Nothing tastes better with a grilled hamburger or a barbecue chicken sandwich than a cool and creamy Classic Southern Macaroni Salad! File this perfect side dish recipe away for your next cookout or potluck -- it always wins rave reviews!
Nothing tastes better with a grilled hamburger or a barbecue chicken sandwich than a cool and creamy Classic Southern Macaroni Salad! File this perfect side dish recipe away for your next cookout or potluck — it always wins rave reviews!
Well, we’re halfway through June and we’ve already hosted and attended quite a few cookouts with friends this season. When everyone has kids under the age of 10, it’s just the easiest thing to do! No restaurants, no sit-down dinners, and no agenda. Just let the kids run around outside, throw some food on the grill, and open a beer!
If there’s one common theme to any Southern picnic, I can assure you that it’s a creamy pasta salad. Specifically, a Macaroni Salad! No cookout would be complete without at least one of these classic side dishes.
You’ve probably seen the little containers of macaroni salad in the deli section at your grocery store, right? I’m the first to admit that I have occasionally purchased those in the past, hoping and praying that they would be an adequate substitute for the homemade macaroni salad that we all grew up with. And while the store-bought version is certainly fine in a pinch, there’s just no comparing it to the “real deal!”
I’ve perfected my macaroni salad recipe over the years, and I’m finally confident in the version that I’m sharing with you today. The dressing-to-pasta ratio is ideal. The sauce has a slightly sweet taste in the background (without being overpowering), and there’s just a hint of yellow mustard in the mayonnaise-based dish. A garnish of fresh parsley is the final Southern touch that my mom and my grandmother would never omit!
I hope that you enjoy this Classic Southern Macaroni Salad as much as my family does. It’s the one cold pasta salad that all 4 of my boys give two thumbs up!
Classic Southern Macaroni Salad
Nothing tastes better with a grilled hamburger or a barbecue chicken sandwich than a cool and creamy Classic Southern Macaroni Salad! File this perfect side dish recipe away for your next cookout or potluck -- it always wins rave reviews!
Ingredients
- 6 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni pasta about 1 ½ cups uncooked, or 3 cups cooked
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 sweet onion diced
- 2 cups chopped celery
- 1 red bell pepper diced
- 3 hard boiled eggs sliced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
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Cook macaroni according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.While the pasta cooks, chop the onions, celery, bell pepper, eggs, and parsley.
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In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and garlic until smooth.
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In a large bowl, combine cool pasta, onion, celery, bell pepper, eggs, and parsley. Toss with dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Recipe Video
Aren’t cookouts the best?! It just screams summer, and you can’t beat the food. This macaroni salad looks amazing, Blair! I love the flavors and pretty color. Definitely a summer staple in my book!
The best! Thanks, Gayle! It’s totally a summer staple! 🙂
Where is the ingredients list? I got everything but that, instructions, etc., but no ingredients.
Hi, Roxanne! The ingredients weren’t published right away (annoying glitch), but I fixed them almost immediately so they should be there now. Maybe refresh your browser if you still can’t see them? Sorry about that hassle! 🙂
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!
That makes me so happy to hear, Vickie! Thank you!
Okay!!! Where is the list of ingredients with their amounts??? Am I overlooking something here or do I have to watch the video to get the amounts??? Thank you so much!!! Love your site!!!
Okay!!! After posting my former comment the ingredients came up!!! Thanks!!!
Awesome! Thanks, Bill!
I make my version of this from spring to fall using different pasta shapes and with various meats from tunafish to shrimp but i use only fine chopped celery and red onion sauteed to soften before adding to the rest of ingredients sometimes adding dry ranch dressing mix to the mayo.
Your versions sound great, Cynthia! 🙂
Where is the actual recipe? I see instructions to put it together but no list of ingredients and the amount.
Refresh your page and it will jump out at you!!! I don’t know why it just does!!! Lol
Hi! The ingredients have been added to the recipe, so try refreshing your page and they should appear. 🙂
I’m sorry but I didn’t care for this. The garlic just ringed it for me and my family, and we are Italian, put extra garlic on everything, but it just didn’t work in this salad. All your recipes I’ve made have always been on point, I’m sure it’s just a personal preference.
Ruined, not ringed
Hi, Tami! That’s okay! Thanks for the feedback! Other readers who don’t care much for garlic in their pasta salad might choose to omit it in the future. 🙂
I would never use garlic either. I’m very southern and have never heard of garlic in macaroni salad
Hi making your salad for about 25 guest. Can’t figure how to adjust amount of pasts and ingredient. HELP.. THANK YOU FOT IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.
Hi, Ada! I think it’s safe to assume about 1/2-cup to 1-cup of pasta salad per person. This recipe yields about 8 cups total, so one recipe should serve at least 8 (or more) people. I would suggest multiplying all of the ingredients by 3 and that should be more than enough for your group (assuming it’s a side dish and not the main entree). So for instance, you would use 18 ounces of uncooked pasta, 3 cups of mayonnaise, 6 T vinegar, 6 T sugar, etc. Let me know if you have any other questions! 🙂
I have a question. I’m thinking of making this for church on Sunday. It says slice the eggs and then have them added with everything else to stir in. Wouldn’t it be better to dice or cut them up? Why sliceC
Hi, Angie! You can totally just dice the eggs if you prefer! I said “slice” because I use one of those hardboiled egg slicers because it’s quick. 🙂 They break up in the salad, so any way that you cut them will be fine!
Your recipe is exactly the way my mom made it since I can remember excellent but my mom did add relish
Wonderful! I’m so glad that it’s just as you remember it, Sherry! Relish sounds like a great addition, too! Thanks so much. 🙂
Hi Blair,
I enjoy your blog very much & look forward to it every Sunday.
You know what would be fabulous? If you could do a TV show every week Instead of this blog! I’m sure everyone would tune in!
If Rachel Ray could do it, so can you! Plus, it would be better, because with your adorable family Involved, we can relate on the same level. It’s so refreshing to see your activities every week & how you fit & schedule everything in. This is what family is all about. Your the perfect mother & wife that we admire and with your your guidence we can be too!
You are so kind, Judy! 🙂 I love the idea of a show, but I haven’t been offered one yet. Do you know a producer?! Hah! 🙂
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 . I did add larger amounts of the vegetables, and 2 xtra tablespoons of vinegar. Also I went with 1/2 mayonnaise and 1/2
Sour cream. Thank you
Wonderful! I’m so happy to hear that you love it, Alex. Thank you!
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!
Wonderful! Thank you, Jane! I’m so glad that you like it as much as I do. 🙂
You have got to be kidding. No one could stop at a one cup serving. This is so good the next time I make it I’m doubling the recipe. And I live alone. lol
Hah! Thank you, Anne! I’m planning on making it this evening — definitely a favorite around here, too! 🙂