Macaroni Salad makes a terrific summertime lunch and is made for taking to gatherings. Simple to prepare and as diverse as you want it to be, this is a great classic pasta salad.
With a pasta salad dressing made with a combination of mayonnaise and yoghurt, it’s still beautifully creamy with all the flavour and less guilt! For a healthier option, try this Macaroni pasta salad with a mayo-free Creamy Lemon Dressing or Ranch Dressing!
Macaroni Salad in a bite
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What is Macaroni Salad made of? Cooked macaroni, shredded carrot, green onions, red peppers/capsicum and celery tossed in a dressing made with mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sugar and garlic powder.
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How long can you keep macaroni salad? Up to 5 days in the fridge.
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Do you serve macaroni salad hot or cold? It’s best served at room temperature or ever so slightly chilled. But not cold, straight out of the fridge.
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Calories in macaroni salad – 319 kj as a side dish
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Can you freeze macaroni salad? Yes, because it’s mostly pasta. Thaw naturally (do not microwave thaw) and toss well before serving.
Macaroni Pasta Salad
It’s difficult to imagine a summer with Macaroni Salad. Like Coleslaw, it’s a summertime staple. The pasta salad you keep in your fridge for a quick side for meals and to put in your lunchbox.
While it’s tempting to take the easy route and pick up a tub from the deli, too often they are overly mayo-heavy, too sweet, too sour, or dripping with watery dressing.
So skip store bought and make your own – it’s so simple and tastes so much better!
Lighter, flavour packed Dressing for Pasta Salad
I like to have a lot of dressing because it makes pasta salads moist and juicy. But using just mayo is too oily. So I always lighten up mayo dressings with either sour cream or yoghurt, then add a nice amount of seasoning so no one would even notice that it’s got less fat in it!
Here’s what goes in my creamy pasta salad dressing:
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Equal parts mayonnaise and sour cream OR yogurt
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Cider vinegar – essential touch of tang!
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Dijon Mustard – flavour and thickening
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Seasonings – Sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper
Regular readers know how much I love my sauces and that extends to salad dressings. No pasta salad recipe of mine will ever be lacking in Dressing!
And that’s why this Macaroni Salad stays nice and moist – because there’s plenty of dressing!
Wondering if Macaroni Salad is good or bad for you?
While you get some nutrition from the vegetables the reality is that Macaroni salad is heavy on carbs from the pasta and fat in the dressing. For a healthier option, try this with a mayo-free Creamy Lemon Dressing or Ranch Dressing!
Macaroni Salad Add-in options
I’ve kept this recipe classic. So as much as I was tempted, I resisted all my favourite add-in possibilities including:
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bacon
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egg
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pickles
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roasted red peppers
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chicken (try my Chicken Pasta Salad recipe)
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olives
Make a great summer meal for your family and friends by serving this pasta salad on the side of BBQ Pulled Pork, BBQ Beef Brisket, some BBQ Pork Ribs or Sticky Country-style Chicken! – Nagi x
MORE SUMMER SALADS to take to gatherings
- Italian Pasta Salad
- Coleslaw
- Potato Salad and Lemon Potato Salad
- Pearl Couscous Salad <– personal fave!
- Wild Rice Salad <– reader fave!
- 12 Minute Sun Dried Tomato Couscous Salad
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Browse all Pasta Salads and Rice Salad
Macaroni Pasta Salad
Watch how to make it
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Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 250 g / 1/2 lb macaroni elbow pasta
- 1 1/2 tbsp salt (to cook pasta)
- 1 cup celery , finely sliced (1 stalk)
- 3/4 cup red capsicum / bell peppers , finely diced (1 small)
- 3/4 cup green onions , finely sliced (1 large stem)
- 1 medium carrot , grated (using standard box grater)
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (Hellmann's, Best Foods, S&W or other whole egg mayonnaise)
- 1/2 cup yoghurt or sour cream , full or low fat
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Instructions
- Bring large pot of water to the boil - 4 to 5 litres / quarts. Add salt then add pasta. Cook per packet directions.
- Drain pasta then cool.
- Meanwhile, mix Dressing ingredients in a bowl.
