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A large white bowl filled with creamy macaroni salad, featuring carrots and red onions, with a wooden spoon.

Classic Creamy Macaroni Salad

This quintessential macaroni salad recipe delivers perfectly tender elbow macaroni, crisp fresh vegetables, and hard-boiled eggs, all coated in a lusciously creamy, tangy, and slightly sweet dressing. It's the ultimate side dish for any picnic, BBQ, or family gathering.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 330
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salad
  • 1 lb Elbow Macaroni cooked al dente and rinsed with cold water
  • 3 large Hard-Boiled Eggs peeled and chopped
  • 2 stalks Celery finely diced
  • 1/2 medium Red Onion finely diced
  • 1/2 medium Red Bell Pepper finely diced
For the Creamy Dressing
  • 1 cup Mayonnaise full-fat for best flavor
  • 2 tbsp Yellow Mustard
  • 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar adjust to taste
  • 1 tsp Salt plus more for pasta water
  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper freshly ground preferred
  • 1/2 tsp Celery Seed optional, for classic flavor
  • 1/4 tsp Paprika optional, for color and mild flavor

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Colander
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk

Method
 

Cook Macaroni
  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente, typically 7-9 minutes. Do not overcook.
  2. Drain the cooked macaroni thoroughly using a colander. Rinse the macaroni with cold water to stop the cooking process and prevent sticking. Continue rinsing until the macaroni is completely cool. Drain very well, shaking out excess water, and set aside.
Prepare Ingredients
  1. While the macaroni cooks and cools, prepare the vegetables and hard-boiled eggs. Finely dice the celery, red onion, and red bell pepper. Chop the peeled hard-boiled eggs into small pieces.
Make the Dressing
  1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, black pepper, celery seed (if using), and paprika (if using). Whisk until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
Assemble the Salad
  1. Add the cooled, drained macaroni, chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced celery, diced red onion, and diced red bell pepper to the bowl with the dressing.
  2. Gently fold all the ingredients together until everything is evenly coated with the creamy dressing. Be sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to incorporate all ingredients.
  3. Taste the macaroni salad and adjust seasonings as needed. You may want to add more salt, pepper, or a touch more sugar or vinegar depending on your preference.
Chill and Serve
  1. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours, or preferably 4 hours, to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill thoroughly. This is a crucial step for the best taste.
  2. Give the salad a final stir before serving. Serve chilled as a delicious side dish.

Notes

For the best flavor, make this macaroni salad ahead of time and allow it to chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or even overnight. This gives the ingredients time to meld together perfectly. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.