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–+ servings

Easy Macaroni Salad

4.50 from 2 votes
Created by Mariam Ezzeddine
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.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
servings

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
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