Nothing hits the cookout table quite like a bowl of cold, creamy Southern macaroni salad! With elbow pasta, crisp vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, and a sweet-tangy mayonnaise dressing, this classic side dish is everything you want alongside your burgers and ribs, and it gets even better as it sits overnight in the fridge.
More Easy Make-Ahead Sides
Before You Get Started
A few tips that make a real difference with this one:
- Cook pasta to al dente, then rinse it with cold water. Overcooked pasta turns mushy as it sits in the dressing. Al dente holds up much better. The cold rinse stops the cooking, removes surface starch, and keeps the noodles from clumping together.
- Plan ahead. This salad needs time to chill. The pasta and vegetables absorb the dressing as the salad rests, and the flavors meld together beautifully. Two to three hours is the minimum. Overnight is even better.
- If the salad looks dry before serving, stir in more mayo. The pasta keeps soaking up the dressing in the fridge, so it’s normal to need an extra spoonful (or two) right before serving. Don’t be shy with it.
How to Make Southern Macaroni Salad
This salad comes together quickly. The prep is mostly chopping and stirring. Here’s how to make it, step by step:
Step 1: Cook and Cool the Pasta
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions, pulling it just before it’s fully tender. You want it al dente, not soft.
Drain, then rinse immediately under cold running water until the pasta is completely cool. Set aside.
⇢ Salt the pasta water generously. This is your only real chance to season the noodles themselves. Under-seasoned pasta leads to a flat-tasting salad, even with a well-seasoned dressing.
Step 2: Chop the Vegetables
While the pasta cooks, dice the onion, celery, and bell pepper, and chop the hard-boiled eggs and fresh parsley. Getting this done while the pasta cooks keeps things efficient.
⇢ Dice everything to a similar size. Consistent cuts mean you get a good mix of flavors and textures in every forkful, not a bite that’s all celery or all onion.
Step 3: Whisk the Dressing
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, and garlic until smooth.
Taste it. The dressing should be creamy, tangy, with a hint of sweetness.
⇢ Use a full-fat, high-quality mayo. Duke’s is the classic Southern choice, and it makes a noticeable difference in flavor. Full-fat mayo gives the dressing that rich, creamy texture that defines this salad.
Step 4: Toss and Chill
In a large bowl, combine the cooled pasta, chopped vegetables, eggs, and parsley. Pour the dressing over everything and toss to coat evenly.
Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving. For the best flavor, chill it overnight.
Serving Suggestions
Macaroni salad is a natural fit alongside classic cookout and picnic mains. Pair it with any of these:
- Grilled hamburgers
- Slow cooker baby back ribs
- Crispy Southern fried catfish
- Fried shrimp
- Grilled BBQ chicken breast
- Grilled pork chops
- Pineapple glazed ham
This is hands down the absolute BEST macaroni salad I’ve ever tasted. I never need to try another recipe. My mom was from Kentucky, and this is what what I was raised on. Never could duplicate her recipe, but you have! Thank you!
– Vickie
Preparation and Storage Tips
Make Ahead: This salad is actually better the next day. Make it the night before, cover, and refrigerate. Give it a good stir before serving, and add a spoonful of extra mayo if the pasta has absorbed too much of the dressing.
How to Store: Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If the salad has been sitting out at room temperature (or outside at a picnic) for more than 2 hours, discard any remaining portion.
Freezer Instructions: Do not freeze this salad. The pasta and vegetables will turn mushy when thawed, and the creamy mayo dressing will break.
Recipe Variations
- Add a protein. Stir in cooked diced chicken, ham, shrimp, or tuna to turn this into a heartier dish. You might also love this ham pasta salad, shrimp pasta salad, or tuna pasta salad.
- Add peas. A handful of frozen (thawed) peas brings a sweet pop of flavor and a little extra color. Diced tomatoes are a nice addition, too.
- Add cheese. Diced cheddar or mozzarella mixed in adds richness and makes the salad feel more substantial.
- Swap the relish. Sweet pickle relish is the classic choice, but chopped sweet pickles, dill pickles, or dill pickle relish all work well depending on your preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between Southern macaroni salad and regular macaroni salad?
