I don’t imply to brag, however… this macaroni salad is one thing to brag about! It’s loaded with veggies, candy pickle relish, and a sprinkle of contemporary dill. Plus, it’s lighter on the mayo, so you’ll be able to style the entire different elements, however it’s nonetheless deliciously creamy.
For extra macaroni salad goodness, attempt our Tuna Macaroni Salad.
Why Our Recipe
- Fast and straightforward—prepared in simply 20 minutes!
- Mild on the mayo so you’ll be able to really style the opposite elements.
- Customise this recipe with our really useful variations and mix-ins.


This macaroni salad has the proper combo of textures and flavors—it by no means will get outdated! It’s creamy, crunchy, and has a mushy chew from the cheese with a bit pop of sweetness from the peas. One may say this salad not solely involves the social gathering, it’s a part of the social gathering. Or, you understand, it’s only a actually good macaroni salad.
Ingredient Notes


- Elbow Macaroni: Any brief pasta like fusilli, penne, or bowtie works effectively. For a gluten-free model, go for gluten-free pasta.
- Cheddar Cheese: You need to use diced cheddar cheese or pepper jack for a bit spicy kick.
- Pink Onion: To tone down the chew of contemporary purple onion, soak chopped onions in water for about 10 minutes earlier than including. Inexperienced onions or shallots are additionally good milder alternate options.
- Celery and Bell Pepper: Function the crunch. Celery is tremendous gentle and blends in, and purple bell pepper is most popular for the candy chew, however you would use any shade of bell pepper.
- Frozen Peas: Probably the most controversial ingredient in our mac salad. You possibly can skip them for those who should.
- Mayonnaise: Use plain Greek yogurt for a lighter choice.
- Cider Vinegar: You want the acidity to steadiness the flavors. White wine vinegar or purple wine vinegar may be used.
- Recent Dill: Whereas contemporary is strongly really useful, you would additionally use 1 tablespoon dried.
- Candy Pickle Relish: We just like the candy, however you would additionally use dill pickle relish as effectively.
- Dijon Mustard: We just like the sturdy daring flavors of the dijon, however you would additionally use yellow mustard in the identical quantity.
Variations
Spice it Up: Searching for a bit extra warmth? You possibly can simply add sliced (or diced) contemporary jalapeños. And as an alternative of cheddar cheese, go for pepper jack for a bit extra spice. Whilst you’re at it, you’ll be able to add a touch of sizzling sauce, too.
Lighten it Up: Use plain Greek yogurt as an alternative of mayo for those who’re in search of a lighter choice that’s nonetheless deliciously creamy. Or, miss the creamy sauce utterly and add 2 tablespoons of additional virgin olive oil for a French dressing pasta salad.
Beef it Up: Add a bit substance to your macaroni salad with some pre-cooked rooster, diced ham, and even some crispy bacon crumbles.
Combine-Ins: Some nice additions to this salad are pickles, cucumbers, or sliced olives. These all pair effectively with the flavour profile of this recipe.
Chef Tip
Cook dinner your pasta till it’s simply barely al dente, after which instantly rinse the pasta with chilly water to cease the cooking course of. For the reason that pasta will soak up a few of the dressing, it’ll proceed to get softer. Cooking simply to al dente will keep away from that extra softening that goes from mushy to mushy fast!


Make-Forward Directions
In case you make this dish the evening earlier than, it does soak up a big quantity of the dressing. Some individuals double the dressing elements when making forward. The opposite choice is to combine the pasta with all of the veggies in a bowl, and preserve the dressing separate till able to serve.
Storage Directions
Refrigerate leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days. Whilst you can simply put some plastic wrap over the bowl, it does preserve higher if it’s saved in a separate sealed container.
Freezing shouldn’t be really useful because it turns to mush upon thawing.
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