- Place pasta in a bowl. Add remaining Macaroni Salad ingredients. Pour over Dressing.
- Toss. Adjust salt / sugar / sour (vinegar) / mayo to taste.
- Set aside for at least 20 minutes. Then serve at room temperature (not cold). It's great the next day too!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
When I leave Dozer indoors when I’m out all day and it’s been raining (damn that dog door!!!!).
Hi Nagi,
My daughter Muireann and I just made Your macaroni salad and it was absolutely gorgeous, I mean just fabulous!
Love, Love, Love, Your Recipies!💕
That’s great to hear Monica! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed this – N x
I have a great Mac salad recipe, but when I saw this I thought “what the heck, let’s try something new”. Well this is my family’s new favorite. The sauce really makes it. 5 thumbs up!!
Wow…absolutely delicious and perfect. I have been looking for a recipe and none have worked out until now. Thank you 😊
Just thought I would tell you recipetineats is the best. Keep up the excellant job.
I hate premade macaroni salad I always find it to sweet or it has a weird metallic taste. I was concerned with how much salt was being used so I made sure to make it before hand like you said. After a couple of hours the salty taste definetly diminished and by the next day it was completely gone and absolutely delicious. I did have to make extra sauce because the noodles absorbed all of the original sauce overnight but that’s okay because I love extra sauce on anything and it never compromised the flavour. This recipe is definetly being saved for future use.
I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Erin!! I personally always find store bought too sweet and way too much dressing! 🙂 N xx
This is a very flavorful macaroni salad! I love the 50/50 mayo/sour cream for the dressing. I already do this with chicken salad. I was not in the habit of salting my pasta water…but I am now. Subtle flavor boost. I do prefer a creamier salad, and would start with 1/2 cup each of mayo and sour cream, and tweak the other ingredients accordingly. This one is a keeper!
That’s so great to hear Paulain! Thank you for letting me know you enjoyed it! N x
I love your Macaroni Salad recipe which I make in the summer to go with BBQ’s. I love the idea of Mayo & Sour cream or yogurt as it is nice & creamy. As a variety I often use Cubed Ham & grated cheese, it makes a lovely salad. Love your ideas.
Thanks Beth!! Love hearing about your additions! N xx
I just love pasta.. Thanks for this delicious recipe. Keep it up
You’re most welcome! So glad you enjoyed it! N x
Yay for this recipe! My Mum and I can’t eat raw onion (or any member of the onion family in its raw form) which always means pre-made is out for us. Any thoughts on what I should replace the shallots with to keep the zing?
What about garlic chives?? Or normal chives??
Unfortunately chives are still part of the onion family – we actually react to the worse! I just used some crispy fried shallots in a salad, I might give them a go!
How about the French fried onions you get in the store as a topping? I had gotten several bags on super sale so I started experimenting with them. I think Macaroni Salad could be a good try. I was on here for suggestions to make not your everyday macaroni salad tonight. So I’ll try it in mine! Let me know if you do.
Congrats – you’re a celebrity now!!!
How would tuna go with this receipe as I do love a tuna pasta to go with BBQ meats??
I love putting Tuna in my Mac salad….my wife on the other hand. 🙂
😂
Hardly!! 😌 Tuna is great with this!!
Nagi you are the prettiest one in the picture and you are not shorter than Denise so there pllkh😛. Lol I love macaroni salad in every flavor and form hot, cold whatev. Thanks for the tip I’m going to try that next time. Especially for mac and cheese cuz I always salt it on my plate 1st thing without even tasting 1st. I know that’s bad!!
Ahhhh the life of Dozer, every four legged love one should be so darn lucky. If there is an after life I hope I come back as your Dozer or my Hatteras Catteras. Either way I’ll be in high cotton!
Thanks for all your scrumptious recipes, how to videos (my fave) and tips.
One of your fans,
juliet
Aww Julie! Thanks for the lovely message!! (PS I had very high platform wedges on! 😂)
Hi Nagi, CONGRATULATIONS on your TV appearance. When are we likely to see it or have I missed it. Anyway, you’re THE STAR in our eyes with ALL of your beautiful recipes and as for this “Macaroni Salad” you’re up my tree once again. I always make a Macaroni Salad during our summer in fact I made my version only last Saturday when we had a couple of neighbours over that we go away caravanning together. The only difference is I use Greek Style Natural Yoghurt in place of the sour cream. I’ll have a go at your version tonight for our dinner.
