Simple Macaroni Salad With Egg

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Expert Tips And Recipe Variations

Egg Pasta Salad – Super Easy Pasta Salad – Macaroni Salad – Mid-Week Easy recipes – Salad

To mix your classic macaroni salad up, you can add drained green olives, vegetables like crunchy diced bell pepper, or even sweet pickles . Alternative fresh herbs are often used to add additional seasoning. Fresh dill is a common choice.

Not a fan of elbow macaroni? Feel free to experiment with different pasta sizes as well. If you choose something other than the macaronis and go with farfalle, pasta shells, or fusilli it can bring a texture change that a lot of people really love as unique.

These Ingredients Are Different From My Classic Pasta Salad Can I Add Things

Of course! I think this recipe is amazing just as it is, but if you want to add a few things, go for it. Many people make their deviled eggs and egg salad with pickle juice, but that would change this recipe quite a bit. Instead, consider a little bit of dill pickles, green onions, red bell pepper, red onion or black olives to your taste.

Tip: Add Roasted Red Peppers

Roasted red peppers aren’t a typical addition to macaroni salad, but trust me, they’re 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 Joe’s 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 .

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What Else Can I Add

I like to throw a lot of ingredients in this recipe like pickles, red onion, celery and black olives. Some people dont like celery in their macaroni salads, so if thats you, then simply dont add them. I personally like the extra crunch you get from the celery. I love the saltiness that the pickles and olives give this salad. With a heavier and creamier dressing, that bit of zing really helps keep those flavors alive.

Of course, this is your salad, so you can make it however you like! Here are a few ideas for mix-ins that would be great in this recipe:

  • Cherry tomatos
  • Feta cheese

What Ingredients Go In Macaroni Salad

Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad Recipe

Everyone has their own version of this classic salad and today we are sharing our classic version:

salad:

  • Vegetables- we used red pepper, onion, and celery

creamy mayo dressing:

  • Mayo- use a whole egg mayo
  • Sour cream- balances the mayo taste
  • Vinegar- we just like using a white vinegar
  • Dijon- adds so much flavor

You can add your favorite add-ons to the salad. Some of the most popular would be bacon, pickles, green onion, olives, ham, and even chicken.

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How Long Does Macaroni Salad Keep

Macaroni salad is best served the same day it’s made. If you’re serving this at a picnic, be sure to only let the salad sit out for a maximum of two hours.

Refrigerate all leftovers the leftovers will get a little dried out, but will still be good for 2 to 3 days. We do not recommend freezing this salad.

Tips & Tricks For The Best Macaroni Salad

For the best macaroni salad to enjoy as a side dish or on its own, follow these tips and tricks!

Nobody likes soggy pasta! You want your macaroni al dente so make sure to boil it for no more than 9 minutes.

Youre going to want the macaroni to be coated in dressing so make sure the pasta can hold its shape and not get mushy. When its cooked, drain thoroughly and let it cool down to room temperature before mixing it in with the wet ingredients.

The best way to enjoy macaroni is when its cold! Its recommended to keep it in the fridge for at least a few hours before serving. If you can, make this the night before and keep your macaroni chilled overnight.

This not only ensures that its cool when served, but your ingredients will also have time to blend together for an even better tasting macaroni salad!

Heres a trick you can use if you want to impress your guests. Make your macaroni salad extra pretty by adding a few bits of chopped red and green pepper on top!

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Best Way To Add Crunch

As stated above, this recipe is a classic salad. As such, I leave out the whole filled with tons of ingredients and rely on simple flavors just like my grandma used to make . However, if you want to add more to it, this BBQ side dish is super simple to alter.

If you like crunch, try a bit of sweet onion, some green peppers, or if you want more flavor a tsp of sweet pickle juice or white vinegar. I love experimenting and creating new salads, although this recipe, as is, needs nothing else!

Minute Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad

Egg Feta Pasta Salad – Easy Pasta Salad – Egg Salad – Cheese Salad – Macaroni Salad

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This deviled egg macaroni salad combines all your favorite flavors of deviled eggs with a classic macaroni salad base. The dressing is made with everything you’d expect – mayo, sour cream, Dijon mustard, and vinegar – along with something unexpected that makes it super creamy and delivers that hard-boiled egg flavor in a bold new way!

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Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad

Deviled egg macaroni salad is easy, delicious and perfect for any occasion or event. My family loves deviled eggs so its no suprise that this salad is always a hit with everyone. Its the perfect side dish and always popular for a potluck. This recipe makes a lot but you could easily cut in half for just a few people or you could even double it for a larger crowd. This salad is very versatile in that you can add or leave out ingredients you like or dislike.

Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad Ingredients

For me, Im a big fan of pairing a store-bought main dish, like this yummy fried chicken, with a homemade side. I just think it gives more of a personal touch to a gathering. And why not when this old fashioned macaroni salad is so easy to prepare? Let me give you a quick rundown of the ingredients:

dry elbow macaroni cook according to the package directions, and then drain and rinse with cold water to cool it down quickly and remove the starchy coating.

slaw dressing + sour cream a bit of a surprising combo, but when combined with yellow mustard, dried dill, and some kosher salt, they make an amazingly tasty and unique dressing for this macaroni salad.

chopped hard-boiled eggs I love the flavor and creaminess that hard-boiled eggs add . You can also pick up already peeled hard-boiled eggs at Walmart, which can be a huge timesaver. Whichever method you use, I highly recommend one of these egg slicers to make chopping them super simple!

diced tomatoes, celery, red onion, and green peppers yes, thats a LOT of dicing, but you can make quick work of it with this countertop vegetable chopper. Absolutely one of my fave kitchen gadgets!

all-purpose seasoning this gives the diced veggies a little punch. My mom swears by Spike seasoning, which is a bit difficult to find these days. Mrs. Dash or Accent seasoning are good alternatives if you cant find it.

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How To Make Macaroni Salad:

  • Start by boiling your elbow macaroni noodles until they are tender to the bite. Quickly drain the noodles then run cool water over them to stop them from cooking any further.
  • Gather all your macaroni salad add-ins and toss them in a large bowl with the cooled and drained noodles.
  • Whisk together the creamy sauce and stir everything together. Keep the salad chilled until ready to serve.

How To Boil Eggs

Classic Macaroni Salad

While overcooking the eggs a bit wont change the taste, it will change the look and texture of the macaroni salad. Be sure you cook them until theyre just done. I like to place my eggs gently into boiling water with a spoon and then boil them for 14 minutes. They always come out perfectly!

Or you can place the eggs in a pot and cover with cold water. Place the pot on the stove and over medium high heat, cook for 30 minutes total. That is bringing the water to a boil and boiling the eggs. Just set the timer for 30 minutes when you place the eggs on the stove and turn on the flame. Your eggs should turn out perfectly every time. Remove pot from the stove, drain water and run eggs under cold water then fill pot with cold water and let eggs cool before eating or using in recipes like this one.

There are many ways to boil eggs. These are just two different ways the I like to make hard boiled eggs. I also love to use my Instant Pot for making hard boiled eggs. They come out perfect EVERY time!!!

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How To Make Chicken And Egg Macaroni Salad

Making your own Chicken and Egg Macaroni Salad can be easier than you think. The steps are simple. The entire salad should be done in less than half an hour.

The first thing to do is cook the chicken. I am using boneless chicken breast for this recipe. Do this by combining chicken breast and water in a cooking pot. Boil chicken for at least 15 minutes. You can speed-up the process by slicing the chicken into smaller pieces before boiling so that it cooks quicker.

Remove the chicken from the pot once it is cooks completely and let it cool down for a while. Slice into cubes afterwards and then set aside. Do not discard the water yet .

Using the remaining water, cook the macaroni based on package instructions. You can add more water if needed. Discard the water afterwards and then arrange the macaroni on a clean bowl.

Prepare the salad dressing next. Combine Ladys Choice Mayonnaise with onion, sugar, salt, and ground black pepper. If you decide to use pineapple chunks, you can add a tablespoon or two of pineapple juice from the can into the dressing. Mix until all ingredients are well blended.

Start to assemble the salad by combining macaroni, pineapple , raisins, chicken, and cheese. Toss and then add egg and salad dressing. Gently toss until all ingredients are well distributed. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving

Try this quick and easy chicken and egg macaroni salad recipe. Enjoy!

An Easy Make Ahead Side

This simple side is tasty, filling, budget-friendly, and goes with everything from burgers to fried chicken.

  • You can make macaroni salad ahead of time for the best flavor.
  • Most kitchens have the ingredients on hand for this recipe.
  • Its super fast to put together.
  • There are no special ingredients required for the dressing .
  • Use any short pasta or add-ins to make it your own.

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Why Is My Macaroni Salad Dry

If this happens, the most likely reason that your egg pasta salad is dry is because your pasta noodles are undercooked. When that happens, the pasta absorbs some of the moisture from the other salad ingredients and it can turn out a little dry. Make sure that your pasta is well cooked and you wont have a problem.

Suggestions And Substitutions For Macaroni Salad

Egg Pasta Salad – Easy Pasta Salad Recipe – how to to make Pasta Salad
  • Swap out the macaroni for fusilli, ditalini, cavatelli, orecchiette, or any small-shaped pasta
  • Add chopped pickles or pickle relish
  • For some crunch, swap the roasted red peppers with fresh red bell peppers
  • For even more crunch, add chopped celery
  • Swap the spring onions or green onions for shallots or red onions
  • Add fresh or frozen peas
  • Add diced cooked chicken, ham, bacon, shrimp, or tuna for a heartier salad

This recipe serves four, but is easily doubled or even tripled for a larger party. Just scale all the ingredients up.

