Classic pasta salad comes together with fresh veggies and a creamy dressing. This is the perfect side dish for a cookout or any family gathering!
I cannot tell you how many times I ate this macaroni salad growing up! This was on of my Grandma’s go to dishes for just about anything. Cookouts, family gatherings, and many holidays! It was the very same delicious creamy texture each and every time – she was an absolute pro at making macaroni salad!
The apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree now, because I still make it often and think of her each and every time I do!
You’ll love the simplicity of the homemade dressing that fills this dish of macaroni and fresh veggies. This really comes in handy in the Summer when you’re looking for a super side dish that’s fresh and cool. One thing you’ll want to keep in mind when making this salad is to rinse the pasta in cool water after it’s done cooking. This will help remove some of the starches and will make for a much creamier salad!
Some Recipe Tips
- Use real mayo! Don’t mess with a classic, and you’ll find there’s a big difference in the tast of your dressing when you use real mayo.
- If you don’t have relish on hand, simply dice up some pickles and pour about 1/4 cup of the pickle juice in your dressing. My grandma used to say this added a “secret flavor” that many people love!
- Feel free to add any other variety of fresh veggies to suite your taste! Red, yellow, or orange bell peppers are always a hit as well and will add some nice color.
If you’re looking for a dinner idea that will be ready in under 30-minutes on a busy evening, this is it! You won’t believe the flavors that come from this dish, and I’m betting it may inspire you to add this sauce to other items as well!
If you love this recipe you may consider trying these:
- Classic Italian Pasta Salad
- Shirazi Salad With Fresh Mint
- Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
- Creamy Broccoli Salad
Classic Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni cooked, rinsed, and drained
- 1 cup real mayo
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup celery diced
- 2 large hard boiled eggs diced
- 1/2 english cucumber diced
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
- 1/4 red onion diced
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to package directions. Rinse with cold water until completely cooled.
- Combine mayo, dijon mustard, and sour cream in a medium bowl. In a large bowl combine the cooked macaroni, celery, hard boiled eggs, cucumber, pickle relish, and red onion.
- Pour the dressing over the macaroni and veggies and mix until fully combined. Garnish with a sliced hard boiled egg and paprika if desired. Serve immediately or store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
