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Macaroni Salad

This classic, creamy macaroni salad will have you reaching for seconds!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
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 1 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.
  • While the macaroni is cooking and then draining, prepare the sauce.
  • In a small bowl, squeeze one lemon3 (around 1 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 one tablespoon 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!