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Variations On Macaroni Salad:

Like I mentioned above, there are so many different possible variations to macaroni salad. You could add cheddar cheese. You could substitute green olives for the black olives. You could also add some diced bell peppers for more crunch. The possibilities are endless! Ive even made a Seven Layer Dip version! What is your favorite variation?

If you loved this Easy Macaroni Salad with Egg Recipe, check out these other potluck perfect salads:

How To Store It

Because this macaroni salad can be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, it’s a convenient recipe to make ahead of time. I always like to make it the night before serving to allow the flavors to come together.

How do you keep the macaroni salad from sticking together in the fridge? Simply give the pasta a quick toss to help loosen up the dressing before serving.

Can I freeze pasta salad with mayonnaise? Yes, you can! Divide leftovers into freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 4 months.

When you are ready to eat, allow the macaroni salad to thaw in the fridge overnight. Give the pasta a stir before serving and add a small amount of mayo if the pasta salad seems too dry.

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Macaroni Salad With Eggs Recipe Notes

Ive encountered a lot of barbecue-goers who shy away from the idea of making their own macaroni salad with eggs. This poor dish has gotten quite the reputation for being finicky or causing dreaded tummy aches if not done properly.

Heres the most significant way to ensure the very best macaroni salad:

Al Dente First, for dishes such as this, with heavy sauces, you want your pasta to be just prior to al dente. Since the noodles will be sitting in the pasta for a while , you want the structure to stand up to the length and liquid. Soggy pasta will ruin a perfectly delicious macaroni salad.

Do I really rinse the pasta? Next, rinse the pasta after boiling. I know it goes against everything hardcore pasta cooks hold dear but its essential to this recipe. Washing off the starch will keep it from becoming a dry sticky mess.

  • Small, sturdy noodles a tad on the crunchy side will ensure your pasta salad is perfect!

Egg Pasta Salad Ingredient Notes

Mom

Youll need hard-boiled eggs to make this classic macaroni saladunless you just dont want them. But let me tell you absolutely nothing beats a creamy dreamy egg pasta salad on a hot summer afternoon.

Peeling Eggs So, if peeling eggs is one of those chores you hate or you havent quite yet mastered Ive got an easy trick to make this pasta salad a cinch.

  • Just crack your boiled egg on a hard surface or roll it to break the shell. Then turn a spoon around backward and slip it under there. Work and wiggle it around the gg and the shell should come off easily no-fuss peeling remastered!

Pasta For cold salads like this, its always best to use small, sturdy pasta that can stand up to the creamy sauce over time. Bow tie, or farfalle all work great!

No sriracha? No problem: Dont have sriracha in the house? A good, easy substitute is any hot sauce you have handy or even Tabasco sauce. Get creative! We just want that slight tickle of heat in the sauce.

Relish that relish: This recipe calls for sweet pickle relish but dont feel limited to that option. There are dozens to choose from at the grocery store, from salty to spicy to tangy. Get creative!

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How To Make This Macaroni Salad Dressing

Pickle juice is the secret! The dressing for this salad is a mayonnaise base thats been thinned out with pickle juice reserved from the sweet pickles added to the salad. I always use sweet pickles, so if you use another style, taste test it to your liking. If youre not a fan of pickles, you could substitute vinegar or lemon juice. Taste as you go to get the right balance. But for me, its sweet pickle juice all the way.

Refrigerate for the flavors to meld. This salad tastes best when its had some time in the refrigerator for the flavors to meld and the mayo sauce to permeate the noodles. Allow for at least an hour of chill time before serving, or make it the night before for the best, flavorful taste. And always remember to taste again before serving to decide if more salt and pepper seasoning needs to be added.

And really its as simple as that, and way better than mac salad served from a box.

What Ingredients Do You Need For Classic Macaroni Salad

PASTA: Traditionally, macaroni salad is made with elbow macaroni. You can also use shells, ditalini pasta which is a shorter pasta.

CELERY: This adds crunch to the salad.

ONION: Yellow onion or red onion are perfect in this salad.

DILL PICKLES: These also add a crunch to the salad while also adding saltiness.

SWEET PICKLE RELISH: Unlike the dill pickles, the sweet relish adds a touch of, well, sweetness, to the macaroni salad.

BLACK OLIVES: These are totally optional but were always a part of macaroni salad when I was growing up.

HARD BOILED EGGS: Some people like to simply slice these and lay them on top as a garnish. I prefer to chop them up so they blend in with the salad.

MAYONNAISE: Mayo is the base of the dressing. It gives macaroni salad its creaminess. Go for the highest quality you can find, I prefer to use Best Foods

MUSTARD: Yellow mustard is perfect in this recipe, adds the right color and just enough tanginess.

CREOLE SEASONING: This adds the a bit of a kick to the salad. Depending on the brand that you use, it may or may not have salt. If it does have salt, you may not need to add an additional to the recipe.

HOT SAUCE: Like the olives, this is optional. I just like to add a little bit of a kick.

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