This is our favorite macaroni salad. With sweet pickles, bell peppers, onions, celery, and an amazing mayonnaise and sour cream dressing, it’s the best! Take it to a potluck or add it to your backyard cookout menu. If you’re looking for a great picnic or cookout salad, this macaroni salad is an excellent choice!
Recipe Variations
- Protein: Make it a main dish salad with the addition of diced ham, chicken, or bacon. Or add a few chopped hard-boiled eggs.
- Pickles: Add subtle spiciness to your salad with spicy sweet pickles, such as Wickles or Bubbie’s.
- Spices: Make it spicy with a dash or cayenne, crushed red pepper flakes, or hot sauce.
- Vegetables: Consider green bell peppers, olives, sliced pepperoncini, steamed peas, black beans, grated carrots, or diced plum tomatoes.
Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
Description
Make your next cookout or picnic a hit with our mouthwatering macaroni salad recipe. It’s loaded with flavor and perfect for sharing!
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet pickles (I like spicy Wickles in this salad)
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
- 2 ribs celery, diced
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons juice from sweet pickles
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Dash garlic powder
Dash crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne
Instructions
- Macaroni: Cook the macaroni following the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold running water.
- Combine: In a large bowl, combine the macaroni with the chopped pickles, red bell pepper, celery, onion, and eggs.
- Dressing: In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, pickle juice, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper flakes or cayenne.
- Dress the Salad: Add the dressing to the macaroni mixture and gently toss until well combined. Cover the bowl and chill until it’s time to serve. Enjoy!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Pasta Salad
- Cuisine: American