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Closeup of creamy macaroni salad with diced vegetables, with a spoon in it
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Macaroni Salad Recipe

This macaroni salad recipe is made with elbow macaroni cooked until al dente, mixed with crisp veggies, and a creamy homemade macaroni salad dressing.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Chill Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Southern
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 281kcal
Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb cooked elbow macaroni (or 2 cups dry elbow macaroni)
  • 1 cup mayo
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dill relish
  • 2 ¾ teaspoons sugar
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
  • ½ cup red bell pepper diced
  • ½ cup green bell pepper diced
  • ¼ cup red onion diced
  • ½ cup celery diced

Instructions

  • Boil macaroni in salted water according to the box instructions, until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process
  • In a bowl add mayo, sour cream, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, relish, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, black pepper, and seasoning salt. Mix together and set dressing aside
  • In a separate large bowl add the cooled pasta, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, and celery. Add 1 cup of your dressing, stir in to make sure everything is well coated, and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill. Reserve remaining dressing on the side to mix in later. This will help to keep your salad from drying out.
  • Before serving, mix in the remaining dressing and stir again to make sure everything is well coated.

Notes

How to Store

  • Fridge: Store your mac salad in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days. It actually gets creamier as it sits, so don't be surprised if it tastes even better the next day!
  • Tip: If you don't want the pasta to soak up too much dressing, hold off on adding that last bit. Keep it on the side and stir it in right before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 603mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 468IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 27mg | Iron: 0.4mg