This macaroni salad is a classic side dish for good reason.
Elbow macaroni and a handful of add-ins are tossed in a super easy (and extra creamy) tangy dressing.
I love it for potlucks, picnics, or bbqs since it’s fast to make and best made ahead of time.
An Easy Make Ahead Side
Macaroni noodles hold a special place in my heart. I’m in love with mac and cheese and my Mom always served elbows with rouladen gravy and of course this classic macaroni salad. I think the best macaroni salad recipe is a simple side that’s tasty, filling, and budget-friendly. It goes with everything from burgers to fried chicken.
- You can (and should) make macaroni salad ahead of time for the best flavor.
- It’s budget friendly and you likely have the ingredients on hand.
- It’s super fast to put together and versatile (see notes below).
- The dressing uses simple ingredients but it’s extra creamy with lots of tang (and it only takes about 2 minutes).
- Use any short pasta or add-ins to make it your own.
Ingredients for Macaroni Salad
For the best macaroni salad, include small pasta such as elbows or ditalini, a creamy dressing, and some add-ins for flavor and texture.
- Fresh & Crisp – celery, shredded carrots, red bell peppers, fresh parsley, or fresh dill
- Salty – Try adding cheese, bacon, ham, sliced olives, or even capers.
- Savory – Green or red onions, dill pickles, garlic powder, boiled eggs, chopped or shredded cheddar.
- Sweet – Baby peas, sweet bell peppers, sweet pickles, or extra pickle relish.
Macaroni Salad Dressing
This macaroni salad dressing is a very simple mayonnaise-based dressing and takes just a couple of minutes to prepare.
- Mayonnaise (or dressing) is the base of this dressing recipe. To lighten up the dressing you can substitute half of the mayonnaise for Greek yogurt.
- White vinegar or cider vinegar add tang. Swap for dill pickle juice if you’d like.
- Sweet pickle relish and a pinch of sugar add sweetness to balance the vinegar. Sugar substitutes work well in this recipe or swap sugar for a splash of sweet pickle juice.
- Seasonings are kept simple with a touch of prepared or dijon mustard, salt & pepper to taste.
It’s sweet, tangy, and zesty; similar to a dressing similar found in potato salad or coleslaw. You can swap out your favorite creamy dressing in this recipe, bottled coleslaw dressing is a great option too.
How to Make Macaroni Salad
As easy as 1,2,3…
- Cook Pasta: Boil, drain, and cool the macaroni per the recipe below.
- Prepare Add-Ins: While the macaroni is boiling, chop the veggies or add-ins.
- Mix & Chill: Mix the dressing ingredients and toss with the macaroni and add ins.
Tips for Perfection
- Elbows can be swapped for any short pasta. Try ditalini, small shells, or wagon wheels.
- Ensure add-ins are diced about the size of the macaroni.
- Rinsing the pasta after draining stops it from cooking and ensures it isn’t mushy or sticky.
- Mix the dressing directly in the salad bowl and then add the other ingredients, one less dish to wash!
- Dress the salad generously as the pasta will soak up some of the sauce as it sits.
Make-Ahead & Leftovers
More Favorites Sides
What are your favorite add-ins? Leave a comment and rating below!
Classic Creamy Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- ½ pound elbow macaroni uncooked (approx. 2 cups dry), or any short pasta
Add Ins* (see note)
- 1 cup celery diced
- ½ cup carrots shredded
- ½ cup red pepper diced
- ¼ cup red onion diced, or green onion
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt & pepper
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to the instructions on the package. Drain well and rinse it under cold water to stop cooking.
- To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, sweet relish, yellow mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Mix well.
- In a large bowl, add the cooled macaroni, the dressing, celery, carrots, red pepper, and onion. Mix well.
- Refrigerate the macaroni salad for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving.
Notes
- Elbows can be swapped for any short pasta. Try ditalini, small shells, or wagon wheels.
- Rinsing the pasta after draining stops it from cooking so it doesn’t get mushy and keeps it from being sticky.
- The dressing can be swapped for a bottled dressing of your choice or even coleslaw dressing.
