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Macaroni salad has to be one of my favorite bbq side dishes to serve at any summer cookout or potluck. Not only is this macaroni salad recipe easy to make, but you’ve also got the creamy flavor of the dressing paired with the crisp, fresh texture and taste of the vegetables. Then there’s the tangy bite of the vinegar and pickle juice.
This macaroni salad is truly a great combination of flavors and textures. If you’re looking for a great macaroni salad recipe, you’ve come to the right place.
How can you keep macaroni salad at the proper temperature?
It’s important to keep any food that has mayonnaise in it at the right temperature. The right temperature for macaroni salad is 40 degrees F or below. If possible, you want to store your macaroni salad in the refrigerator and only remove it when it’s time to serve.
If you’re preparing an outdoor buffet, a great tip is to take a bowl larger than the one you’re serving the macaroni salad in and add ice to it.
Nestle your bowl of macaroni salad down into the larger bowl and your salad will stay cold. Obviously, don’t place your buffet table in the direct sun. Choose a cool, shady area.
What pairs well with macaroni salad?
Macaroni salad goes great with everything from pulled pork to ribs to smoked meatloaf. There are so many great recipes you can pair this salad with on the site. Here are a few favorites:
What are the ingredients to make macaroni salad?
This macaroni salad is made with ingredients that you probably have on hand. There’s nothing froufrou about this salad.
- Elbow macaroni
- Celery
- Green bell pepper
- Red bell pepper
- Red onion
- Eggs (check out how I make smoked eggs)
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- Red wine vinegar
- Pickle juice
- Granulated sugar
- Salt and pepper
How do you make this delicious creamy macaroni pasta salad?
The first step is to make the pasta. Once cooked, rinse in cool water.
Combine the pasta with the cut vegetables and eggs in a large bowl.
In another bowl, combine the ingredients for the dressing.
Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and toss to combine.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour before serving.
Macaroni Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 stalks celery finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper finely diced
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- ½ cup red onion finely diced
- 2 hard boiled eggs chopped
Macaroni Salad Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- ½ tsp pickle juice more to taste
- 2 tsp granulated sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook and drain pasta according to the instructions on box, rinse in cold water
- Add pasta, cut vegetables and eggs to a large bowl, stir to combine
- In a medium bowl, mix all ingredients for the dressing
- Pour dressing over salad and toss to combine
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator to chill at least 1 hour before serving
- Store leftovers in refrigerator
