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a white bowl with freshly made macaroni salad.
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4.75 from 16 votes

Macaroni Salad

This Macaroni salad is so perfect for picnics, potlucks or barbecues. It's an easy and quick pasta salad, generously dressed in a super creamy dressing! Great to make ahead and a crowd favorite!  
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Lunch, Salad
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10
Calories: 389kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 2 stalks celery finely chopped
  • 1 small green bell pepper finely diced
  • ½ medium carrot shredded

Dressing:

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup white vinegar
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste

Instructions

  • Bring large pot of water to the boil. Add salt then add macaroni. Cook as per package directions. Drain pasta then cool.
  • Mix all the dressing ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Place the pasta in a large bowl and add the onion, celery, pepper and carrots to it. Pour over the dressing and toss everything well together. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed with salt and pepper.
  • Chill for 20 minutes before serving.

Notes

  1. Pasta Choice: Elbow macaroni is traditional, but feel free to use other short pasta shapes like penne or fusilli.
  2. Vegetable Crunch: You can customize the vegetables to your liking or add extras like chopped pickles or olives for more flavor and crunch.
  3. Dressing Adjustments: Taste and adjust the dressing to your preference. More or less mustard, sugar, or vinegar can make the salad tangier or sweeter.
  4. Make-Ahead: This salad is great for making ahead of time, as the flavors improve with chilling. Just be sure to give it a good stir before serving.
  5. Dairy-Free Option: If you need a dairy-free option, you can substitute regular mayonnaise with a dairy-free alternative.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 420mg | Potassium: 189mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 590IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg