Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad is one of those classic side dishes that you expect to see at a summer BBQ. This is the perfect creamy, tangy side dish to go along with your summer meals.

Tips

• Add more vegetables! This classic macaroni salad can be upgraded and elevated to include any vegetables you’ve got hanging around in your fridge. Some common additions include shredded carrot, celery, and green onions.
• If you don’t have macaroni on hand, use any short pasta you have available such as shells, penne, or fusilli.
• The macaroni salad is best to be eaten on the date of preparation or the next day. After being in the fridge for an extended period of time, the sauce will begin to dry up.
• Want to make this into a complete meal? Try adding in grilled chicken, bacon, or crumbled sausage!

Print Recipe

Macaroni Salad

This classic, creamy macaroni salad will have you reaching for seconds!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time20 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bell pepper, black pepper, chef’s knife, citrus squeezer, colander, cutting board, easy, elbow macaroni, garlic powder, large bowl, large pot, lemon, lemon juice, macaroni, mayonnaise, measuring cups, measuring spoons, onion powder, quick, red bell pepper, salt, small bowl, summer, wooden spoons

Servings: 8 servings (1 cup each)

Equipment

• Large pot
• Colander
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Wooden spoons
• Small bowl
• Large bowl
• Citrus squeezer
• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons

Ingredients

• 1 lb elbow macaroni¹
• 1 red bell pepper diced
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 lemon² 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 ½ tsp salt divided
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder

Instructions

• Heat a large pot of water until boiling. Add the macaroni and one tsp of salt. Cook until the macaroni is al dente, around six to seven minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse with cool water.
• While the macaroni is cooking and then draining, prepare the sauce.
• In a small bowl, squeeze one lemon³ (around 2 tbsp of lemon juice). Add in mayonnaise, the remaining half tsp of salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. Mix well and set aside.
• Dice the red bell pepper.
• Add the drained macaroni, diced red bell pepper, and sauce into a large bowl. Stir to combine.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

1. Although the recipe is called macaroni salad, you can use any short pasta such as small shells, penne, or fusilli. Be sure to adjust the cooking time according to the package instructions.
2. For the freshest flavour, I recommend using one lemon for the lemon juice. One lemon should yield around two tablespoons of juice. If you don’t have any fresh lemons on hand or want to save time, use bottled lemon juice.
3. If you don’t own a citrus squeezer, just use your muscle power to squeeze the lemon!

Serving Suggestions

To balance out the creaminess and tanginess of this macaroni salad, I recommend eating it with something smoky like BBQ chicken wings, burgers, or hot dogs.