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
Make your next cookout or picnic a hit with our mouthwatering macaroni salad recipe. It’s loaded with flavor and perfect for sharing!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 6 to 8 servings 1x
- Category: Pasta Salad
- Cuisine: American
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, and onions.
- 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!
Loved this recipe! Perfect for family cookouts this summer!
Everyone loved this salad!
This is my new favorite macaroni salad. I add cucumbers and shredded cheese to mine. Great recipe!