Best Foods Macaroni Salad Recipe

Skinny Classic Macaroni Salad Is A Lightened Up Version Of A Classic Macaroni Salad

Makes 9 servings

What ingredients do I need to make this Skinny Classic Macaroni Salad?

• Dry elbow pasta I like to use Barilla Plus or Barilla Whole Grain elbow macaroni. If you have whole grain pasta as a zero point food you can use whole wheat elbows for zero points.
• Vinegar- white vinegar or pickle juice. Pickle juice can be used as a substitute for the vinegar. I have made this both ways and they are equally delicious.
• Dijon or yellow mustard

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How To Make The Best Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe

Cooking the macaroni correctly is essential to a good mac salad. Overcook it and youll end up with mushy bites that wont stand up to the mixing with the vegetables. Cook the macaroni al denté as you would your favorite Italian pasta. Watching your cooking time and cooking to the package directions should ensure the perfect bite. And to be sure, taste test every minute or so when coming to the end of your cooking time.

After cooking, rinse the macaroni so it doesnt stick. The macaroni salad trick I learned from my mom is to rinse the pasta after cooking and drain it really well so theres no residual water lurking in the pasta nook and crannies. Rinsing the pasta under cold water stops the cooking time and removes some of the starches created from cooking. As the pasta cools, toss it a bit with your hands or a spoon so it stays loose and doesnt clump together.

Pickles, eggs, celery and more! Grandmas recipe had the same basics as this one, but I added more sweet picklesbecause I could eat pickles on dirt if I had toand hard boiled eggbecause in my humble opinion, mayo based salads always taste better with a touch of a hard boiled egg.

Dressing For Pasta Salad

When making a pasta salad, its best to toss it in A LOT of dressing to prevent it from drying out and getting pasty. Instead of using all mayo, we add in a bit of sour cream to cut through the fat, making it less oily. You can also use yoghurt or Mexican crema.

WHAT TYPE OF MAYONNAISE? I suggest using whole egg mayo as it tends to be less sweeter and creamier than regular mayo.VINEGAR: adds a kick of tang! You can use white vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or white wine vinegar. Substitute with lemon juice for a citrus kick.DIJON MUSTARD adds MORE flavour, making it nice and thick.MINCED GARLIC completes the flavour profile. You can use garlic powder, onion powder or minced shallots if you prefer.

You all know how much we love drowning our food in sauce! That INCLUDES all of our salads and dressings. NO pasta salad recipe of ours will ever be lacking in dressing!

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Original Hellmann’s Macaroni Salad Recipe Sort Of

As far as I know this is the classic macaroni salad recipe that Mom cut from the paper, or package of something or other. I’m guessing Hellmann’s Mayonnaise.

She was not a creative cook so I imagine it is pretty much as written. I have considered updating it but I just can’t bring myself to mess with it. It’s perfect the way it is.

My mom told me that the secret was to overcook the macaroni. No al dente here, folks. Cook it until it is very tender but still holds its shape.

It will soak up the flavor from the creamy dressing that way. It is always better the second day so make it ahead of time if you can.

Sometimes, when I am feeling particularly rebellious, I will add some fresh parsley or tarragon.

Just sayin’.

Ingredients For Macaroni Salad

• Elbow Macaroni Elbow macaroni is the most classic choice for macaroni salad. While you can get away with swapping in rotini or penne, nothing compares to the creamy dressing getting stuck in tiny crooks of the macaroni!
• Red Bell Peppers We like to use red bell peppers for their subtle sweetness. If you cant get your hands on them, any other color will do.
• Red Onion Red onion works best for its pop of color and strong flavor.
• Celery Fresh celery adds just the right amount of crunch and texture.
• Hardboiled Eggs You can snag premade hard-boiled eggs or whip up your own using my guide on perfect-boiled eggs.

Pro Tip: In this recipe, we prefer to use bell peppers, red onion, and celery as the veggies of choice, but feel free to swap those out for any other crunchy veggies you like best .

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Why Is Macaroni Salad So Popular In Hawaii

I cant emphasize this enough mac salad is absolutely iconic in Hawaii. Hawaiian macaroni salad is a staple of the plate lunch, an affordable meal that traces back to the plantation fields of the early 1900s. Native Hawaiians & migrant laborers from Japan, Korea, & China often packed lunches of meat dishes from their homeland alongside a scoop of white rice. It was hearty, cheap, & good fuel for a days work.

Its said that Hawaiian macaroni salad made its way onto the plate lunch once Europeans introduced dry elbow macaroni & mayonnaise to the islands. Locals quickly adopted these ingredients because mac salad was affordable, not perishable , & easy to make at home. Its also a creamy palette cleanser that balances a variety of salty, sweet, boldly spiced proteins. Today, restaurants & street vendors always serve plate lunch with a generous scoop of Hawaiian macaroni salad along with meat & rice.

