Description
This Classic Macaroni Salad is a creamy, tangy, and crunchy side dish perfect for picnics, BBQs, and potlucks. Made with tender elbow macaroni, a flavorful dressing of mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, and mustard, and loaded with fresh vegetables and hard-boiled eggs, this salad is both satisfying and refreshing. Easy to prepare and ideal for make-ahead meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Dressing
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 3-4 tablespoons pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Salad
- 1/2 pound elbow macaroni, cooked, drained, and rinsed under cold water
- 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
- 1/3 cup red onion, finely diced
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely grated
- 1/3 cup sweet pickles, finely diced
- 4 large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and chopped
Instructions
- Make dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, yellow mustard, granulated sugar, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Make salad: Add the cooked elbow macaroni, finely diced red bell pepper, red onion, celery, grated carrot, diced sweet pickles, and chopped hard-boiled eggs to the dressing. Gently fold all ingredients together until evenly mixed. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
- Chill and serve: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes to allow flavors to meld. For best results, chill up to overnight. Before serving, stir the salad; add extra dressing if it appears dry after chilling.
Notes
- Cook macaroni just until al dente to avoid mushy salad.
- Use pickle juice from sweet pickles for best flavor, but adjust quantity to taste.
- This salad tastes even better the next day as flavors meld.
- For a lighter version, substitute part of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
