Get ready to elevate your summer cookouts with this delicious and easy-to-make macaroni salad recipe. Made with fresh ingredients, this dish is always a hit with friends and family. This salad is so easy that you can whip it up and have it on the table in about twenty minutes.
Delectable Macaroni Salad
This Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe is a real crowd-pleaser. It is perfect for your next patio party or BBQ but simple enough for a weeknight dinner with New York strip steak and roasted corn. With all the colorful vegetables, the presentation is phenomenal. My late mother-in-law made a wonderful macaroni salad. She would add small bits of cubed cheese and sweet pickle relish to it. This one is creamier with just a hint of sweetness and plenty of fresh, beautiful vegetables!
Simple Ingredients – Homestyle Flavor
- Elbow macaroni – or other small pasta noodles like bowties, small shells, or rotini
- Mayonnaise – I prefer Duke’s
- Mustard – Dijon
- Cider vinegar
- Sour cream
- Vegetables – bell pepper, grape tomatoes, red onion, and celery
- Seasonings – like salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley
How To Make Macaroni Salad
Cook the noodles according to the package instructions and drain well. In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, mustard, cider vinegar, and sour cream. Add the cooked macaroni, peppers, tomatoes, red onion, celery and parsley. Stir gently to combine. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
Recipe Variations
Macaroni salad is traditionally made with creamy mayonnaise-based dressings but is just as delicious with an oil and vinegar-based dressing. All kinds of small or finely diced vegetables can be added, such as peas, broccoli, peppers, celery, onions, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, radishes, and more. Other delicious additions included very small cubes of cheese, spinach, sunflower seeds, jalapenos, pimentos, capers, green onions, and hard-boiled eggs.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. I do not recommend freezing this pasta salad because the mayonnaise will separate and the texture of the vegetables will change.
Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 orange pepper chopped finely
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to the instructions on the box. Drain well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, cider vinegar, and sour cream. Add the cooked macaroni, bell peppers, tomatoes, red onion, celery, and parsley. Stir gently to combine. Season with salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste.
Nutrition
Are you on the hunt for more delicious recipes? Follow Small Town Woman on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf
Laura Reese
This was so easy to make! We loved it.
Ashley F.
Such a tasty salad! Love the dijon mustard in it!
Andrea Thueson
This takes me back! I love to find my favorites that I somehow forgot about! I can’t wait to whip this up!!
Erin
Yes! One of my favorite recipes for summer. Creamy and delish!
Cyd
I’d never mad macaroni salad with cider vinegar before. I’ve always used pickle juice for that tartness! I love the balance the vinegar adds to the dressing. So good!
Sherri
Awesome mac salad. Family loved it. Easy on the mustard
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sherri! So glad that you and the family liked it!!
m gidry
Out of elbow macaroni noodles so I used rotini, cooked to death…and a bit of sugar. A bit vinegary but I like that so, good easy fast recipe…thank you.
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad you liked it.
Trang
So good for an outdoor barbecue party! Thank you!
JESSICA
Oh my gosh this is delicious thank you so much!
Ashley F
We love classic recipes like this! Love the flavor especially the dijon mustard in it!
Aimee Shugarman
Best summer recipe ever. We brought this to a potluck and it was such a hit!
Krissy Allori
This is one of my husbands favorite Summer recipes.
Bbdaisy
I would add some boiled eggs and little chunks of cheddar cheese. Other than that it looks creamy and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Beth Pierce
The pleasure is all mine! Enjoy!
Sandra
I love it! Looks really easy to make and delish!
Vik
So simple and tasty! My entire family loved it
Katerina @ diethood .com
Oh my, SO creamy and delicious!! And I LOVE how easy it is to make!!