I don’t mean to brag, but… this macaroni salad is something to brag about! It’s loaded with veggies, sweet pickle relish, and a sprinkle of fresh dill. Plus, it’s lighter on the mayo, so you can taste all of the other ingredients, but it’s still deliciously creamy.
For more macaroni salad goodness, try our Tuna Macaroni Salad.
Why Our Recipe
- Quick and easy—ready in just 20 minutes!
- Light on the mayo so you can actually taste the other ingredients.
- Customize this recipe with our recommended variations and mix-ins.
This macaroni salad has the perfect combo of textures and flavors—it never gets old! It’s creamy, crunchy, and has a soft chew from the cheese with a little pop of sweetness from the peas. One might say this salad not only comes to the party, it’s part of the party. Or, you know, it’s just a really good macaroni salad.
Ingredient Notes
- Elbow Macaroni: Any short pasta like fusilli, penne, or bowtie works well. For a gluten-free version, opt for gluten-free pasta.
- Cheddar Cheese: You can use diced cheddar cheese or pepper jack for a little spicy kick.
- Red Onion: To tone down the bite of fresh red onion, soak chopped onions in water for about 10 minutes before adding. Green onions or shallots are also good milder alternatives.
- Celery and Bell Pepper: Serve as the crunch. Celery is super mild and blends in, and red bell pepper is preferred for the sweet bite, but you could use any color of bell pepper.
- Frozen Peas: The most controversial ingredient in our mac salad. You can skip them if you must.
- Mayonnaise: Use plain Greek yogurt for a lighter option.
- Cider Vinegar: You need the acidity to balance the flavors. White wine vinegar or red wine vinegar could also be used.
- Fresh Dill: While fresh is strongly recommended, you could also use 1 tablespoon dried.
- Sweet Pickle Relish: We like the sweet, but you could also use dill pickle relish as well.
- Dijon Mustard: We like the strong bold flavors of the dijon, but you could also use yellow mustard in the same amount.
Variations
Spice it Up: Looking for a little more heat? You can easily add sliced (or diced) fresh jalapeños. And instead of cheddar cheese, opt for pepper jack for a little more spice. While you’re at it, you can add a dash of hot sauce, too.
Lighten it Up: Use plain Greek yogurt instead of mayo if you’re looking for a lighter option that’s still deliciously creamy. Or, leave out the creamy sauce completely and add 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil for a vinaigrette pasta salad.
Beef it Up: Add a little substance to your macaroni salad with some pre-cooked chicken, diced ham, or even some crispy bacon crumbles.
Mix-Ins: Some great additions to this salad are pickles, cucumbers, or sliced olives. These all pair well with the flavor profile of this recipe.
Chef Tip
Cook your pasta until it’s just barely al dente, and then immediately rinse the pasta with cold water to stop the cooking process. Since the pasta will absorb some of the dressing, it’ll continue to get softer. Cooking just to al dente will avoid that additional softening that goes from soft to mushy quick!
Make-Ahead Instructions
If you make this dish the night before, it does absorb a significant amount of the dressing. Some people double the dressing ingredients when making ahead. The other option is to mix the pasta with all the veggies in a bowl, and keep the dressing separate until ready to serve.
Storage Instructions
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. While you can just put some plastic wrap over the bowl, it does keep better if it’s stored in a separate sealed container.
Freezing is not recommended as it turns to mush upon thawing.
More yummy pasta salads…
This recipe is sooooo good! I had a big pot luck to attend and made it a little larger in serving size by adjusting the measurements. I advise everyone to try this out it’s delicious and perfect balance of noodles to veggies and sauce!
– Katherine
I really appreciate your videos how to prepare the recipes and the equipment used and variations to make.
Thanks so much for teaching me and others.
Best wishes on your improving health.
You are most welcome. It’s a pleasure!
I can honestly say this is 5 stars. I have made this at least a dozen times. It really is the best macaroni salad and I even have some of my mom’s recipes that go back to the 1950s and I make this one! I use dill relish instead of sweet relish or chopped up dill pickle slices. I have found that every single time I make it though I have to double the recipe for the dressing. It is so dry otherwise. It just gets worse as it sits because it continues to soak up into the pasta and is dry so I just started to automatically double the dressing recipe and haven’t had a problem since. I’m just amazed at how much pasta just continues to soak up dressing. It’s crazy. But I just love this pasta salad and even my son can’t get enough of it. My husband is a truck driver and when he came home after being gone for four weeks, I made it for dinner one of the nights just this last weekend. My son keeps coming out, can I have some more of that macaroni salad? It’s actually addicting. I found myself munching on it in the middle of the night. It’s out in the refrigerator calling me!
So glad to hear it! Yes, doubling the dressing will be preferable for some, while others will prefer a drier macaroni salad. I love that it can work either way to please pretty much anyone. Thank you for such a wonderful and helpful review!
I made it and it is delicious but I will for sure mix up some more dressing for tomorrow.
The pasta definitely soaks up the dressing so feel free to add more!
Love the recipes
This sounds very good and I will be making it soon!!
I hope you enjoy it!
I made this tonight and it was fantastic. Usually not a big fan of dill or sweet relish. The fresh dill really works in this recipe and the relish is not real obvious it’s there. Great recipe Rachel. Will keep this one for sure. And of course I didn’t wait for the pasta to absorb the flavors and dressing. I’m sure tomorrow it will be better for lunch.
Made this today! Amazing. i did alter slightly. Don’t like frozen peas; i used can of Le Suer Baby Peas. Thought the smell of the Apple Cider Vinegar was a bit strong so i added another scant Tablespoon of Sugar and a bit more Dijon. Loved it!!! Ty Racheal & Team!!! Highly Recommend!
Delicious! I added half the dressing when I mixed it up the night before, and added the remaining dressing at serving time. It was perfect.
My family absolutely loved this salad
So glad to hear it! I’m all about that flavorful mac salad!