Macaroni Salad Recipe
This is our favorite macaroni salad that features tender elbow macaroni mixed with bright veggies like red onions, celery, bell peppers, some herbs, and delicious creamy dressing. The dressing is smooth and flavorful made with mayo, sour cream, Dijon mustard, white wine vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
Servings: 8
Calories: 451kcal
Ingredients
- 1 lb uncooked macaroni pasta
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- 3 short celery ribs
- 1/4 cup diced green onion
- 2 tbsp minced fresh parsley
- 1 tbsp minced fresh dill weed
Dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp salt more or less to taste
Instructions
- Cook pasta in salted water according to box instructions, until cooked al dente.
- Drain cooked pasta and let it cool until no longer scalding hot. Gently fluff it from time to time while it cools.
- Dice all vegetables and herbs while pasta is cooking and whisk all ingredients for the dressing in a separate bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine pasta vegetables, and herbs and mix.
- Pour dressing into the bowl with the pasta and mix everything together until dressing is evenly incorporated throughout.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or transfer the salad into a food storage container with a lid. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
- Storing: Store all the leftovers in the refrigerator. When properly stored in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator, macaroni salad should last 3 to 4 days.
- Making Ahead: You can prepare the whole salad a day or two ahead of time and store it in a refrigerator, in an air-tight food storage container.
- Special Make Ahead Tip to Help Dry Macaroni Salad: if I make the macaroni salad ahead of time, I always make a little extra dressing. (You can increase by 1/4 or by 1/2 per personal preference.) So set the extra macaroni salad dressing aside in the fridge and mix it in right before serving!
- Need substitutions? I have a section of substitutions as well as variations in the post above, feel free to check it out.
Nutrition
Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 509mg | Potassium: 217mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 696IU | Vitamin C: 22mg | Calcium: 38mg | Iron: 1mg