($0.20); 8 oz. macaroni (uncooked, $0.62*); 1 cup mayonnaise ($0.80); 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard ($0.18**); 1 Tbsp sweet pickle relish ($0.08); 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar ($0.10***); 1 Tbsp granulated sugar ($0.01****); ½ tsp salt ($0.02); ¼ tsp black pepper (freshly cracked, $0.02)

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Macaroni Salad is a quick, budget-friendly side dish made with tender pasta, hard-boiled eggs, crisp vegetables, and a tangy mayo-based dressing. It's perfect for potlucks and summer BBQs and tastes even better after chilling for at least 30 minutes.

🌍American 🏷️Bbq side dish 🏷️Macaroni salad 🏷️Potluck recipes

Total

25 min

Servings

8

Recipe Source

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From Budget Bytes

Instructions

1
Chop the salad ingredients, so they're ready to go. Dice the hard-boiled eggs, bell pepper, onion, and celery.
2
Boil the macaroni until tender, then drain it in a colander. Briefly rinse the pasta with cool water to cool it off.
3
While the macaroni is boiling, prepare the dressing. Stir together the mayonnaise, Dijon, relish, red wine vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
4
Combine the cooled and drained macaroni, egg, bell pepper, celery, and onion in a bowl. Pour the dressing over top, then stir until everything is well combined and coated in dressing.
5
Serve the macaroni salad immediately or refrigerate until ready to eat. Chilling it for at least 30 minutes makes it taste even better! Enjoy.

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Tips & Notes

Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.

Pro tips

Cool the cooked macaroni by rinsing with cool water before mixing with dressing to prevent it from becoming mushy and warm.
Prepare the dressing while the macaroni boils to save time and allow flavors to meld before combining.
Chill the finished salad for at least 30 minutes before serving for better flavor development and texture.
Dice all vegetables uniformly so they distribute evenly throughout the salad and cook at the same rate.

Substitutions

Mayonnaise → Greek yogurt or sour cream (lighter version; use 3/4 cup mayo + 1/4 cup yogurt)
Red bell pepper → green bell pepper or yellow bell pepper (similar crunch and sweetness)
Sweet pickle relish → dill pickle relish (tangier flavor)
Red wine vinegar → white vinegar or apple cider vinegar (adjust to taste)

Storage & make-ahead

Refrigerate covered for up to 3 days. Stir before serving as dressing may separate slightly.

Common Questions

Written automatically by CookOS, not by the creator.

Can I make macaroni salad ahead of time?

Yes. Prepare the salad up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate in an airtight container. The flavors meld together as it sits, making it taste better. Stir before serving.

Can I use a different type of pasta?

Yes. Elbow macaroni is traditional, but small pasta shapes like ditalini, small shells, or penne work well and hold the dressing similarly.

Should I rinse the cooked macaroni?

Yes. The recipe calls for briefly rinsing the pasta with cool water to cool it off and prevent it from getting mushy when mixed with the dressing.

Can I reduce the mayonnaise for a lighter version?

You can reduce mayo to 3/4 cup and add 1/4 cup Greek yogurt or sour cream for a lighter version, though the texture and flavor will differ from the original.