Simple And Delicious Macaroni Salad Mom S Classic Recipe

The Best Macaroni Salad Ever

Typically, I’m not a fan of classic Macaroni Salad. However, my mom’s mac salad recipe is the exception. The ingredients are fresh and colorful and it tastes amazing! We would always have this at family picnics or trips to the lake. It is also a perfect side dish for Easter dinner or a BBQ on the 4th of July. In fact, this recipe appears at so many of our family functions, it definitely gets the stamp of family favorite!

How to Make Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad consists of three distinct parts: 1. The pasta 2. The dressing 3. The mix-ins. First, the pasta: Authentic macaroni salad uses elbow macaroni (of course), but I have also swapped out the macaroni with small shell pasta, cavatappi, and ditalini with great success. Cook the pasta just to al dente, then stop the cooking by rinsing the pasta in cold water. Making macaroni salad is the ONLY time I will ever rinse pasta. Allow the pasta to drain while you prepare the rest of the salad. Next, the dressing: For my macaroni salad dressing, I keep it pretty simple. I use a base of mayonnaise, mustard, sour cream then a few more small added ingredients for flavor including apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. That’s it! Mix it all together and fold it into the macaroni. Finally, the fun part. The mix-ins! Our mom always does ham, cheese, peas, carrots, and green onion but the possibilities and mix-in combinations are endless. Other popular favorites include hard boiled egg, olives, peppers, halved cherry tomatoes, cucumber, pickles, and baby corn.

Tips for Making Macaroni Salad

I will often make this salad a day ahead and let it chill overnight. This gives the flavors a chance to blend. When making ahead, store in Ziplock bags until ready to serve, this way you save on dishes too. If it seems a little dry when ready to serve, just add a splash of milk before serving and stir for a few minutes. Depending on your tastes, you can add in or substitute ingredients to the dressing as well. Dijon mustard can be used instead of yellow mustard. Garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, and other seasonings can add flavors to your taste. Read Next: Best BBQ Side Dishes

Looking for More Great Pasta Salad Recipes?

If you want to check out more ideas for macaroni salad, check out our Hawaiian Mac Salad. This is an authentic macaroni salad recipe from when I lived in Hawaii and it is perfect for luaus! You can also try our Creamy Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad. You basically can’t go wrong with bacon.

Light Greek Pasta Salad – a savory salad with greek dressing. Layered Pasta Salad – a colorful side dish with layers of ham, eggs, salami, veggies, and cheese. Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad – a traditional salad and turned into a hearty and delicious meal. Shrimp Pasta Salad – fresh shrimp and tender pasta in a vibrant lemon dill sauce.