Creamy Macaroni Salad

Name: Creamy Macaroni Salad
Prep time: 24 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 oz (340 g) dried elbow macaroni; 1 tbsp (9 g) kosher salt, for the cooking water; 1 tbsp is for Diamond Crystal. If using Morton kosher or fine salt, use 1½ tsp (about 9 g). Go by the weight if you have a scale; 2 medium ribs (120 g) celery ribs, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm); ½ small onion (60 g) red onion, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm); 1 medium (150 g) red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm); 1½ cups (350 g) mayonnaise, full-fat, at fridge temperature; 3 tbsp (45 ml) apple cider vinegar; 1½ tbsp (22 g) yellow mustard; 1½ tbsp (18 g) granulated sugar; 6 tbsp (90 ml) whole milk, divided: 4 tbsp (60 ml) for the dressing, 2 tbsp (30 ml) to loosen the salad before serving; ¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; plus more to taste; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ¼ tsp (½ g) sweet paprika, for sprinkling on top (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A classic American picnic side: tender elbow macaroni tossed in a generous, tangy, lightly sweet mayonnaise dressing with crunchy celery, red onion and red bell pepper. It chills until the flavors meld, and a splash of milk at the end brings back the creaminess.

Prep: 24 min
Cook: 18 min
Wait: 2 hr
Total: 2 hr 42 min
Makes: About 9 to 10 cups (8 side-dish servings of roughly 1 to 1¼ cups each)

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the salad
12 oz (340 g) dried elbow macaroni
1 tbsp (9 g) kosher salt, for the cooking water; 1 tbsp is for Diamond Crystal. If using Morton kosher or fine salt, use 1½ tsp (about 9 g). Go by the weight if you have a scale
2 medium ribs (120 g) celery ribs, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm)
½ small onion (60 g) red onion, finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm)
1 medium (150 g) red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and finely diced (¼-inch / 6 mm)
For the dressing
1½ cups (350 g) mayonnaise, full-fat, at fridge temperature
3 tbsp (45 ml) apple cider vinegar
1½ tbsp (22 g) yellow mustard
1½ tbsp (18 g) granulated sugar
6 tbsp (90 ml) whole milk, divided: 4 tbsp (60 ml) for the dressing, 2 tbsp (30 ml) to loosen the salad before serving
¾ tsp (4 g) kosher salt, Diamond Crystal; plus more to taste
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
¼ tsp (0.5 g) sweet paprika, for sprinkling on top (optional)

Equipment (9)

Large pot (6-quart / 5.5-liter or bigger)
Large colander
Very large mixing bowl (4-quart / 4-liter)
Medium bowl for the dressing
Whisk
Rubber spatula or large spoon
Cutting board and chef's knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Plastic wrap or a lid

Steps

Before you start

Plan on at least 2 hours of chilling time before serving; 4 hours is even better.
Start the water heating first, then dice the vegetables while it comes to a boil. This overlap saves about 10 minutes of the clock time.
Check the package time for your macaroni. You will cook it 1 minute past the al dente time so it stays tender after chilling.
Have a large colander and a very large mixing bowl (at least 4-quart / 4-liter) ready before the pasta is done. The finished salad is about 2½ quarts, so you need room to fold.
The extra milk added just before serving is part of the recipe, not optional garnish. The salad thickens as it chills.