Southern macaroni salad typically features a sweeter, creamier mayo-based dressing with a touch of sugar and yellow mustard, along with classic Southern add-ins like sweet pickle relish, hard-boiled eggs, and sweet Vidalia onion. It tends to be richer and more flavorful than a basic deli-style macaroni salad, with a balance of sweet, tangy, and creamy that’s deeply satisfying.
Should you rinse pasta in cold water for macaroni salad?
Yes, and it matters more than you’d think. Rinsing cooked pasta under cold water serves three purposes: it stops the cooking so the pasta doesn’t overcook, it washes off surface starch (which would otherwise make the noodles gummy and cause the dressing to clump), and it cools the pasta down quickly so you can dress it right away without the heat wilting the vegetables or breaking the mayo.
What are the most common mistakes to avoid when making macaroni salad?
The biggest ones: overcooking the pasta (it continues to soften as it chills, so always pull it at al dente); skipping the cold water rinse; not salting the pasta cooking water; using low-fat mayo (which produces a thin, less flavorful dressing); and not giving the salad enough time to chill before serving. The rest-and-chill step is where the real magic happens.
Why add vinegar to macaroni salad?
Vinegar balances the richness of the mayo and keeps the dressing from tasting heavy. It adds a bright, tangy contrast that makes the whole salad taste more lively. White vinegar is the traditional choice here, but apple cider vinegar or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice both work well as substitutes.
This is the BEST macaroni salad I have ever made, I found the recipe 6 weeks ago and now by popular demand I make it every week…
– Alex
More Cold Salads for Your Next Cookout
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Classic Pasta Salad
- Easy Potato Salad
- Aunt Bee’s Shrimp Pasta Salad
- Easy Pasta Salad with Mayo
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Southern Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 6 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni (about 1½ cups dry / 3 cups cooked)
- 1 cup mayonnaise (Duke's preferred)
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- ½ teaspoon minced, pressed, or grated fresh garlic
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook macaroni in a large pot of well-salted boiling water according to package directions for al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cool.
- While the pasta cooks, dice the onion, celery, bell pepper, and eggs, and chop the parsley.
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, pickle relish, and garlic until smooth.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, vegetables, eggs, and parsley. Toss with dressing to coat evenly. Season with salt and pepper.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours before serving. Stir before serving and add a spoonful of extra mayo if the salad looks dry.
Notes
- Pasta swap: Any short pasta shape works well. Small shells, ditalini, or rotini are all good substitutes for elbows.
- Cook pasta to al dente. It will continue to soften as it chills, so pull it just before fully tender.
- Rinse the pasta. Cold water stops the cooking, removes surface starch, and prevents clumping.
- Mayo matters. Use a full-fat, high-quality mayo for the best flavor and texture. Duke’s is the classic Southern choice.
- Garlic note: Raw garlic adds a nice background flavor, but it’s optional. Substitute a pinch of garlic powder if you prefer a milder taste.
- Relish options: Substitute chopped sweet pickles, chopped dill pickles, or dill pickle relish depending on your preference.
- Add a protein: Stir in diced cooked chicken, ham, shrimp, or tuna for a heartier version.
- Make ahead: Best made the night before. The flavors improve as it chills. Stir and add extra mayo before serving if needed.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. Discard if left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
- Do not freeze: The pasta and vegetables will become watery and mushy when thawed.
Nutrition
WOW! This is the best mayonnaise pasta salad I have ever eaten. Perfect proportions! Garlic and the mustard just made it. I can’t believe I made this. Thank you! Thank you! Your recipes don’t let me down. Gonna try those green beans next. Yum!
– Jane
Originally published in June, 2017, this post was updated in April, 2026.
This is so yummy! I could not stop adding more yumminess to it!! LOL
I doubled the recipe and followed it as directed, but I also added halved cherry tomatoes and frozen peas. I am going to add some tiny diced ham to it this morning after it sat overnight (I will add another scoop of Duke’s mayo when I stir it in there) . I could eat it for breakfast, lunch & dinner. It’s that good! I did have to substitute a couple items; apple cider vinegar and dill pickle juice was used instead of the white vinegar and sweet relish, because I did not have those on hand. THANKS Blair!!!
Thank you for the feedback, Maggie! We’re so glad you enjoyed the recipe and were able to make it work for you.