Macaroni Salad

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This is the best classic macaroni salad recipe with a creamy tangy dressing, crunchy veggies, cheddar cheese, and hard boiled eggs.

Large white bowl full of macaroni salad.

When it comes to summer potlucks, picnics, and backyard barbecues, the thing I look forward to the most is the sides. This macaroni pasta salad is a staple summer side dish. It’s creamy, comforting, and flavorful.

One of my all-time favorite summer meals is a juicy grilled burger, this macaroni salad, and fresh corn on the cob.

How To Make Macaroni Salad

Note: This is a summary. The full printable recipe card and step by step video is at the bottom of this post.

  • Cook, drain, rinse, and cool some macaroni pasta.
  • As the pasta cooks, prepare the veggies and start making the macaroni salad dressing.

Quick Tip

If you don’t already have hard boiled eggs, cook them with the pasta. I like to boil eggs for 15 minutes. My pasta only needed to cook for 10 minutes. So, I added the eggs to boiling water and let them cook 5 minutes. Then, I added the pasta to the water for 10 minutes. Then, drained and cooled the pasta and eggs at the same time.

Egg yolks being mashed in a white bowl.
  • Cut the eggs in half. Pop the yolks into a bowl and chop the whites.
  • Mash the yolks with the back of a fork.
  • To the yolks, add mayo, milk, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper.
  • Whisk until smooth.
Macaroni salad dressing in a white bowl.
  • Add the cooked and cooled pasta to the dressing.
  • Add sliced celery, grated carrots, and shredded cheddar cheese.
Celery, carrots, and cheese being added to macaroni salad.
  • Add sliced green onions and chopped eggs.
  • Stir well.
Adding green onions and chopped eggs to macaroni salad.
  • Let it chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
  • Stir well before serving.

Can This Be Made Ahead

Yes! This is one of the reasons I love making macaroni salad for a gathering. It’s perfect for making ahead of time. It needs to chill for at least 2 hours before serving. So, I like to make it in the morning, or even the day before I want to serve it.

How To Store

Store macaroni salad in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

If the macaroni salad starts to lose creaminess, add a little mayo, milk, or even pickle juice to loosen it up.

Find more of my recipes on TikTok

Macaroni Salad Recipe

5 from 1 vote
This is the best classic macaroni salad recipe with a creamy tangy dressing, crunchy veggies, cheddar cheese, and hard boiled eggs.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours

Video

Servings 8 servings
Calories 377 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 8 oz. uncooked macaroni pasta half of a 1 pound box
  • 3 large hard boiled eggs
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 Tablespoons white vinegar
  • 2 Tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
  • 1/2 cup grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1/4 cup sliced green onion

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Use a colander or mesh stainer to drain the water from the pasta. Run cold water over the cooked pasta in the colander for 1 minute.
  • Cut the hard boiled eggs in half. Pop the yolks out into a large bowl and chop the egg whites.
  • Mash the yolks with the back of a fork. Add the mayo, milk, vinegar, mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper. Whisk until well combined.
  • Add the cooked and cooled pasta, chopped egg whites, celery, carrots, cheese, and green onions to the bowl. Stir until well combined.
  • Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours. As the pasta rests in the refrigerator, it will soak up the dressing.
  • Stir well before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/8th of the recipe | Calories: 377kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 91mg | Sodium: 525mg | Potassium: 179mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1610IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 1mg
Course Salad, Side Dish
Keyword easy pasta salad recipe, how to make macaroni salad
Cuisine American
Author Amanda Finks
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About Amanda Finks

Iโ€™m a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist living in Zionsville, IN. Iโ€™m an avid cook, travel nerd, & lover of good food! Iโ€™m trained in Food Science & recipe development. Itโ€™s my mission to bring you the BEST recipes your whole family will love!

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