Classic Macaroni Salad
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Grandma’s classic macaroni salad with egg is a picnic and potluck staple. It’s made the traditional way with ditalini pasta and tasty farm-fresh ingredients. It features ideal textures and the perfect amount of tang.
👩🏻🍳 WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD
- This deli staple is a slice of Americana. It’s the old-fashioned macaroni salad you remember from childhood. Generations have enjoyed this traditional recipe at picnics, backyard BBQs, and church socials.
- It’s low-cost recipe won’t break the bank! It’s the perfect choice for potlucks and Sunday socials when you’re asked up to bring a large dish.
- Assemble this easy pasta salad in 30 minutes. You’ll be in and out of the kitchen quickly. Refrigerate the salad until serving time.
- It’s perfect for meal prepping. When stored in an airtight container and refrigerated, it’ll stay fresh with a great texture for up to 5 days.
- This classic macaroni salad recipe is very versatile. If desired, add shredded carrots or some crispy pan-fried cubes of ham. For a Hellmann’s macaroni salad that’s sweet with less tang: skip the fresh dill and dill pickles (or use sweet pickles). Add 1 teaspoon granulated sugar. Keep the hard-boiled eggs in, or leave them out.
🛒 Ingredients
- Ditalini Pasta: Nostalgia insists on ditalini pasta for an iconic American look and bite. But in a pinch, use elbow macaroni instead.
- Hard Boiled Eggs: A traditional ingredient for classic macaroni salad. You can boil them on stovetop, or make air fryer hard boiled eggs. For garnishing the dish, cook 1 to 2 additional eggs.
- Celery: Adds a fresh grassy taste as well as color and texture.
- Red Bell Pepper: Adds color, texture, and a light crisp bite.
- Red Onion: Contributes color, texture and a bright onion taste.
- Black Olives: Area very flavorful. They add a rustic briny taste.
- Kosher Dill Pickles: Add a tart, tangy flavor with a delicious crunch.
- Fresh Dill: Herbaceous and grassy, it has a light citrus taste with subtle sweetness and a bit of tang.
- Mayonnaise: It gives our classic macaroni salad a rich creamy taste. It also helps hold the ingredients together. I recommend Best Foods, Hellmann’s or Duke’s Mayo.
- Sour Cream: As creamy thickness to the mixture. It contributes a rich delicious tang that’s both sour and tart.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: Adds moisture and tang to mixture.
- Dijon Mustard: Has a robust tart/tangy flavor. I use the type of dijon made with white wine.
- Yellow Mustard: Has a sweet vinegary flavor that works well with in combination with the sharper taste of the dijon mustard.
- Sea Salt: Enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Ground Black Pepper: Adds a rustic taste with a hint of heat.
- Paprika: Adds color and a hint of sweet. A traditional ingredient for classic macaroni salad, it also pairs well with hard-boiled eggs.
👩🏻🍳 KITCHEN TIP FOR COOLING PASTA
For macaroni salad that looks magazine perfect, I’m sharing an insider secret. How professional food stylists prep cold pasta salads that photograph well. Before we even taste a dish, we eat with our eyes.
- Cook pasta al dente (slightly firm) according package directions.
- Drain the pasta in a colander, but don’t rinse it under cold water.
- Add a drizzle of olive oil to the noodles and toss.
- Spread out the hot pasta in an even layer on a baking tray to release the heat. Separate the noodles as much as possible.
- Once cooled, transfer pasta to a large bowl. These loosened-up noodles are now perfectly prepped for assembling the macaroni salad.
📖 CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD RECIPE
RECIPE PREP: Cook the pasta al dente according to package instructions. Set 1 hard-boiled egg aside. It will be used for garnishing the salad.
- STEP 1: Dice the veggies. Chop 6 of the eggs. The size of the diced ingredients should not be larger than the ditalini pasta. For classic macaroni salad, the texture of the noodles, not the crunch of veggies, should be the primary focus of every bite.