1
Boil the water
- Fill a 6-quart (5.5-liter) pot with 4 quarts (4 liters) of water and add the 1 tbsp (9 g) pot salt.
- Cover and bring to a full rolling boil over high heat.
- Dice the vegetables in the next step while you wait.
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Ready when: Large bubbles break the surface continuously.
Tip: Salt the water well. Pasta absorbs it as it cooks, and it is the only chance to season the macaroni itself.
2
Dice the vegetables
- While the water heats, finely dice the celery, red onion and red bell pepper into ¼-inch (6 mm) pieces.
- Combine them in the very large mixing bowl and set aside.
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Ready when: Pieces are roughly uniform and about the size of a pea.
Tip: If you find raw onion harsh, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry.
3
Cook the macaroni
- Add the macaroni to the boiling water and stir right away so it doesn't stick.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute longer than the package's al dente time (usually 8 to 9 minutes total).
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Ready when: Bite a piece: it should be fully tender with no chalky white core, but still hold its shape.
Tip: Slightly softer pasta is right for macaroni salad. Firm pasta turns hard and dry once it has chilled.
4
Drain and cool
- Drain the macaroni in the colander and shake well.
- Rinse under cold running water for about 1 minute, tossing, until it is no longer warm to the touch.
- Drain thoroughly, shaking for 30 seconds, so no water is left to thin the dressing.
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Ready when: Pasta feels cool, and no water pools in the bottom of the colander.
Tip: Warm pasta would soak up the dressing and make the mayonnaise look oily, so cool it fully.
5
Whisk the dressing
- In the medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, sugar, 4 tbsp (60 ml) of the milk, ¾ tsp salt and the black pepper until completely smooth and the sugar has dissolved.
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Ready when: Dressing is smooth, thick but spoonable, with no sugar granules when rubbed on a spoon.
Tip: The dressing will taste slightly too tangy and salty on its own. That is correct, because the pasta will mellow it.
6
Combine everything
- Add the drained macaroni to the bowl with the vegetables.
- Scrape the dressing over the top and fold with a rubber spatula until every piece of pasta is evenly coated and the vegetables are distributed throughout.
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Ready when: No streaks of dressing remain and the salad looks glossy and generously coated.
Tip: Fold gently rather than stir hard so the macaroni doesn't break.
7
Chill to meld
- Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 hours for the best flavor.
- The pasta absorbs some dressing and the flavors blend.
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Ready when: Salad is fully cold (below 40°F / 4°C) and looks a little less saucy than when mixed.
Tip: Don't skip the chilling. The salad tastes flat and loose when served right after mixing.
8
Loosen, season and serve
- Remove the salad from the fridge and stir well.
- It will look thicker.
- Stir in the remaining 2 tbsp (30 ml) milk, 1 tbsp at a time, until creamy again; stop early if it already looks creamy.
- Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.
- Sprinkle with paprika if using, then serve cold.
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Ready when: Salad is creamy and spoonable, and a spoonful holds together but is not stiff or gluey.
Tip: Add the milk gradually. Too much will make the salad runny.

Good to know

Tips

Cook the macaroni a minute past al dente and rinse it cold. This keeps it tender and prevents oily, broken dressing.
The salad always thickens as it sits. Plan on using the final 2 tbsp of milk to loosen it before serving.
Taste the dressing before mixing and adjust the salt and vinegar then, since it is hard to fix once it's absorbed into the pasta.
For a heartier salad, fold in 3 chopped hard-boiled eggs or 1 cup of cooked peas just before chilling.

Make ahead

Make the salad up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Hold back the final 2 tbsp of milk and stir it in just before serving to restore creaminess. You can also dice the vegetables up to 1 day ahead and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: no more than 2 hours (1 hour if above 90°F / 32°C), because it contains mayonnaise. Fridge: airtight container for up to 4 days. Stir in a splash of milk if it tightens up. Freezer: not recommended, as the mayonnaise dressing separates and the vegetables turn watery when thawed. Serve straight from the fridge; no reheating needed.

Substitutions

red onion → thinly sliced scallions (about 4) or finely diced sweet onion. Both are milder; add scallions just before serving to keep their color.
apple cider vinegar → white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Use the same amount; lemon gives a brighter, fresher flavor.
yellow mustard → Dijon mustard. Use 1 tbsp (15 g) for a sharper, less sweet-tangy taste.
mayonnaise → 1 cup (235 g) mayonnaise plus ½ cup (115 g) sour cream or plain Greek yogurt. Gives a slightly tangier, lighter dressing.