Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe (with the best dressing)
Growing up, my Aunt would make this classic macaroni salad at every family gathering without fail. Over the years, I've adapted her recipe and made a few tweaks to create the best macaroni salad recipe. You'll love this one.
Ingredients
- 12 ounces macaroni, see notes
- 1 medium red pepper, finely diced
- 2 medium celery stalks, finely diced
- ½ cup finely diced red onion
- ½ cup finely diced sweet pickles
Macaroni Salad Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons juice from sweet pickle jar
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the macaroni and cook according to the package directions. When cooked, remove a cup of the cooking liquid and then drain and rinse the pasta under cold running water.12 ounces macaroni
- While the pasta is cooking, dice the veggies and make the dressing. Add the mayonnaise, pickle juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper to a bowl and mix well. Thin with a little of the pasta cooking water so it is a creamy but pourable consistency. About 2 tablespoons does the trick.1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons juice from sweet pickle jar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper, 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Add the cooked pasta, red pepper, celery, onion, and pickles to a large salad bowl. Pour HALF of the dressing over the top and mix well. Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel or beeswax wrap and put it and the remaining dressing into your fridge for an hour.1 medium red pepper, 2 medium celery stalks, ½ cup finely diced sweet pickles, ½ cup finely diced red onion
- Before serving, toss the macaroni salad with the remaining dressing.
Notes
Pasta: Instead of macaroni, try wheels or mini shells. You'll want about 3 cups of dry pasta.
Cooking water: If you forget to reserve a little of the pasta cooking water, you can use milk instead.
Make ahead: If you want to make this more than a few hours before serving, toss the pasta with the veggies, but keep the dressing separate, as the pasta will absorb the dressing, and the salad will become a bit dry.
Variations to try: Add a handful of chopped olives, banana peppers, pimiento or roasted red peppers, cheddar cheese, or crumbled bacon.
Serving: 1 = ⅛ of the recipe, Calories: 249kcal, Carbohydrates: 40g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Trans Fat: 0.02g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Sodium: 487mg, Potassium: 163mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 564IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 21mg, Iron: 1mg