- STEP 2: Make the dressing. Add the wet ingredients to a small bowl: mayo, sour cream, dijon mustard, yellow mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk them together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- STEP 3: Combine the dressing and pasta. Add the cooled noodles to a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the pasta. Stir briefly.
- STEP 4: Fold in remaining ingredients: chopped eggs, celery, onion, bell pepper, pickles, olives, dill, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Do a taste test. Adjust the spices as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Classic macaroni salad should be served cold.
- STEP 5: Brighten and garnish the dish. Taste the cold salad. If it needs brightening, lightly sprinkle apple cider vinegar over the top, then mix it in. Garnish the salad with a pinch of paprika, a sliced hard-boiled egg, a few whole pitted olives, and a few sprigs of fresh dill or Italian parsley.
🧑🏼🍳 EXPERT TIPS for macaroni salad
- Salt the water in the pot. When boiling pasta, this is essential for building flavor. The water in the pot should taste like the ocean.
- Cook the pasta al dente. The noodles should be tender yet firm, and have a little bite. Al dente is often achieved by cooking the pasta for 2 minutes less than the instructions listed on the package.
- How to keep this classic macaroni salad moist: Noodles soak up dressing like sponges. If making this dish in advance, whisk up more dressing and set it aside in the fridge. If needed, just fold it in.
- Easy tip for making large quantities. When assembling classic macaroni salad to feed a crowd: Use 2 parts cooked pasta to 1 1/2 parts diced add-ins. This will keep the noodles the star of the show.
👩🏻🍳 recipe FAQ
These are the most commonly-asked questions when making macaroni salad, and the most helpful answers for recipe success.
Use ditalini pasta for a classic deli-style macaroni salad. If you don’t have it on hand, use elbow macaroni, rotini, gemelli or farfalle.
Shredded cheddar cheese and (cooked) crispy bacon. For a spicy twist, try diced fire-roasted green chiles. For more tang, fold in capers. For extra crunch, garnish with (snapped or broken) Fritos corn chips.
Never leave macaroni salad at room temperature for more than 2 hours. After that time it must be discarded. For food safety, place cold food containers on ice. Keep cold food at or below 40°F. 👉🏻 Here’s what the USDA says about safe food handling.
When stored in an airtight container in the fridge, it’ll stay fresh for up to 5 days. For the best taste and texture, enjoy it within 3 days.
No. It’s not recommended. Macaroni salad does not freeze well.
🍽 WHAT TO SERVE WITH MACARONI SALAD
Classic macaroni salad is the perfect cold side for your favorite recipes. Enjoy it with deli-style sandwiches or these tasty summer dishes.
- State Fair Corn Dogs
- Sonoran Hot Dogs
- Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Cheeseburger Sliders
- BBQ Pulled Pork Sliders
🥗 MORE CLASSIC SALADS
If you enjoyed Grandma’s classic macaroni salad, add these other classic potluck salads to your recipe collection.
- Cold Spaghetti Salad
- Chinese Chicken Salad
- Cucumber Salad
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Loaded Baked Potato Salad
- Broccoli Salad with Bacon
RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Flavor testers rated this the BEST classic macaroni salad. Members of the older generation said the look, taste, texture and aroma reminded them of childhood. Tangy and delicious, it has the nostalgic flavor of yesteryear.
If you agree this recipe’s a keeper, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.
Classic Macaroni Salad
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 Servings 1x
Description
Grandma’s macaroni salad with egg is a taste of Americana. It’s the potluck staple enjoyed at church socials and family gatherings for generations. Make her simple recipe in 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) box ditalini pasta, cooked al dente according to package instructions
- 7 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled
- 1/2 cup celery, minced
- 1/2 cup red onion, minced
- 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and minced
- 1/4 cup Kosher dill pickles, minced
- 1 (6-ounce) can black olives, diced
- 3 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- Sea salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- Paprika to taste
Instructions
RECIPE PREP: Cook the pasta al dente according to package directions. Set 1 hard boiled egg aside. It will be used for garnishing.