There are lots of different Hawaiian mac salad variations its the kind of thing that everyone has a recipe they swear by. Ive tried mac salad recipes that use a blend of potatoes & macaroni, while others mix in ingredients like hard-boiled eggs. But the 2 things that youll always find in a Hawaiian macaroni salad recipe are 1. Elbow macaroni & 2. Best Foods Mayonnaise.

Note: Full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.

Healthy Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

This recipe may seem a little mayo-heavy, its true. That is what makes it so stinking good. If you are really concerned about the mayo-ness you can substitute Greek yogurt in whatever amounts you would like .

You will get a likeness of mac salad but I am telling you, it wont be quite the same. In Hawaii its all about the mayo. As far as the BRAND of mayo, it has got to be Best Foods. Period. No other mayo will taste right.

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Tips And Tricks To Make Incredible Macaroni Salad

The beauty of this recipe is that its super simple and basic, but it can be modified to suit your tastes. Want to throw in some peas? Go for it? Think tuna sounds good? Toss it in! There are so many ways to change up this recipe, yet its still super delicious in its most basic form.

I actually prefer to eat it as its written, just because it reminds me of the macaroni salad I ate growing up from the deli, but go ahead and change up this recipe however youd like. Ive even heard of adding shrimp or eggs!

As I mentioned, this Macaroni Salad is really easy to make. Itll require only about 15 minutes of your time but will need to chill in the fridge for about an hour for the best result. You can eat it as is, but it definitely tastes a little better after its had time to hang out in the fridge.

If when you go to eat it, it seams a little dry, stir in a little milk, about 1 tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consistency.

Easy Macaroni Salad is perfect for summer or any night of the week! I like to serve it alongside Grilled BBQ Ribs or these Everyday French Dip Sandwiches. Enjoy!

If you love macaroni recipes as much as we do, you must make this delicious Hawaiian Macaroni Salad. While I will always love this Easy Macaroni Salad, the Hawaiian variation is so delicious. And for those of you looking for a warm, more savory way to enjoy macaroni, try our Instant Pot Easy Mac and Cheese or our Cheesy Macaroni and Beef Casserole.

Key Ingredients For Hawaiian Style Macaroni Salad

You need just a few simple ingredients to make this mac salad recipe

• Dry elbow macaroni Elbow-style macaroni is classic for Hawaiian mac salad, but you can also use any other short pasta you like or sub in gluten-free pasta if needed.
• Best Foods Real Mayonnaise Locals swear by Best Foods Mayonnaise learn more below!
• Carrot A bit of grated carrot adds a little texture & some color.
• Granulated sugar Just a tiny bit, to help balance the richness of the mayo dressing.
• Spices Mom likes to use Lawrys seasoned salt in her mac salad, which is not traditional but we think its the secret ingredient that makes her recipe so special & crave-worthy. I dont stock my kitchen with Lawrys, so youll see this mac salad recipe uses a blend of garlic powder, onionpowder, paprika, turmeric, & cayennepepper to replicate its spiced flavor.

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What Ingredients Are In Macaroni Salad

Different macaroni salads contain different ingredients, but my staples include:

• Hard boiled eggs or shredded or diced cheddar cheese
• A homemade mayo-based macaroni salad dressing

You can obviously add your favorite additional add-ins or make substitutions , but this if my favorite combination and I really recommend you try it out exactly this way at least once for yourself.

The dressing I just mentioned is what really sets it apart from other potluck recipes you might have tried. It provides just the right amount of creaminess the noodles are coated in just enough sauce and are neither dry nor are they drenched in the dressing. Its also just slightly sweetened thanks to the addition of some sweet pickle juice and a pinch of sugar.

Moms Best Macaroni Salad

This is, by far, the best macaroni salad Ive ever put into my mouth. It has a perfect blend of sweetness and tartness, and it is so pretty with all of the multi-colored veggies. Be ready for this to disappear before you put it on the table! I have six children, and it is all I can do to keep them from nibbling on it while Im mixing it up!

Provided by Renee Chase

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni, and cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Rinse under cold water, and drain.
• In a large bowl, stir together the carrots, red onion, green pepper, red pepper and celery. Mix in the mayonnaise, condensed milk, sugar, vinegar, salt and pepper. Add the macaroni, toss gently, cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours. I usually make this a day ahead of time, and stir it occasionally to blend the flavors. The macaroni will absorb some of the liquid.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 424.2 calories, Carbohydrate 45 g, Cholesterol 18.8 mg, Fat 24.7 g, Fiber 2.1 g, Protein 6.6 g, SaturatedFat 4.8 g, Sodium 205.4 mg, Sugar 21.7 g

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Kale In Macaroni Salad

A little hot sauce, scallions, garlic, and rich fatty bacon balance out the tendency for this pasta salad to be too sweet.

However, the addition of roasted red peppers, pickle relish, and, perhaps surprisingly, kale, all offer intense flavor and color that has stay-power, making this recipe a marvelous make-ahead and leftover dish.

Look at the kale. Its a pop of color that doesnt wilt down like most fresh herbs.

Kale has a sturdy consistency and holds up well even with a heavy dressing. Including it in the salad adds a hearty texture with a slightly earthy flavor.

