Macaroni Salad
A creamy, slightly sweet macaroni salad with celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and chopped hard-boiled egg.
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 313kcal
Cost: $
Equipment
- 1 Cooking pot Large enough for the macaroni to move freely
- 1 Colander For draining and rinsing the macaroni cold
- 1 Large mixing bowl Roomy enough to toss without breaking the eggs
Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
- 3/4 cup celery finely diced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper finely diced
- 1/3 cup red onion finely diced
- 2 pieces hard-boiled eggs chopped
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to the package directions until tender but not mushy.8 oz elbow macaroni
- Drain the macaroni and rinse it under cold running water until completely cool. Drain well, then let it sit in the colander for a few minutes so that excess water does not get into the dressing.8 oz elbow macaroni
- Combine the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sweet pickle relish, yellow mustard, sugar, salt, and ground black pepper in a bowl. Stir until well blended.1 cup mayonnaise, 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish, 1 tbsp yellow mustard, 2 teaspoon granulated sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- Put the cooled macaroni in a large mixing bowl. Add the celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and chopped eggs.8 oz elbow macaroni, 3/4 cup celery, 1/2 cup red bell pepper, 1/3 cup red onion, 2 pieces hard-boiled eggs
- Pour about three-fourths of the dressing over the macaroni. Toss gently until the macaroni and vegetables are evenly coated.8 oz elbow macaroni
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Keep the remaining dressing covered in the refrigerator.
- Stir the macaroni salad before serving. Add the remaining dressing as needed to make it creamy again. Taste and add more salt or ground black pepper if necessary. Share and enjoy!
Notes
Boiling the eggs – Cover the eggs with cold water, bring to a boil, then cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Move them straight into cold water so the shells come off cleanly.
Salting the pasta water – Use about 1 tablespoon of salt for every 4 quarts of water. This is separate from the 1/2 teaspoon that goes into the dressing.
Scaling – The recipe doubles without any other change. Use a pot wide enough for the macaroni to move freely, and mix the dressing in its own bowl before it goes on.
Serving size – The finished batch comes to roughly 6 cups. A half-cup scoop gives 12 buffet portions, or 8 full side servings.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 385mg | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 401IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg