Macaroni Salad Recipe

Macaroni Salad Ingredients

Here are the ingredients that make up this easy macaroni salad recipe! Be sure to scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full recipe including all ingredients and measurements.

Salad Ingredients

• Elbow macaroni: Elbow macaroni is the classic pasta shape for macaroni salad. Its small, curved shape holds the creamy dressing well, ensuring each bite is full of flavor. You can absolutely use any small pasta that you prefer. See my tips below for cooking pasta for pasta salad.
• Celery: Adds some refreshing crunch to the salad.
• Red bell pepper: Brings a sweet, mild flavor and vibrant color to the salad along with some crunch.
• Green onions: Green onions offer a mild onion flavor without being overpowering.
• Frozen peas: A convenient way to add sweetness and a pop of color. You add them in frozen. They thaw quickly and add a tender texture to the salad.

Dressing Ingredients

• Plain low-fat yogurt: Creates a lighter, creamy base of the macaroni salad dressing. It provides a tangy flavor and a smooth texture without the heaviness of full-fat yogurt. It’s important to use plain yogurt, not Greek yogurt, to avoid a too-thick consistency.
• Mayonnaise: A key ingredient for the dressing, I still recommend using mayo even if you don’t like the taste. It adds a great creamy texture and layer of flavor without being overwhelming.
• Red wine vinegar: Adds acidity and tanginess, balancing the richness of the mayonnaise and yogurt.
• Yellow mustard: Adds just a little zip without the whole salad tasting like mustard. Even if you can’t stand the taste of mustard, I would still recommend using it in the dressing.
• Sugar: A small amount of sugar balances the acidity of the vinegar and mustard, adding a touch of sweetness to the dressing.
• Salt and black pepper: Enhances all the flavors of the other ingredients in the salad. Taste the dressing and add more salt and/or pepper as needed.
• Garlic powder: Adds a mild garlic flavor, blending smoothly into the creamy dressing without being overpowering.

How to Make Macaroni Salad

Here is a brief overview of how this easy macaroni salad recipe comes together. For the full recipe including all ingredients and measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

• Cook your pasta. Drain and rinse the cooked pasta with cold water. While the pasta is cooking, dice the vegetables.
• Make the sauce. In a small bowl whisk together the ingredients for the sauce. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasonings as desired.
• Put the salad together. In a very large bowl, mix the cooked pasta, peas, red peppers, green onions, and celery. Pour the dressing over and mix to combine. Enjoy or place in the refrigerator.

Cooking Pasta For Pasta Salad

Since the pasta is the backbone of this salad, we want to make sure it is cooked properly. Here are a few tips for cooking your pasta perfectly for this pasta salad.

• Use plenty of water. Be sure to use a big pot with plenty of water for the pasta to expand as it cooks. A pound of pasta needs four to six quarts of water.
• Salt the water. Add a good amount of salt to the boiling water before adding the pasta. Salted water not only flavors the pasta but also enhances the overall taste of your pasta salad.
• Make sure the water is a roaring boil. You want to see large, constant bubbles before adding any dry pasta.
• Set a timer. Cook the pasta until it is al dente, which means it is cooked through but still firm to the bite. This is important because the pasta will absorb some of the dressing and continue to soften slightly after mixing with other ingredients. Set a timer following the directions on the box as soon as you add the noodles to the water.
• Rinse the pasta after draining. While usually I don’t recommend this when cooking pasta, rinsing it with cold water will stop it from cooking and prevent it from sticking together since it is going into a cold salad.