Whether it’s a church potluck or a family reunion, you can bet that a version of this Southern Macaroni Salad is on the table. Ours has plenty of vegetables and a unique dressing of mayonnaise, sour cream, and a touch of apple cider vinegar. People love it so much that we’re under orders to bring this macaroni salad to every gathering!
There are some recipes that you must have in your back pocket as a Southerner, and a good macaroni salad is high on that list. People make this simple salad many different ways, and there’s no wrong or right way.
I like peppers and pickles, so my version includes plenty of both. We also threw in some hard-boiled eggs since that’s classic Southern and the way my grandma made it. But those are optional, so leave them out if you prefer.
Testing results for Southern macaroni salad
- We found that cooking the macaroni just beyond al dente is perfect for pasta salad. You don’t want to let it get mushy, but it needs to be cooked enough.
- We tested serving straight from the refrigerator vs. room temperature, and our tasters overwhelmingly preferred the macaroni salad at room temperature. I suggest removing the salad from the fridge about half an hour before serving. We also like to toss it with a little reserved dressing just before serving.
I hope you make this recipe. I think you’ll love it!
Ingredient notes
Here are a few things to know about the ingredients in this recipe.
➡️➡️➡️ The full ingredient amounts and instructions are listed below on the printable recipe card. Scroll below the recipe card for frequently asked questions and tips for success.
Pasta: This is a macaroni salad, so we’re using macaroni. Any pasta shape is fine, though, as long as it is small and not spaghetti.
Eggs: As mentioned, you can omit the hard-boiled eggs if you prefer.
Pin this now to save it for later
How to make macaroni salad
- Boil the eggs and chop all the vegetables. Chop the cooked eggs into small pieces.
- Cook the macaroni noodles until just slightly past al dente.
- Drain the noodles, remove from the pot, and spread them on a baking sheet to cool for about 10 minutes. Drizzle with a small bit of olive oil.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Stir the cooled noodles with the dressing and vegetables in a large bowl. Reserve a small amount of dressing.
- Refrigerate the macaroni salad until about half an hour before serving. Stir in the reserved dressing and any fresh herbs just before serving.
More pasta salad
We love pasta salad, and we have a couple more variations that we think you will love, too. Our Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta Salad is absolutely the best thing you’ll ever taste, although admittedly it involves a good bit of chopping.
For the easiest version that kids love, make our Pizza Pasta Salad. It’s perfectly customizable, and kids can help make it as well as scarf it down.
If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ below!
Join Southern Food and Fun Community group
and Southern Potluck group!
And please follow us on social media:
Southern Macaroni Salad Recipe
Ingredients
Macaroni Salad
- 10 ounces elbow macaroni noodles
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ½ yellow bell pepper, diced
- 1 celery stick, diced
- ½ cup diced sweet pickles, diced
- ⅓ cup diced red onion, diced
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle juice
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- fresh parsley, dill, or chives for garnish
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni per package instructions. Drain and remove the noodles from the pot. Lay the noodles on a baking sheet and drizzle with a small bit of olive oil.
- Prepare all the vegetables and boiled eggs, finely dicing into small pieces.
- Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, sweet pickle juice, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes to a mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients well to create a dressing.
- Add the cooled macaroni and the chopped ingredients to a large salad bowl. Pour the dressing over, reserving a couple of tablespoons, and mix well.
- Refrigerate the macaroni salad until about half an hour before serving. Stir in the reserved dressing just before serving, along with any fresh herbs.
Notes
Nutrition
Questions and tips
Storage
Store the macaroni salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
If you want to make the macaroni salad a day in advance, we suggest storing the ingredients separately. Stir together just before serving.
We do not recommend freezing the pasta salad. The texture will become gummy.