- Dress the salad generously as the pasta will soak up some of the dressing as it sits.
- Ensure add-ins are diced about the size of the macaroni.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Pasta, Salad, Side Dish
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
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Sadly, it does not freeze well.
Macaroni salad is best made ahead of time, which makes it party perfect. Leftovers will keep in the refrigerator for up to four days.
We love to serve macaroni salad as a side for anything off the grill! Bbq chicken, hot dogs, or hamburgers are great options. It also is a great dish to serve with pulled pork.
More Make-Ahead Side Salads
- Italian Pasta Salad – five-star favorite
- Fresh Corn Salad
- Broccoli Salad– fresh & delicious
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Cucumber Tomato Salad – full of flavor
- Creamy Cucumber Salad – creamy & fresh
THE best Macaroni Salad I’ve ever made.
I saw your # of serving and nutritional information; my question is are the nutritional information per serving or per batch?
The nutritional information is per serving.
this recipe is SO GOOD. I almost ate the whole bowl just standing at the counter. definitely making this again
Absolutely delicious. East to make and all the ingredients were on hand.
really good salad! we loved all the flavors. thank you!
Excellent!! Followed your directions exactly. You mentioned pickle juice could be substituted for vinegar, and I took that suggestion. I’m a big fan of your pickle pasta salad and now I have another pasta salad to choose from. Highly recommend both!! Great site – I visit often.
Thank you so much for the kind words Karen, I am so glad you are enjoying the recipes!
I followed this recipe for the July Cooking Challenge. I used rotini pasta and added peas. It was creamy and delicious! Perfect dish for a hot summer day! :)
Very good basic recipe. I had fresh tarragon and parsley in my garden so I left out the pickle relish and added the herbs for a more savory version. Such a versatile recipe you could change it up to suit your menu.
I made this Creamy Macaroni Salad for the first time tonight, as a side to hot Italian sausage on a bun. I have made other pasta salads before, but never have I made a basic Macaroni Salad. This was simple, easy to follow, I had all the ingredients, and it was a huge success! The flavours in the dressing were complimentary to each other, the additions to the macaroni (I used matchstick carrots, diced cucumber and green pepper, and red onion) added a nice crunch and overall, it was a success. This is on the menu rotation now! Thanks, Holly!
I am so happy to hear this recipe was a hit Lori!
What is SWEET PICKLE RELISH please?
Is is bought if made?
Fantastic recipes every week! Thank you.
You can find sweet pickle relish at almost any US/Canadian grocery story near the ketchup. It will be labelled “sweet relish”, you can also get it online here or see what the packages look like.
The best recipe! So quick and easy. I didn’t add the sweet relish , I added some four cheese and followed the rest of the recipe! Even better the next day!
Made this today. Way too hot to cook. Loved your dressing recipe. Forgot to put in sugar, but didn’t need it.
Will be making this on the regular
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Bo!
sooo good! Thank you. I have made this a few times…and simple to make…bonus points!
This is the ONLY mac salad I make! Have tried many recipes but this is by
far THE BEST! Have been asked for the many times! THANK YOU!
I like to have your easy recipes.
macaroni salad is so quick and easy. I love it. thank you for this recipe.
Unable to find “Sweet pickle relish” in Australia, is there another substitute or is it called something else here.
You can omit it and while it will slightly change the flavor, it will still be delicious Karen!
My lady was from Aussie land, and we went three times for a month each in the 90’s. I am sure that I saw Sweet Gherkins on the grocery shelf, along with all the other pickles. All you have to do is dice them. Remember my mom with a knife in one hand and the pickle in the other, a bowl in her lap, making cross cuts and then slicing.
Great and fast recipe.
I did cut the sugar in half since I don’t like my salads to be to sweet. this was perfect.
I will keep this recipe to make again.
Thank you
made this for my son and grandkids. they all liked it, but said that it was way too sweet. I had to agree with them.
I will make this again but with just atouch of sugar. I didn’t add the sweet relish, I ‘m the only one that likes it.
I made 6 lbs of this as written for a party of 30 people and it was gone in 2 hours. Gone! So simple, classic and delicious! Thank you for sharing.