Last Updated on June 23, 2023 by Kimberly Stroh
I grew up eating this Savory Macaroni Salad recipe and it’s always been a favorite of mine. It’s a classic summertime recipe that’s savory and delicious. You don’t have to sacrifice any flavor when you a macaroni salad as a side dish. Dress up your basic macaroni, with this recipe, and you’ll have a hit that everyone loves. Bonus – it’s cheap to make!
How To Make Savory Macaroni Salad
Pasta salads always remind me of the great gatherings that happen during the summer. Make it as a side dish for a BBQ, for patriotic holidays or for large church gatherings. It’s easy to double the recipe and make it ahead of time. For most pasta salads, the longer it’s refrigerated, the better it tastes because it’s had time to rest.
What To Serve With Macaroni Salad
I love enjoying this savory salad with traditional BBQ or grilled meats. Pasta is a heavier side dish, so you can keep it light with the main course. I love Grilled Chicken with Peaches or my Oven-Baked Baby Back Ribs recipe. I just imagine the salad as a heavy side dish.
Food Safety & Serving Pasta Salads Over Ice
Don’t make any Food Safety Mistakes that can harm your family. During the hot summer months, you need to keep your salad over ice since it has a mayonnaise base dressing. I love to use a serving bowl that keeps salads over ice that you can pick up from Amazon. The salad will sit over ice and not cause any harm since it will stay refrigerated for several hours. That’s how to serve mayonnaise-based salads properly.
How To Store Leftover Macaroni Salad
If you have any leftovers, you want to place them in an airtight food storage container. Refrigerate the salad for up to 5 days to enjoy with best freshness. Toss the salad after 5 days.
Can You Freeze Macaroni Salad?
Unfortunately, pasta salads don’t freeze well. I would recommend making a fresh Macaroni Salad to enjoy every time.
What You’ll Need From The Grocery Store:
- Elbow Macaroni
- Mayonnaise
- Milk
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Sugar
- Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Pepper
- Red Bell Pepper
- Green Bell Pepper
- Onion
- Celery Rib
- Fresh Parsley
Step-By-Step Instructions To Make Macaroni Salad
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water and drain again. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, water, vinegar, sugar and seasonings until blended.
Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing to add just before serving. To serve, stir in reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley.
In a large bowl, combine macaroni, peppers, onion and celery. Add 1 cup dressing; toss gently to coat. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, about 2 hours.
Savory Macaroni Salad Recipe
A savory macaroni salad recipe that's easy to put together, perfect for summertime and full of flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 packages (16 ounces) elbow macaroni
- 1 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
- 3 to 4 tablespoons 2% milk
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 small sweet yellow, orange or red pepper, finely chopped
- 1 small green pepper, finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 1 celery rib, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
Instructions
1- Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain; rinse with cold water and drain again.
2- In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, water, vinegar, sugar and seasonings until blended.
3- In a large bowl, combine macaroni, peppers, onion and celery. Add 1 cup dressing; toss gently to coat. Refrigerate, covered, until cold, about 2 hours.
4- Cover and refrigerate remaining dressing to add just before serving. To serve, stir in reserved dressing. Sprinkle with parsley.
Notes
Refrigerate the salad and serve over ice.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 102Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 333mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2gSugar: 4gProtein: 3g
**Nutritional information is calculated by a third party. Actual nutritional values may vary.