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Home » Pasta » Easy Macaroni Salad

Posted July 9, 2020 By Mariam E. 2 Comments

Easy Macaroni Salad

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Make this classic pasta salad even easier and even more delicious! A super Easy Macaroni Salad recipe that'll be a hit at parties, potlucks, picnics, BBQ's or just as an easy weeknight side.

top down shot of Easy Macaroni Salad

With just a few simple ingredients you can whip up this Easy Macaroni Salad in no time! Ditch the deli or store bought macaroni salads, this is packed with all sorts of goodies and covered with the most heavenly creamy homemade Greek yogurt dressing.

If you're after other delicious pasta salad recipes, why not also try my Creamy Avocado Pasta Salad or my Taco Ranch Pasta Salad!

Why you'll love this Easy Macaroni Salad

  • Easy! With just a few pantry staples, you can whip up a batch of this delicious pasta salad in around 20 mins.
  • A dreamy creamy dressing. Mayo, Greek yogurt, sweet pickle juice and a host of other mouthwatering ingredients come together for a zesty, creamy and oh so satisfying homemade dressing.
  • An amped up, classic summer side. This is one hearty pasta salad, loaded with veggies and packed with flavor!

Ingredients you'll need

  • Elbow Pasta
  • Vegetables: Bell pepper, onion, jalapenos, carrot sticks, celery, sweet pickles.
  • Eggs
  • Italian Parsley
ingredients for Easy Macaroni Salad

For the dressing

  • Mayonnaise
  • Greek Yogurt
  • Dijon Mustard
  • Lemon Juice
  • Cane Sugar
  • Olive Oil
  • Salt & Pepper
  • Sweet Pickle Juice
ingredients for homemade dressing

How to make this Easy Macaroni Salad

  • Make the pasta. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until tender and just about fully cooked. During this time you can also cook the eggs and chop the veggies.
ingredients in a bowl
  • Make the dressing. In a bowl mix all the dressing ingredients together and stir very well to combine.
mixing the dressing
  • Combine. Once the pasta is cooked, transfer to a sieve and run under cold water to cool. Add in a shallow bowl, then add in the chopped veggies and give them toss.
Ingredients for Easy Macaroni Salad tossed together
  • Add the dressing, then the chopped boiled eggs and dressing. Toss gently together to coat everything well with the dressing.
  • Serve and enjoy!
overhead shot of Easy Macaroni Salad in a bowl

Recipe notes and tips

  • Use enough cold water so once the pasta begins to cook and expand, there will still be plenty of room for the pasta to move freely.
  • As soon as you drop your pasta in the water, stir it. This stops the pasta from sticking together.
  • Make sure to thoroughly drain your pasta, so the dressing will stick.
  • For an extra colorful pasta salad, use green, red and yellow bell peppers, kids love it!
  • If making ahead, keep the dressing aside in a jar and mix the salad when ready to eat.
  • You can leave out the eggs if preferred.  I added it for extra proteins.
  • You can replace regular mayo with vegan mayo or light mayo.
  • If you like your salad to be cold you can cover and shill for about 15 minutes in the fridge before serving.

FAQ's

Can this Easy Macaroni Salad be made ahead of time?

Yes indeed! Macaroni salad will keep for up to five days when stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container. This is a great salad for making in advance. I recommend you leave off the dressing and add just before serving.

Try not to leave out any leftovers at room temperature for very long as the salad dressing will not keep well in the heat.

What to serve with this Easy Macaroni Salad

This hearty side goes well with a host of mains. Here are a few ideas:

  • Spicy Salmon Salad Recipe
  • Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
  • Korean BBQ Chicken Skewers
  • Grilled Harissa Chicken Thighs
  • Mexican Shrimp
Easy Macaroni Salad in a white bowl

Add ins to this Macaroni Salad

This pasta salad is packed with flavor but you can totally add in other goodies. Here's some ideas!

  • Curry powder
  • Rotisserie chicken
  • Grape or cherry tomatoes
  • Sliced olives
  • Chicken sausage
  • Avocado
  • Peas
  • Corn

Other delicious salad recipes

  • Crispy Chicken Caesar Salad Recipe
  • Avocado Mango Salad
  • Tomato and Burrata Salad
  • Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Easy Macaroni Salad recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it and share it with your friends and family!

If you try this recipe and like it, please use my hashtag to share it with me on INSTAGRAM for a chance to be featured in my story! Also, follow me at Cookin’ With Mima on FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST for all of my latest social posts and recipes.

Easy Macaroni Salad

Make this classic pasta salad even easier and even more delicious! A super Easy Macaroni Salad recipe that'll be a hit at parties, potlucks, picnics, BBQ's or just as an easy weeknight side.
0 from 0 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 285kcal
Author: Mariam E.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup elbow pasta dry, uncooked
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper petite diced
  • 1/4 cup purple onion petite diced
  • 1/3 cup pickled jalapeños finely diced
  • 1/2 cup carrot sticks finely chopped
  • 3 large eggs hard boiled, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup celery petite diced
  • 1/4 cup Italian parsley finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup sweet pickles finely diced

Dressing

  • 3/4 cup regular mayonnaise or mayo of your choice
  • 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsps Dijon mustard
  • 2 tbsps lemon juice
  • 2 tbsps cane sugar
  • 1 tbsp olive oil lightly flavored
  • 1 tsp black pepper fresh ground
  • 1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
  • 1/4 cup sweet pickle juice use from pickle jar, don't skip

Instructions

  • Cook the pasta according to package instructions until tender and just about fully cooked. During this time you can also cook the eggs.
  • Meanwhile chop of the veggies.
  • In a bowl mix all the dressing ingredients together and stir very well to combine.
  • Once the pasta is cooked, transfer to a sieve and run under cold water to cool. Add in a shallow bowl, then add in the chopped veggies and give them toss.
  • Next, add in the chopped boiled eggs and dressing. Toss gently together to coat everything well with the dressing.
  • If you like your salad to be cold you can cover and shill for about 15 minutes in the fridge before serving. If not, serve and enjoy!

Notes

  • Use enough cold water so once the pasta begins to cook and expand, there will still be plenty of room for the pasta to move freely.
  • As soon as you drop your pasta in the water, stir it. This stops the pasta from sticking together.
  • Make sure to thoroughly drain your pasta, so the dressing will stick.
  • For an extra colorful pasta salad, use green, red and yellow bell peppers, kids love it!
  • If making ahead, keep the dressing aside in a jar and mix the salad when ready to eat.
  • You can leave out the eggs if preferred.  I added it for extra proteins.
  • You can replace regular mayo with vegan mayo or light mayo.
  • If you like your salad to be cold you can cover and shill for about 15 minutes in the fridge before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 285kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 848mg | Potassium: 237mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 2278IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 50mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you make this Recipe? Tag me Today!Tag me on Instagram @cookinwithmima or tag #cookinwithmima

Filed Under: Kid Friendly, Pasta, Salads

5 Secrets to Delicious, Easy Meals!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarSaily says

    July 17, 2020 at 8:29 pm

    Hey! I loved your writing way and explain things step by step. Its much helpful for cooking lovers.
    Appreciated your smart writing skill.

    Sailly from TechRecur

    Reply
    • Mariam E.Mariam E. says

      July 21, 2020 at 5:03 pm

      Thanks Saily!

      Reply

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