Macaroni Salad
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This macaroni salad has all the appeal of the old-fashioned, mayo-dressed version but with a few updates to make it taste brighter and better.
Macaroni salad is a must-have side dish at summer picnics, BBQs, and potlucks—right alongside coleslaw and a classic potato salad. This version has all the appeal of the old-school mayo-dressed classic but with a few updates—sour cream, Dijon mustard, fresh basil, and loads of crisp, crunchy veggies—to make it taste even better. The sour cream and mustard add a slight tang, while the basil and veggies bring in fresh summer flavor.
The secret to the perfect creamy texture is thinning the dressing with a bit of water, so it coats the pasta without getting too clingy. Keep in mind that the dressing thickens and is absorbed by the noodles as the salad sits, so while you can prep all the components ahead, it’s best to toss everything together right before serving. This macaroni salad recipe pairs nicely with burgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, baby back ribs, or grilled BBQ chicken.
Table of Contents
“This is my go to macaroni salad…I make it with different veggies each time depending what I have and it’s always good.”
What You’ll Need To Make Macaroni Salad
- Elbow macaroni, cavatappi, farfalle, or fusilli pasta: These shapes are ideal for pasta salad because their ridges, twists, and curves hold onto the creamy dressing and other ingredients, ensuring every bite is flavorful. Their small, bite-sized pieces also make them easy to eat.
- Mayonnaise: Forms the base of the creamy dressing. Be sure to use a good-quality brand, such as Hellmann’s or Duke’s.
- Sour cream: Adds a tangy creaminess that complements the mayo.
- Sugar: Balances out the tanginess with a touch of sweetness.
- Dijon mustard: Provides a subtle tang and depth of flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: Adds acidity and brightness to the dressing.
- Water: Helps thin the dressing to achieve the perfect consistency.
- Onion powder: Lends a mild onion flavor without overwhelming the dish.
- Carrots, Celery and Bell Pepper: These veggies add color, sweetness, and crunch.
- Scallions: Lends a mild onion flavor and a pop of green.
- Fresh basil: Adds fresh, herby flavor that brightens up the salad.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender according to package instructions (about 1 minute past al dente).
While the pasta boils, prep all the add-ins.
Drain the pasta in a colander and let cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, mustard, vinegar, water, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
Whisk until combined.
Add the cooked pasta, carrots, celery, bell pepper, scallions, and basil to the bowl.
Stir until evenly combined.
Serve immediately or let sit for up to an hour at room temperature before serving. Keep in mind that the dressing will thicken a bit as it sits.
How To Make Macaroni Salad Ahead
The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated; the pasta, vegetables, and basil can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Before serving, bring all of the components to room temperature. Add the dressing to a large bowl and whisk to loosen, then stir in the pasta, vegetables and herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning and serve.
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Macaroni Salad
This macaroni salad has all the appeal of the old-fashioned, mayo-dressed version but with a few updates to make it taste brighter and better.
Ingredients
- 1 pound macaroni, cavatappi, farfalle, or fusilli pasta
- 1 cup mayonnaise, best quality such as Hellmann's or Duke's
- 1 cup sour cream
- 3½ tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- 1¼ teaspoons salt, plus more for cooking the pasta
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ cup finely diced or grated carrots, from 1 to 2 carrots
- ¾ cup finely diced celery, from 2 to 3 celery stalks
- 1 red, yellow, or orange bell pepper, finely diced
- 6 scallions, light and dark green parts, finely sliced
- ¼ cup finely chopped fresh basil
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package instructions until tender (about 1 minute past al dente). Drain and let cool to room temperature.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, mustard, vinegar, water, salt, pepper, and onion powder.
- Add the cooked pasta, carrots, celery, bell pepper, scallions, and basil to the bowl and stir until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve the salad immediately or let it sit for up to an hour at room temperature before serving. (Keep in mind that the dressing will thicken and get absorbed by the noodles as the salad sits.)
- Make-Ahead Instructions: The dressing can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated; the pasta, vegetables, and basil can be prepared up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Before serving, bring all of the components to room temperature. Add the dressing to a large bowl and whisk to loosen, then stir in the pasta, vegetables and herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary, and serve.
- Update Note: In response to feedback from readers, this recipe was retested and updated on &frac73;/22 to include less sugar.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (12 servings)
- Calories: 336
- Fat: 19 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Sugar: 6 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Sodium: 268 mg
- Cholesterol: 17 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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Used 1/5 the amount of sugar and added some Yoghurt, diced chilies and cooked prawns cut slightly bigger than the macaroni – was declared a total winner by everyone, One of our guests added a bit of harissa paste to their helping and that worked too. Thank you for something different.
Made this for our annual family bbq, and it was a hit! For me personally I will do less sugar next time so it is less sweet, but that’s just personal preference, not a reflection of this recipe. Jen’s recipes are truly delicious and easy to prepare. Love OUAC!
Thank you for adjusting the sugar! You did the work for me. I thought it was an awesome recipe and will definitely make again – with the new sugar amount. 😉
I am always on the search for the perfect macaroni salad recipe, and I am picky. This salad was a hit, but I had no doubt as so many of your recipes are in our house! I did make two changes; I cut back on the sugar based on comments because I don’t care for sweet macaroni salads (I know some do though!). I ended up using 2 tablespoons. And, I used greek yogurt in place of the sour cream because I had it on hand. This salad has SO much flavor, and I love the addition of basil! It is something new and unexpected compared to traditional macaroni salads. Thanks for sharing another winner!!
I made this a few days ago and the only change I made was to reduce the sugar to 1/4 cup and it had the perfect sweetness for my family. The only “problem” I had is that I didn’t pay attention as to how much this recipe served (it’s 8 to 12)! With my daughter visiting from Australia and son & daughter-in-law joining us for supper that made us around 6 people short. LoL
Anyhow, we’ve had it for lunch the next day but I still had to throw too much away which is entirely on me. It is a delicious recipe, the flavour is fabulous but from now on I will make half unless I have a crowd to serve 😉
Another wonderful, easy to make recipe Jenn and thank you so very much for sharing your expertise with this Canadian. You absolutely ROCK girl!
This is a dynamite macaroni recipe! I made it this past weekend for a 4th of July picnic where it was devoured in minutes. It’s very kid friendly. I especially enjoyed the heightened apple cider vinegar notes in the recipe.
Thanks, Jenn, for creating another winning recipe!
My whole family loved this macaroni salad!! I haven’t made macaroni salad in years because I always thought they were so so, but this has completely changed my mind! A few people commented that it’s too sweet — I made the recipe as written and found the flavors to be perfectly balanced – definitely not too sweet. This will go on my list for any summertime BBQ!!
Omitted the water, doubled the veggies (all of them!), doubled the Dijon, halved the sugar, made it the night before – It Is Awesome!!! Tangy yummy goodness!!! Jenn, your recipes are amazing!!!
Hi Jen, I made this yesterday, I wanted something for the 4th of July that could be easy to take anywhere. Well, needless to say, it is really good. My neighbors said it was delicious and they all think I’m a great cook! I know it is that YOU are a great chef 👏🏻👏🏻 Thanks for sharing your recipes, you detail them with pictures, and this is so helpful , I can compare all steps against your pictures and feel confident if they kind of look like yours. Very happy with your site 🙂
❤️
Nice tangy flavors! Can’t wait for the steaks to be done so we can eat this salad! Thank you Jenn