Don’t you just love it when Dozer gets wet and he shakes himself when he’s standing right near you.
Anyway, we can all say we know a CELEBRITY STAR now. Again CONGRATULATIONS. Well done girl!!!
I just discovered your blog while searching for a recipe for red velvet cake (which was delicious). The macaroni salad looks delicious, must try it after it warms up here in the Northern Hemisphere. And I love the Life of Dozer! I also have a Golden Retriver, Lucy, aged 9. Best dogs ever!
Aren’t they the BEST?? 🐶 Give Lucy a pat from me!! N xx
Time to share your mee goreng recipe – looks perfect for a quick meal!
It’s SO GOOD! I linked to the recipes on videos, I haven’t done a recipe post on my website yet 🙂 N xx
This is very similar to how my mom makes our family’s macaroni salad, just the dressing is ever so slightly different (no mustard) and we don’t use celery. But red pepper and carrot for sure! Who knew we’ve been making the Aussie macaroni salad all this time?! And congrats on your cooking segment, so awesome!
Love hearing that Sharon!! I’ve noticed that in America, there are many versions with egg, bacon and pickles which we typically don’t have in our classic 🙂 N xx
Well done Nagi!! You are a STAR!!
This recipe will happen soonest. The weather is really hot and it’s not even Christmas yet.
Dozer looks like he’s been having a GOOD time while you’re not around. He’s telling you to not leave him alone again.
Thanks Mary!!! Glad to hear it’s warm over there, it’s cooled back down over here. I’m in NZ in March next year doing a walk!! Hollyford Track. I can’t wait! N xx
Lucky you! Never done the walk myself but it will be lovely. It’s always the same -one travels and does all manner of things but saves all the home country things for later when they never happen anyway. Have a good time.
Poor Dozer, off to the minder again?? He must wonder where you disappear to??
Definitely Poor Dozer! he LOVES going to the golden retriever boarder. I fear the day I go to pick him up and he refuses to come with me!!! 😂
Wow, Nagi! Congratulations!! Nagi on TV!! wooohooo!!! You look beautiful, by the way. 🙂 I don’t know how you managed to pull off another great recipe after a day like that! LOL You deserve the acccolades! I’m sure I speak for many people here (maybe ALL people here!) when I say that I’m so happy for you and thrilled that the media is recognizing your talents, your bubbly personality, and your fantastic recipes. You could make a pot of water interesting! I can’t make macaroni salad this time of year in the Seattle area, but I will definitely try your recipe in BBQ weather. Thank you so much for all your innovative and delicious recipes. You’re a STAR, I tell ya! Hope you post the appearance soon! Three cheers for Nagi!! xoxo
Hi Kin!! I must confess I chose a VERY simple recipe to write up after I got home, knowing that I’d be a bit tired!!! Thank you for your lovely message! N xx ❤️
Wow what great news CONGRATULATIONS from Gillian in Toronto Canada and oops not forgetting LUCA TOO.. That DOZER just like Luca sneaking out ..
About salting the pasta water I once read that pasta water had to be heavily.salted so it tasted like Salted Seawater. Love macaroni salad yours.is great👍
Thank you Gillian!!! You’re right, really, any pasta should be cooked in sea-water-salty water!! N xx
Congratulations on your Morning Show appearance. So excited for you. What an honour (hee, I’ve always wanted to spell it that way). You absolutely deserve it. Your recipes and attention to detail are incredible.
Amen to THAT! 😀
Thank you Jeanne! It really was so exciting!!❤️
Great basic recipe that can take a lot of substitutions. Loved the use of
the ridged elbows (chifferi rigati). Not only do they hold the dressing better than plain
but the companies that make them tend to make a better product.
Is your TV debut available on the web? (not likely to find it in the USA Pacific Northwest…)
Hi Greg! Popped a link in yesterday’s recipe 🙂 Glad you like the mac salad!!!! N xx