Super Easy Macaroni Salad Recipe
For my summer BBQ’s and house parties, I’m always on the hunt for an easy recipe that I can turn to, and this easy macaroni salad recipe is almost always on my list.
This simple salad is filling, nutritious and incredibly easy to put together. What I love the most about this salad is the fact that I almost always have all the ingredients to put it together ready in my pantry- it is really that simple.
Another fact that makes this macaroni salad such a great recipe for your get-togethers is the fact that it has very subtle, versatile flavors that make it a great choice for almost any other dish.
Plus, you can also make the macaroni salad ahead of time and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve- it really doesn’t get better than this.
This really is the best macaroni salad recipe in my books.
Contents
Recipe Prep and Cooking Times
- Makes: 8 servings
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
Ingredients For the Easy Macaroni Salad Recipe
To make this easy macaroni salad, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients.
- 16 oz. Elbow Macaroni noodles
- ½ Red Onion
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- ¼ cup Parsley, fresh
- 1 Carrot
- ¾ cup Mayonnaise (can use vegan mayonnaise)
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- Salt and black Pepper, to taste
How to Make the Easy Macaroni Salad
Once you have all your macaroni salad ingredients ready, here’s what you’ll need to do to put this delicious recipe together.
Step 1: Start by Cooking the Macaroni
Cook macaroni to al dente according to package directions, drain and rinse. Transfer to large bowl, let cool.
Step 2: Chop up the Veggies
While macaroni cooks and cools, chop red onion, bell peppers, parsley and dice carrot, set aside.
Step 3: Combine All the Ingredients
Add red onion, bell peppers, parsley, carrot, mayonnaise, mustard and salt and pepper to macaroni. Mix well, refrigerate until cool.
Step 4: Serve
Serve cold or at room temperature.
Tips & Tricks to Make the Macaroni Salad
While putting this classic macaroni salad is super easy, having these little tips and tricks up your sleeve can really take things up a notch.
- To bring more color into this macaroni salad, add different colored peppers. I love using green pepper and red bell pepper.
- You can also add in some more veggies of your choice to bump up the nutritional value of the pasta salad. I love adding frozen peas (that I blanch), chopped green onions and even some chopped cucumber if I can get my hands on it.
- If you want to make this pasta salad more protein rich, you can chop up some hard boiled eggs and add them into the mix as well.
- To balance the flavor of the rather simple dressing for this classic macaroni salad, you can add a dash of apple cider vinegar along with the other ingredients.
- Sweet pickles or dill pickles, when added to the salad, can lend the salad a nice bit of tanginess and savory flavor.
- A dash of garlic powder can really add some extra flavor and deliciousness to this pasta salad.
- Don’t forget to top the salad with a generous sprinkle of chopped herbs of your choice. I love using fresh dill or parsley and an extra touch of freshly cracked black pepper.
What Else Can I Use as a Macaroni Salad Dressing?
We’ve used a simple concoction of yellow mustard and mayo as the dressing for this creamy macaroni salad, but if you really want to give it a little twist, you can.
I love whipping up a simple creamy dressing using half sour cream and half mayo, along with some seasonings of my choice.
If you’re adding hard boiled eggs into the salad, you can remove the yolk and mix it along with the ingredients for the dressing and loosen it up with a bit of milk to create that perfect creamy macaroni salad dressing.
And of course, you can always do it the easy way and add some shredded cheese- I love the sharpness cheddar cheese brings to this rather simple salad.
How Do I Store the Leftover Macaroni Salad?
If you have any leftovers, you can transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them until you’re ready to serve.
You can also make macaroni salad ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 2 days. I would really recommend adding the dressing and the veggies towards the end, or a few hours before you intend to serve, to get the best flavor, texture and color.
Super Easy Macaroni Salad Recipe
For my summer BBQ's and house parties, I'm always on the hunt for an easy recipe that I can turn to, and this easy macaroni salad recipe is almost always on my list.
This simple salad is filling, nutritious and incredibly easy to put together. What I love the most about this salad is the fact that I almost always have all the ingredients to put it together ready in my pantry- it is really that simple.
Another fact that makes this macaroni salad such a great recipe for your get-togethers is the fact that it has very subtle, versatile flavors that make it a great choice for almost any other dish.
Plus, you can also make the macaroni salad ahead of time and refrigerate it until you're ready to serve- it really doesn't get better than this.
Ingredients
- 16 oz. Elbow Macaroni noodles
- ½ Red Onion
- 1 Green Bell Pepper
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- ¼ cup Parsley, fresh
- 1 Carrot
- ¾ cup Mayonnaise (can use vegan mayonnaise)
- 1 tbsp Dijon Mustard
- Salt and black Pepper, to taste
Instructions
How to Make the Easy Macaroni Salad
Once you have all your macaroni salad ingredients ready, here's what you'll need to do to put this delicious recipe together.
Step 1: Start by Cooking the Macaroni
Cook macaroni to al dente according to package directions, drain and rinse. Transfer to large bowl, let cool.
Step 2: Chop up the Veggies
While macaroni cooks and cools, chop red onion, bell peppers, parsley and dice carrot, set aside.
Step 3: Combine All the Ingredients
Add red onion, bell peppers, parsley, carrot, mayonnaise, mustard and salt and pepper to macaroni. Mix well, refrigerate until cool.
Step 4: Serve
Serve cold or at room temperature.
Notes
Tips & Tricks to Make the Macaroni Salad
While putting this classic macaroni salad is super easy, having these little tips and tricks up your sleeve can really take things up a notch.
To bring more color into this macaroni salad, add different colored peppers. I love using green pepper and red bell pepper.
You can also add in some more veggies of your choice to bump up the nutritional value of the pasta salad. I love adding frozen peas (that I blanch), chopped green onions and even some chopped cucumber if I can get my hands on it.
If you want to make this pasta salad more protein rich, you can chop up some hard boiled eggs and add them into the mix as well.
To balance the flavor of the rather simple dressing for this classic macaroni salad, you can add a dash of apple cider vinegar along with the other ingredients.
Sweet pickles or dill pickles, when added to the salad, can lend the salad a nice bit of tanginess and savory flavor.
A dash of garlic powder can really add some extra flavor and deliciousness to this pasta salad.
Don't forget to top the salad with a generous sprinkle of chopped herbs of your choice. I love using fresh dill or parsley and an extra touch of freshly cracked black pepper.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 245Total Fat: 16gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 9mgSodium: 260mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g
More Pasta Salads and Recipe Inspirations
Loved how this homemade macaroni salad turned out? Inspired and looking to try some more such fun and interesting recipes?
Here are a few good ones worth checking out.
