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If you’re looking for the most perfect classic cold macaroni salad like you’re grandma used to make, you’ve come to the right place! This side dish is creamy, tangy and a little sweet and full of crunchy celery, sweet pickles and red peppers. This is the Best Macaroni Salad you can make. Plus, it’s good with or without hardboiled eggs.
This macaroni salad is guaranteed to be a hit wherever you bring it; potlucks, picnics, barbecues and cookouts, this will be the star of the food table.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Versatile – take away the celery, add more veggies, take away the egg, etc. you can adjust this recipe to your liking.
- It Never Disappoints – literally one of the most popular side dishes you can bring to a party. Everyone goes crazy for it.
- Make-Ahead Friendly – this just continues to get better as it sits. So chop all the veggies and prep this salad the day before serving for the best macaroni salad.
- Flavor and Texture – from crunchy veggies to the al dente pasta and tangy creamy sauce, this macaroni salad is loaded with addictive flavors and so much satisfying texture.
Key Ingredients in the Best Macaroni Salad
Pasta – you can use standard elbow macaroni noodles, I am using ditalini.
Mayonnaise – the creamy base of the homemade dressing.
Sour cream – to freshen and lighten up the creamy base.
Red Wine Vinegar – adds tanginess to the dressing, making it so addictively delicious! You can sub for lemon juice.
Dijon mustard – adds a creamy richness. Just a hint of that mustardy flavor without being overpowering.
Sweet Pickles/Gherkins – both for dicing pickles and for the juice. it’s important to not use dill pickles as we want the sweetness.
Sugar – to bump up the sweetness a tad, we’ll add just a little sugar.
Seasonings – garlic powder, red pepper flakes, onion powder, salt and pepper
Hard Boiled Eggs – the most debated ingredients. Thankfully, this is still the best macaroni salad with or without the hardboiled eggs.
Add-In’s – red onion, celery and red pepper
How to Make the Best Macaroni Salad
Boil the Noodles
Start by boiling the noodles in a large pot of salted water. Cook the noodles to al dente. Strain and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking and cool them down for the pasta salad.
Make the Dressing
While the pasta is cooking, whisk together all the homemade dressing ingredients until smooth and combined: mayo, sour cream, mustard, vinegar, pickle juice, sugar and spices. Taste and adjust if needed.
Combine and Toss
In a large mixing bowl, add in the noodles, diced red onions, diced pickles, red peppers and celery. Pour over the dressing and toss well to combine. If you’re adding in eggs, dice up the hardboiled eggs and fold them into the macaroni salad. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.
The Easiest Way to Dice Hard-Boiled Eggs
I love this time-saving hack I found a few years back using a cooling rack. Be sure yours has dual wires running horizontally and vertically otherwise this hack will not work. Place your peeled eggs on top of the cooling rack with a bowl underneath. Use the palm of your hand to press down on the egg so it pushes through the rack and into the bowl creating perfectly diced eggs.
Looking for More Summer Recipes?
Banana Pudding
Creamy Pea & Bacon Pasta Salad
The Best Street Corn Salad (Esquites)
BBQ Ranch Chicken Sliders
Garlic Parmesan Chicken Skewers
I hope you enjoy this easy Air Fryer recipe for the Best Macaroni Salad. Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback!
If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!
The Best Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 12 oz dry macaroni noodles ditalini or elbow macaroni
- 3/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
- 2/3 cup sweet gherkins, finely diced
- 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/3 cup celery, finely diced
- 3 hard boiled eggs, diced
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2.5 tablespoons sweet gherkin juice
- 1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar red wine vinegar as a substitute, start with 1 tbsp add more if needed
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 3 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Start by boiling the noodles in a large pot of salted water. Cook the noodles to al dente. Strain and rinse with cold water to stop them from cooking and cool them down for the pasta salad.
- While the pasta is cooking, whisk together all the homemade dressing ingredients until smooth and combined: mayo, sour cream, pickle juice, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and spices. Taste and adjust if needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, add in the noodles, diced red onions, diced pickles, red peppers and celery. Pour over *most* the dressing and toss well to combine. If you're adding in eggs, dice up the hardboiled eggs and fold them into the macaroni salad.
- Reserve a little leftover dressing for tossing before serving as pasta absorbs it as it sits in the fridge. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Be sure to toss the salad before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
So easy a hit our BBQ
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