Easy Macaroni Salad Recipe
A great cold side dish to compliment your BBQ and Picnic entrees on those hot Summer days, this is my homemade recipe for creamy macaroni salad from scratch.
Equipment
- 1 5qt Pot
- 1 Cooking Spoon
- 1 Colander
- 1 8qt Mixing Bowl
- 1 Knife
- Butcher Block *OR* Cutting Mat
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- 2 Small Mixing Bowls
- Aluminum Foil or Plastic Wrap
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Small Elbow Macaroni
- 8 Cups` Water (for boiling)
- 1/2 TBSP Iodized Salt (for boiling)
- 1 Celery Stick (Small Diced)
- 1/2 Medium Red Onion (*OR* 1/4 Jumbo Red Onion; Small Diced)
- 1/2 Red Bell Pepper (Small Diced)
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
- 3 TBSP Sweet Relish
- 1 1/2 TBSP Dijon Mustard
- 1 1/2 TBSP Distilled White Vinegar
- 2 TSP Iodized Salt
- 2 TSP Garlic Powder
- 1 TSP Dried Tarragon
- 1 TSP Dried Chives
- 1 TSP Dried Parsley
- 1/2 TSP Ground Black Pepper
Instructions
- Warm 8 cups of water in a 5qt on high heat until boiling briskly.
- Add 1/2 TBSP of iodized salt to boiling water then stir until well-dispersed and fully dissolved.
- Add macaroni to water and continue boiling on medium to medium-high heat for 7-9 minutes, or until Al Dente.
- Remove macaroni from heat and drain water using colander, then transfer to 8qt mixing bowl.
- Place macaroni in refrigerator and allow to chill while preparing dressing & chopping vegetables
- Chop celery, onion and bell pepper until small dices.
- For dressing, add ingredients (mayo, sour cream, white distilled vinegar, sweet relish, dijon mustard) in separate small mixing bowl and mix until well combined.
- Remove macaroni from refrigerator, add chopped vegetables to bowl, then mix until well combined.
- Add dressing to bowl and fold together with macaroni + vegetables until well combined.
- Add spices/herbs (excluding paprika) to bowl and fold together with macaroni, vegetables and dressing until well combined.
- Transfer macaroni salad to serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap or foil, and chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 4 hours (ideally overnight).
Video
Notes
***Recipe was tested using an electric stove top. Exact cook times may vary if using a gas or induction stove top.
Disclaimer