Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe is an easy summer pasta salad that makes a scrumptious side for all of your grilling and barbecue recipes. It can be prepared in advance and chilled or served as soon as you mix it. This salad is so easy that you can whip it up and have it on the table in about twenty minutes.
This Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe is a real crowd-pleaser. It is perfect for your next patio party but simple enough for a week night dinner with grilled steak and corn. With all the wonderful vegetables the presentation is phenomenal. My late mother in law made a wonderful macaroni salad. She would put small bits of cubed cheese and sweet pickle relish in it. This one is creamier with just a hint of sweetness and plenty of fresh beautiful vegetables!
What do you put in Macaroni Salad?
Macaroni salad is traditionally made with creamy mayonnaise based dressings but is just as delicious with an oil and vinegar based dressing. All kinds of small or finely diced vegetables can be added such as peas, broccoli, peppers, celery, onions, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, radishes and more. Other delicious additions included very small cubes of cheese, spinach, sunflower seeds, jalapenos, pimentos, capers, green onions, and hard boiled eggs.
How do you make Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe?
Cook the noodles according to the package instructions and drain well. In large bowl whisk together mayo, mustard, cider vinegar and sour cream. Add the cooked macaroni, peppers, tomatoes, red onion, celery and parsley. Stir gently to combine. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
This Creamy Macaroni salad is sure to make a pasta lover out of you! For goodness sake if there is a vegetable in here that you are not fond of find a substitution. Well what are you waiting for? You may just have the ingredients on hand to make this delectable salad.
Other Pasta Salad Recipes you will love!
- Easy Taco Pasta Salad
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Tuna Pasta Salad
- Easy Italian Pasta Salad
- Tortellini Pasta Salad (Vegetarian)
- Strawberry Avocado Pasta Salad
This post was originally published April 3, 2016 and was republished with new material August 11, 2019.
PrintCreamy Macaroni Salad
A super easy creamy pasta salad with sweet bell peppers, sun ripened tomatoes, red onion and crunchy fresh celery. Serve it with all your favorite grilled meats or in the winter with my oven baked ribs.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked macaroni noodles
- 2/3 cup mayo
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/2 orange pepper chopped finely
- 1 1/2 cups grape tomatoes halved
- 1/4 cup chopped red onion
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- Optional: 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
- Salt & Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to instructions on box. Drain well.
- In large bowl whisk together mayo, mustard, cider vinegar and sour cream. Add the cooked macaroni, peppers, tomatoes, red onion, celery and parsley. Stir gently to combine. Season with salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste.
Keywords: macaroni salad, pasta salad, summer pasta salad, creamy macaroni salad, best macaroni salad, easy macaroni salad
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Linda
I don’t make my macaroni salad like this. I use elbow macaroni, lots of hard boiled egg (yolks only) I don’t like the whites. Green onion, celery, large chunk sweet pickle relish, tuna, mayonnaise, a touch of mustard, a touch of vinegar, a touch of sugar. Have to have the egg yolks they give great taste.
★★★★★
Laura Reese
This was so easy to make! We loved it.
★★★★★
Ashley F.
Such a tasty salad! Love the dijon mustard in it!
★★★★★
Andrea Thueson
This takes me back! I love to find my favorites that I somehow forgot about! I can’t wait to whip this up!!
★★★★★
Erin
Yes! One of my favorite recipes for summer. Creamy and delish!
★★★★★
Cyd
I’d never mad macaroni salad with cider vinegar before. I’ve always used pickle juice for that tartness! I love the balance the vinegar adds to the dressing. So good!
★★★★★
Sherri
Awesome mac salad. Family loved it. Easy on the mustard
Beth Pierce
Thanks Sherri! So glad that you and the family liked it!!
m gidry
Out of elbow macaroni noodles so I used rotini, cooked to death…and a bit of sugar. A bit vinegary but I like that so, good easy fast recipe…thank you.
★★★
Beth Pierce
Thanks! So glad you liked it.
Trang
So good for an outdoor barbecue party! Thank you!
★★★★★
JESSICA
Oh my gosh this is delicious thank you so much!
★★★★★
Ashley F
We love classic recipes like this! Love the flavor especially the dijon mustard in it!
★★★★★
Aimee Shugarman
Best summer recipe ever. We brought this to a potluck and it was such a hit!
★★★★★
Krissy Allori
This is one of my husbands favorite Summer recipes.
★★★★★