Substitutions For A Vegan Hawaiian Mac Salad

We are so grateful for comments we get from our readers, especially when adapting recipes for special diets. We received a comment from Mimi that I thought would be helpful for anyone wanting to make this a vegan recipe. She substituted Hellmans Vegan Mayonnaise for the regular mayo in the recipe and Silk Unsweetened Cashew Milk for the regular milk. She said it turned out great. Thank you, Mimi!

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The Best Dressing For Macaroni Salad

• Mayonnaise Creamy, full-fat mayo is your best bet. Alternatively, you can use half mayo and half greek yogurt if you like it a little on the tangier side.
• Apple Cider Vinegar Apple cider vinegar adds just the right amount of tang to cut through the fat of the mayo.
• Sweet Pickle Relish Use the same sweet relish as you would for hot dogs in this recipe. You can also chop up dill pickles o
• Mustard Regular yellow mustard or dijon mustard works best! You dont need to run to the store to grab anything too fancy.
• Salt & Pepper Finish the pasta salad with as much or as little salt and pepper as suits you!
• Fresh Herbs If youd like, add in some minced fresh parsley, dill, or green onion for an extra pop of color and flavor.

Pro Tip: If you like a kick of spice, add some cayenne pepper to the dressing. If you like it extra salty, add in some diced ham cubes.

Hellmanns Classic Macaroni Salad

A longtime favorite of my family. We dont have an outdoor summer gathering without this and Hellmanns Original Potato Salad. Cant go wrong with these delicious recipes. FYI: because of the mayo content, we put the bowl of salad into a slightly larger-sized bowl filled halfway with ice to keep the salads cold and fresh.

Provided by aHardDaysNight

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool.
• In large bowl, combine Hellmanns® or Best Foods® Real Mayonnaise, vinegar, Mustard, sugar, salt and pepper.
• Stir in macaroni, celery, green pepper and onion.
• Serve chilled or at room temperature.

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Tip: Add Roasted Red Peppers

Roasted red peppers arent a typical addition to macaroni salad, but trust me, theyre great! They add a sweet, lightly smoky flavor, making this macaroni salad deliciously unique.

There are two ways of going about obtaining roasted red peppers for this salad. You can buy them, or you can make them:

• Store-bought roasted red peppers: Many retailers, Trader Joes included, carry jarred roasted red bell peppers packed in oil and vinegar. We usually use these in recipes calling for roasted bell peppers.
• Roast your own: Alternatively, you can roast a fresh bell pepper by blackening it over an open flame on a gas range or broiling until the skin blisters on all sides. Remove from heat source, place in a bowl, cover the bowl, after a few minutes remove from the bowl and scrape off the blackened bits. Discard seeds and stem. You can find more instructions about this in our .

How To Meal Prep

• To make ahead This creamy macaroni salad is a great recipe to make in advance to really let the flavors develop. You can make it up to two days ahead of time.
• Storage Store leftover salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Give it a good stir before serving.
• Freezing I do not recommend freezing this salad recipe. The creamy dressing will not have the same texture or taste the same frozen and then thawed. Its best to make this fresh and enjoy it within 4 days. You can also cut this recipe in half if you are serving fewer people.

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Easy Macaroni Salad Ingredient Notes

Mayonnaise is an important ingredient to make the dressing for this macaroni salad. I prefer to use Hellmans mayonnaise or Best Foods mayo. Youll need 1 ½ to 2 full cups of mayo more if you like it extra creamy. Up to three full cups of mayo may be necessary to achieve your desired creaminess.

When chopping up your veggies, be sure to finely chop the celery and the bell pepper. Especially if youre goal is to make a macaroni salad that is reminiscent of what youd buy from the deli at your grocery store.

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Try Our Easy Macaroni Salad Recipe

The texture of this salad is creamy-smooth, with little pops of crunch mingled throughout.

Perfect for barbecues, picnics, and potlucks, youll definitely want to share this life-changing version of macaroni salad.

My family is nuts over this recipe. Its a side dish they ask for again and again.

I bet yours will, too!

Serve This Dish With

How To Make Macaroni Salad

The steps to making macaroni salad are: cook and cool the pasta, make the dressing, and mix all of the ingredients together. Thats it!

Follow these tips for the best macaroni salad:

• To flavor the pasta for your salad right from the start, cook the pasta in salted water.
• Be careful to not under-cook or over-cook the pasta. Cook it until it is al dente, which means it is soft but has a very slight bite to it.
• After the pasta is cooked, transfer it to a colander and rinse it under cold water. The cold water rinse stops the cooking process and begins to cool the pasta.
• To keep the macaroni from absorbing all of the dressing, drain it well and let it cool completely before mixing in the dressing. Stir the pasta every once in a while as it cools to keep it from clumping together. To speed up the cooling process, you can spread the pasta out in a 9×13-inch baking dish. It will cool faster when its spread out in a thin layer.
• Chill the macaroni salad for at least 2 hours before serving.
• Garnish the salad with chopped fresh parsley or paprika.

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