A Better Macaroni Salad
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This macaroni salad has all the appeal of the old-fashioned, mayo-dressed version but with a few updates to make it taste brighter and better.
Macaroni salad is a staple at summer picnics, BBQs, and potlucks. I call this one “better” because it’s got all the appeal of the old-school, mayo-dressed version but with a few updates—namely, sour cream, Dijon mustard, fresh basil, and loads of crisp, crunchy veggies—to make it taste brighter. Cutting the traditional all-mayo dressing with sour cream and mustard makes the salad slightly tangy, while the basil and veggies add fresh summer flavor.
The key to the perfect creamy texture is thinning the dressing with a bit of water, so it coats the pasta without getting too clingy. However, keep in mind that the dressing thickens and gets absorbed by the noodles as the salad sits, so while all the components can be prepared ahead, it’s best to wait until right before serving to toss everything together. Macaroni salad pairs nicely with burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, BBQ ribs, or grilled or BBQ chicken.
What You’ll Need To Make A Better Macaroni Salad
You don’t have to use elbow noodles to make macaroni salad. As you can see, I use cavatappi; farfalle or fusilli would also work well.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender according to package instructions (about 1 minute past al dente).
While the pasta boils, prep all the add-ins.
Drain the pasta in a colander and let cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, mustard, vinegar, water, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
Whisk until combined.
Add the cooked pasta, carrots, celery, bell pepper, scallions, and basil to the bowl.
Stir until evenly combined.
Serve immediately or let sit for up to an hour at room temperature before serving. Keep in mind that the dressing will thicken a bit as it sits.
How To Make Macaroni Salad Ahead
The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated; the pasta, vegetables, and basil can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Before serving, bring all of the components to room temperature. Add the dressing to a large bowl and whisk to loosen, then stir in the pasta, vegetables and herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.
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A Better Macaroni Salad
This macaroni salad has all the appeal of the old-fashioned, mayo-dressed version but with a few updates to make it taste brighter and better.
Ingredients
- 1 pound macaroni, cavatappi, farfalle, or fusilli pasta
- 1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1¼ teaspoons salt, plus more for cooking the pasta
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup finely diced or grated carrots, from 1 to 2 carrots
- ¾ cup finely diced celery, from 2 to 3 celery stalks
- 1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, finely diced
- 6 scallions, light and dark green parts, finely sliced
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until tender (about 1 minute past al dente). Drain and let cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, mustard, vinegar, water, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
- Add the cooked pasta, carrots, celery, bell pepper, scallions, and basil to the bowl and stir until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve the salad immediately or let it sit for up to an hour at room temperature before serving. (Keep in mind that the dressing will thicken and get absorbed by the noodles as the salad sits.)
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated; the pasta, vegetables, and basil can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Before serving, bring all of the components to room temperature. Add the dressing to a large bowl and whisk to loosen, then stir in the pasta, vegetables and herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve.
- Update Note: In response to feedback from readers, this recipe was retested and updated on &frac73;/22 to include less sugar.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Calories: 336
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 268 mg
- Cholesterol: 17 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Excellent. It had everything in it to give it great flavor. I made this to take to a party and they loved it. Some asked for the recipe!
Delicious! I used small amount of red onion, added some celery seed, and used stone ground mustard, as had no Dijon. SOOOOOOOO YUMMY! Thank you!
Very good. It took me a long time to cut up everything so be sure to budget for this! I also ran the macaroni under cold water to bring it to room temperature.
Made recipe exactly as written (revised version) and it was delicious! All party guests raved! This is for sure is my favorite pasta salad now!
So good. Perfect for the hot summer. This may weird others out, but my sister used to make macaroni salad with black olives, sharp cheddar cheese & thinly sliced hard boiled eggs. I added these ingredients & it turned out great. Reminds me of my sister & is a complete meal that is cold. Many thanks Jenn for another great recipe. Hope everyone has a great summer.
I really love this salad, so good! Your recipes are all just amazing!
I have made this macaroni salad a few times now! This is the best macaroni salad dressing ever! I use real Mayo with avocado oil. Healthier than canola based or soybean oil. I also change out the added extras to ones my family prefers in a macaroni salad such as, roasted red bell pepper (from a jar) sliced, dill pickles and black olives.
Wow! I haven’t made macaroni salad for years (possibly even decades … ) and this was the first one that came up in the search results – I never made it to my usual sites (never been here before, either). This is just the sort of “different” I was looking for. Maybe my foodie sons (one is a chef himself) will stop telling Mom she can’t cook. Ah, well, one can always hope.
I try to keep to the written version the first time, and check reviews. I still made it fairly close, but subbed yogurt for the sour cream since I don’t have any. The red pepper made a big visual difference.
To quote, I’ll be back (and that is attributed to General MacArthur, from World War II – not Arnold).
Husband-approved. Scratch that. Husband-preferred!
About to put the salad together and I am EXCITED! Anyone made it and added sharp cheddar cubes?
Yes to the cheese. We also add hard boiled eggs, sliced olives & some chopped pickles. This salad is like a meal after adding all that stuff. 😋
Another MRS? Yes. I added those ingredients as well, but no pickles. I’ll try that next time.
Doubled the veggies and did half the sauce to start with more on the side available for others. So good. Usually I don’t love mayo dressings, but this is awesome. Thanks for another great recipe!
I make this salad every couple of weeks. It truly is a better macaroni salad! Thanks for the great recipes! Jan
This is my go to macaroni salad especially for the dressing. I make it with different veggies each time depending what i have and it’s always good. Frozen peas (1cup) and bacon crumbles, red onion, carrots…it’s all good. I make the entire dressing the day before and then mix the day of.
My 14 year old daughter made it and we all thought it was delicious. I don’t like macaroni salad and I thought it was delicious
I made this delicious recipe for a work potluck. Five people wanted the recipe! The only change I made was to mix it with half the dressing right away, then the other half right before serving. It was perfect! I also used Campanella pasta shape. Great recipe, Jen!
Big hit at our house! This is a great Mac salad. I did sub out the basil and used cilantro.
Another 5 star recipe. Thank you.
This is now the only macaroni salad recipe I will ever use! It tastes so nice and balanced, not overly sweet and it still has a tang! Only think I omit is the basil because my husband isn’t the biggest fan of the herb. It stores well in the fridge and tastes just as fresh with each plating.
Made a half batch tonight (twice within a month!) and I can’t wait to dig in at dinner.
This is a great recipe to keep in your pocket for a potluck!