Salads · American
Macaroni Salad
The creamy, tangy picnic classic, with a little crunch in every bite.
- Hands-on
- 30 min
- Hands-off
- 10 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Makes
- 6 servings
- Serves
- 6
20 min prep + 10 min cook = 30 min. We add about 10 min for the pasta to cool and the salad to sit so it stops looking watery. Bringing the water to a boil can take another 10-15 min depending on your stove. Total = 30 min active + 10 min sitting.
- easy
- vegetarian
- picnic
- bbq
- potluck
- summer
- make-ahead
Verified against at least two trusted test kitchens or food-safety guides · Last checked · What this means
Scaling? Scales easily. Up to 450 g (1 lb) of pasta cooks in 3.8 L (4 qt) of water; for more, use a bigger pot. Some items (like eggs) don’t halve neatly: beat them, then measure out half.
Ingredients
You need: large pot · colander · small bowl of cold water (for the onion) · small bowl and whisk · large bowl · spoon
Contains: egg · milk · wheat
Method
Cook the macaroni
Bring 3.8 L (4 qt) water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tbsp salt and 245 g (2 cups) elbow macaroni and cook, stirring now and then, for 6 to 8 minutes (or the al dente time on your packet).
Ready when: Bite a piece: it's tender all the way through but still has a slight chew in the centre. It shouldn't be soft or swollen.
Rinse until cool
Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse it under cold running water until it feels cool. Let it drain briefly but leave it a little damp.
Otto tried this firstOtto shakes the pasta bone-dry and leaves it to drip for ages. Leave a little water on it so the noodles drink that instead of soaking up all the mayo.Tame the onion
Soak 40 g (1/4 cup) minced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain it well.
Whisk the dressing
In a small bowl, whisk 115 g (1/2 cup) mayonnaise, 3/4 tsp dry mustard, 1 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 1/2 tbsp cider vinegar, 3 tbsp sour cream and 1/2 tsp kosher salt until smooth.
Toss it all together
In a large bowl, combine the macaroni, 35 g (1/3 cup) celery, the drained onion, 1 tbsp parsley and 90 g (1/2 cup) tomato if using. Pour on the dressing and stir until everything is coated.
Rest, season, serve
Let the salad sit for 5 to 10 minutes, until it no longer looks watery. Taste, season with salt and pepper, and serve, or cover and refrigerate.
Swaps
- Instead of cider vinegar (1 1/2 tbsp): fresh lemon juice, same amount It tastes a little brighter.
Make ahead, store & reheat
- Make ahead
- Make it ahead and keep it covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. The pasta keeps absorbing dressing, so it may need loosening before serving (see troubleshooting).
- Storage
- Covered in the fridge for up to 3 days (2 days if you add ham). At a picnic or buffet, don't leave it out for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F); set the bowl on ice to keep it at 4°C (40°F) or below.
If something goes wrong
- Salad turned dry overnight Why: The pasta keeps soaking up dressing as it stands.
Stir in 1 to 2 tbsp milk or half-and-half to loosen it. - Mushy macaroni Why: Overcooked pasta, or dressing added to hot pasta.
Cook only until al dente and rinse under cold water until cool before dressing it.
Good to know
- Salt the pasta water well: it seasons the noodles themselves.
- Soak the minced red onion in cold water for 5 minutes before it goes in.
Safety
- Mayonnaise-dressed salads must stay cold. Bacteria grow fast at room temperature, so keep it in the fridge until serving and throw it out if it has sat out for more than 2 hours (1 hour in hot weather).
- Draining a big pot of boiling pasta water can scald. Pour away from you into a colander set in the sink, and let an adult do this part.
- Rinse the celery, parsley and tomato under running water before chopping.