- Dice the veggies. Chop 6 of the eggs. The size of the diced ingredients should not be larger than the ditalini pasta. For classic macaroni salad, the texture of the noodles, not the crunch of veggies, should be the primary focus of every bite.
- Make the dressing. Add the wet ingredients to a small bowl: mayo, sour cream, dijon mustard, yellow mustard, and apple cider vinegar. Whisk them together. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine the dressing and pasta. Add the cooled noodles to a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the pasta. Stir briefly.
- Fold in remaining ingredients: chopped eggs, celery, onion, bell pepper, pickles, olives, dill, salt and pepper. Toss to combine. Do a taste test. Adjust the spices as needed. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or overnight). This dish should be served cold.
- Brighten and garnish the salad. Taste the cold salad. If it needs brightening, lightly sprinkle apple cider vinegar over the top, then mix it in. Garnish with a pinch of paprika, a sliced hard-boiled egg, a few whole pitted olives, and fresh dill or Italian parsley.
Notes
More flavorful add-ins: Mix in shredded cheddar cheese and (cooked) crisp crunchy bacon. For a spicy twist, add diced fire-roasted green chiles. For added tang, fold in some capers. For a crunchy garnish, try a handful of snapped or broken Fritos corn chips.
How long will macaroni salad last? When stored in an air-tight container and refrigerated, it can stay fresh for up to 5 days. For the best taste and texture, enjoy it within 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD 👉🏻 JOIN THE CONVO
What do you think of this easy recipe? Would you like to take it to a potluck, picnic or family gathering? Share your thoughts on this classic macaroni salad in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you.
With the Super bowl just around the corner, it will be perfect for a tasty side dish! I love your variation suggestion of using bacon as an additional mix in! Yum!
Gave this a try with dinner last night and it does not disappoint! Easily, a new favorite recipe for macaroni salad; delicious!
This is a favourite for game day! It is classic and delicious – can’t wait to make your recipe again this week.
This macaroni salad was super easy to make and was also super kid friendly!! I had a couple of happy kids after I made this for lunch today!
This is my go-to and favorite cook-for-a-party recipe! Everybody loves the flavors in this dish and I love that I can make it ahead of time!
I love macaroni salad! This looks so vibrant and delicious! Can’t wait to try :)
This looks SO good. Like I love the paprika pop of color!
Take out the olives and this is the perfect macaroni salad! Love all your photos BTW, great job!
The olives are such a great addition to this classic salad, along with the peppers and egg! Love it!
Looks so colorful and delicious. I would love to try this!
There is nothing like a classic macaroni salad! It’s one of the things I look forward to most in the summer and the first dish I go for at potlucks! Loved reading this post as it made me all nostalgic for summers past!
This macaroni salad is a real show-stopper! I loved all the crunch and flavor from the many ingredients added in. This is the new dish I will be bringing to all of our summer potlucks. Thank you for a wonderful and easy to make recipe.
This looks and sounds delicious! A perfect summer pasta salad…one of my favorites!
This Macaroni Salad looks and sounds amazing! Definitely going to have to make this for my next family BBQ!
So healthy and looks amazing!
This looks so delicious and so fresh. Would love to try this recipe. Thanks for the post.
Yum! Your macaroni salad looks delicious. I’ll have to give it a try soon.
I love that you added hard boiled egg and olives!
This looks delicious! It’s the perfect recipe for end-of-summer picnics. Will be using this recipe soon!
Looks so delicious and easy to make i love cold pasta in the summer.
Nothing better for the summer season! Love all the colorful and crunchy veggies, and the hard-boiled eggs!
This looks amazing! I love trying new recipes and I think my family would be obsessed with this recipe! Thank you!
Loving all the ingredients in this classic macaroni salad! This would be so perfect for our weekend picnics we’ve been having! Love it!
What a delicious looking macaroni salad!! So flavorful!
This recipe is so perfect for summer cookouts and tailgating!
This is the exact reason a classic recipe never goes out of style! YUMMY!!