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.
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!
Hello Vickie,
Your comment struck me because my mom was born and raised in Kentucky as well.
This recipe is very similar to my mom’s recipe. And I make mine like my mom. She was an amazing cook. The main difference is we always added lots of hard boiled eggs. I can’t tolerate the texture of the egg whites so I only use the yolks but I do like a strong eggy flavor in my macaroni salad. We also added a descent amount of sweet pickle chunky relish. One ingredient that was a must in macaroni salad rather than regular onion was green onions, never regular onion. Mam always topped her macaroni salad with fresh chopped parsley and paprika.
I don’t make macaroni salad very often but I enjoy it year round not just in the summer.
Have a blessed day my friend. If your mother is still with you tell her hello from another daughter of a fine Kentucky lady!
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! 🙂
Sounds like a delicious combination. Sometimes, being single, I have had trouble with salads going dry because the pasta has absorbed the dressing. Often I kind of deconstruct the salad, storing both the macaroni and vegetables/protein separately and then combining a serving with the dressing at mealtime. Seems to work fairly well when cooking for one, which is good, because I LOVE pasta salads.
Yes, that’s a great tip to make it last longer! Hope you enjoy this one, Marion.
This was delicious! It made a perfect vegetarian entree. I am grateful to have this recipe!
Thank you, Carol!
Great and versatile recipe. I left out the eggs and swapped the red bell peppers for green, since I had them on hand. Still came out delicious! Thanks for the recipe!
Awesome! Thanks, Anna!
My wife works from home so I do all the cooking I made this macaroni salad for the first time and it came out amazing
I love it and will be making it again
How nice of you. Thank you, Tom! We’re so glad it was a hit.
This was THE BEST macaroni salad I’ve ever made! Thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe!
Thank you, Connie! I’m so glad to hear that!
My family won’t buy any other! This is our favorite ever or anywhere!
Thank you so much, Julie!