Easy Macaroni Salad

A simple Macaroni Salad recipe is a must for summer entertaining. This one is easy, uses only basic ingredients, and the flavor is spot on. Serve it at a family cookout or neighborhood potluck and it will be devoured by adults and kids alike.

Easy Macaroni Salad Recipe

This recipe is from Cook’s Country Magazine (Aug/Sept 2010), one of my favorite resources for basic, traditional, and regional recipes that you can always count on to work.

It’s a creamy and delicious pasta salad with just the right amount of mayonnaise and subtle flavor from red onion, celery, parsley, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.

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Recipe Tip

Brittany says- “I usually don’t comment on these recipes. But I thought I needed to because this was great!!! My husband who doesn’t like macaroni salad, loved this! It has a great tangy flavor. It was also super easy to make and I already had all the ingredients at home. Thank you for sharing this great recipe!” ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Don’t Forget To Season The Water

Seasoning the cooking water with plenty of salt helps ensure that the pasta gets off to a good start as far as flavoring. The salt really works its way into the pasta as it cooks and seasons it in a way that cannot be achieved by adding salt to the cooked pasta. The seasonings get stirred into the pasta before the mayonnaise and this helps the pasta absorb even more flavor.

Variations

If you want to jazz this basic Macaroni Salad up a little, try adding a few peas, some diced ham, a chopped hard-boiled egg, or some diced cheddar cheese.

How To Serve

You can count on it to make every cookout a smashing success. It goes wonderfully with grilled chicken, burgers, or ribs. Pair it with some Root Beer Baked Beans and Jalapeno Creamed Corn for a summer meal everyone will rave about.

Tips For Making

• Do not overcook or undercook the pasta. Cook it too long and it will be mushy. Don’t cook it long enough and it will be chewy.
• Be sure to add salt to the water you cook the pasta in or you risk having bland macaroni salad.
• Be sure the pasta has cooled before you add the mayonnaise. It will absorb less of it this way and your pasta salad will stay creamy.

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More Pasta Salad Recipes

• Jalapeno Popper Pasta Salad
• Texas Caviar Pasta Salad
• BLT Pasta Salad
• Chipotle Chicken Pasta Salad
• Shrimp and Dill Pasta Salad

Originally posted June 12, 2018.

Recipe slightly adapted from Cook’s Country