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    Home » Recipes » Side Dish

    The BEST Homemade Macaroni Salad

    Published: June 4, 2019 · Updated: December 5, 2020 · By: Krissy · 9 Comments
    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    recipe for creamy Macaroni Salad

    Macaroni Salad is one of the best recipes for summer potlucks.

    This creamy, simple, old fashioned recipe is full of veggies for added flavor and crunch!

    homemade creamy Macaroni Salad recipe

    Why this recipe works:

    I do love me a good potluck. There's something about getting to try a small scoop of everything and then going back for seconds with your favorites.

    This creamy macaroni salad recipe is definitely a keeper.

    You'll find that my recipe has a lot more vegetables than most recipes out there. Chop them up super small and you can eat it with a spoon!

    The vegetables not only make this recipe healthier, but they add so much more crunch and texture than your ordinary macaroni salad.

    Ingredients needed:

    When you make this recipe, you'll make the dressing and then everything else that goes into the recipe. My recipe uses a lot of ingredients, but it's super simple to make and has more flavor than any macaroni salad recipe I've ever had.

    For the dressing, you'll need:

    • mayonnaise - I always make my own homemade mayonnaise
    • sour cream - full fat
    • cornichon juice - you can use pickle juice if you don't have cornichons
    • apple cider vinegar - I recommend unfiltered
    • sugar
    • dijon mustard
    • salt - I always use kosher salt when cooking
    • black pepper - freshly ground makes all the difference
    • garlic powder
    • red pepper flakes

    For the rest of the macaroni salad you'll need:

    • elbow macaroni noodles - you can use a different kind of pasta if you prefer but I love the size and shape of these for this recipe
    • cornichons - again, you can substitute with pickles but the cornichons are generally more firm and pack more flavor
    • green bell pepper - you can use a different color... green is what I had on hand
    • celery
    • red onion
    • carrots
    creamy Macaroni Salad recipe

    How to make this recipe:

    1. First step is to cook the pasta. When cooking pasta, I always heavily salt my water and use a good tablespoon of kosher salt. Cook the noodles al dente. You want them to be done but still have quite a bit of bite to them. Drain the pasta and let it fully cool.
    2. Next, you'll combine the pasta with the remaining macaroni salad ingredients. This recipe tastes best when the vegetables are cut super small to a uniform size. This can be done quickly in the food processor.
    3. The dressing is easy to make. Simply combine all of the dressing ingredients together and whisk well until they're fully combined.
    4. Finally, add the dressing to the rest of the salad and toss to combine.

    Storage tips:

    How long is Macaroni Salad good for? Although I think this is definitely best when served immediately, we've kept leftover macaroni salad in the fridge for a good 3-5 days and it was fine.

    Keep in mind that the longer you store it, the more liquid the veggies will release and the soggier they'll get. You may need to scoop it out with a slotted spoon.

    how to make the best Macaroni Salad

    This homemade mac salad goes great with Stuffed Bacon Jalapeno Cheddar Burgers and Potato Wedge Fries.

    Other great salad recipes:

    Love easy salad recipes that are perfect for potlucks? Well, then, you'll have to make these:

    • German Potato Salad
    • Grandma's Potato Salad
    • Strawberry Pretzel Salad
    • Raw Citrus Beet Salad
    • Marinated Tomato Cucumber Salad
    • Grape Salad
    • Chickpea Salad
    • Shredded Beet and Kale Salad
    homemade creamy Macaroni Salad recipe

    Macaroni Salad

    Macaroni Salad is one of the best recipes for summer potlucks. This creamy, simple, old fashioned recipe is full of veggies for added flavor and crunch!
    5 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate SaveSaved!

    CLICK TO PLAY RECIPE VIDEO

    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 8 minutes
    Total Time: 28 minutes
    Scale: 8 servings
    Recipe Created By: Krissy Allori

    Ingredients

    Macaroni Salad:

    • 8 ounces elbow macaroni noodles
    • ¼ cup cornichons (diced)
    • ¾ cup green bell pepper (diced)
    • ¾ cup celery (diced (I used 3 stalks))
    • ½ cup red onion (diced (I used one small red onion))
    • 2 large carrots (peeled and shredded)

    Dressing:

    • ¾ cup mayonnaise
    • ¼ cup sour cream
    • 2 tablespoons cornichon juice
    • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
    • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
    • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
    • ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes

    Instructions

    • Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta just to the al dente stage. You want them to be cooked but still have a nice, tender bite to them. Allow to cool.
    • In a large bowl, combine cooked macaroni with remaining salad ingredients.
    • To make dressing, whisk together all dressing ingredients until well combined. Add to salad and toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. 
    • Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve. Enjoy!

    NUTRITION INFORMATION

    Calories: 278kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 539mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 3180IU | Vitamin C: 13.4mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Bob Schools

      July 11, 2019 at 8:30 am

      5 stars
      I never, ever liked macaroni salad. Won’t be saying that again. This is great. Fresh and crisp and amazing flavor. Now I love macaroni salad.
      The self proclaimed foodie is my new go to recipe source for everything now.

      Reply
      • Krissy

        July 13, 2019 at 5:28 am

        Such a great compliment! So glad you enjoyed the recipe. -Krissy

        Reply
    2. Becky Hardin

      June 05, 2019 at 8:59 pm

      5 stars
      A perfect side for the next BBQ! Soo good.

      Reply
    3. Toni

      June 05, 2019 at 6:15 am

      5 stars
      I will be making this all summer long! Such a delicious salad!

      Reply
    4. Aimee Shugarman

      June 05, 2019 at 5:48 am

      5 stars
      Perfect for potlucks. Everyone loved this last weekend, it was so tasty.

      Reply
    5. Sara Welch

      June 04, 2019 at 6:30 pm

      5 stars
      This was the perfect side to a summer cookout! Delicious, easy definitely a crowd pleaser!

      Reply
    6. Julie

      June 04, 2019 at 6:28 pm

      5 stars
      Macaroni salad is the perfect summer dish! Can't wait to make this!

      Reply
    7. Judith Beechler

      June 04, 2019 at 5:36 pm

      I generally like your recipes, but...like many of today's bloggers, why do you need to write almost an entire dissertation before you get to the actual recipe. It is annoying to me.

      Reply
      • Krissy

        June 05, 2019 at 11:09 am

        Hi Judith, I'm glad you like the recipes and totally understand your concern. If I could just post the recipe, I absolutely would because these long posts take FOREVER to write. The main reason they're so long is because of two reasons: First, I have to write for the inexperienced cook, so I must include as much information as possible. Second, in order for my recipes to come up in search results, they need to be lengthy and relevant. If you're an experienced cook, I hope you keep coming back for the recipes and just scroll down to the ingredients and instructions. Thanks!!! Krissy

        Reply

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