This classic macaroni salad with creamy dressing is filled with veggies, cheese, eggs and noodles. It’s easy to make, customizable, keeps really well, and the perfect side dish for summer cookouts, potlucks, or picnics!

macaroni salad in a bowl with napkin and herbs in bowls

I’ve been making a version of this classic macaroni salad for years, and it always gets rave reviews. It’s everything a traditional macaroni salad should be— creamy, tangy, and loaded up with crunchy vegetables. Plus, it makes a big batch so it’s perfect for sharing.

If you’re looking for an old-fashioned macaroni salad recipe that everyone will recognize and love, this is it! The homemade creamy dressing is the perfect balance of sweetness and tang, while mix-ins like red onion, bell pepper, pickles, hard-boiled eggs, cheese, and fresh herbs add plenty of flavor and crunch.

“So yummy! Everyone in the neighborhood praised. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐” — reader Maily

“This is so delicious!! I followed the recipe exactly (well, I decreased the amount of cheese for our lactose-intolerant family!) – I will definitely be making this again! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐” — reader Annie

Table of Contents

Why this is my favorite macaroni salad recipe

  • It’s everything a classic macaroni salad should be—but better.
  • The homemade creamy dressing is rich, tangy, and just lightly sweet.
  • It’s packed with crunchy vegetables and flavorful mix-ins for lots of texture and flavor.
  • It’s make-ahead friendly, making it perfect for potlucks and cookouts.
  • You can easily customize it as you want!

Ingredients you’ll need

Here’s everything you need to make this classic macaroni salad! You can find the full recipe at the bottom of this post.

Macaroni salad ingredients including macaroni noodles, pickle juice, pickles, basil, red pepper, red onion, celery, dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, sour cream, hard boiled eggs cheddar cheese, sugar, dill, mayo

Key ingredients notes

  • Elbow macaroni: The classic choice for macaroni salad because it holds onto the creamy dressing so well.
  • Mayonnaise and sour cream: This combination creates a dressing that’s rich and creamy without being overly heavy.
  • Pickle juice: Adds tang and a little extra flavor to the dressing.
  • Hard-boiled eggs: A classic addition that makes the salad heartier.
  • Cheddar cheese: Not every macaroni salad includes cheese, but I love the extra flavor and texture it adds.
  • Fresh herbs: Brighten up the salad and balance the richness of the dressing, don’t skip!
all ingredients for macaroni salad in a bowl
whisking macaroni salad dressing

How to make this classic macaroni salad

  1. Cook pasta in generously salted boiling water to al dente, then drain and spread out on a sheet pan to cool. (Tip: Add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to keep it from sticking together.)
  2. Hard-boil the eggs using your preferred method, then cool completely before peeling and chopping.
  3. Chop mix-ins into small pieces about the size of the macaroni noodles so the salad is nice and uniform.
  4. Make dressing by whisking mayo, sour cream, red vinegar, pickle juice, mustard, sugar, and salt and pepper.
  5. Combine everything together in a large bowl, adding only half of the dressing to start.
  6. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
  7. Add more dressing just before serving if needed.
closeup of macaroni salad in a bowl

Macaroni salad tips & FAQs

  • Use any short pasta you like in place of the elbow macaroni. Penne, farfalle, rotini and corkscrew are other great options.
  • Do not rinse pasta to cool it down! This rinses away flavor and starch that will help it absorb the dressing. Spreading the pasta onto a sheet pan with a bit of oil cools it down quickly while you prep other ingredients.
  • Add other mix-ins as you like. Such as bacon, diced ham, green onions, black olives, peas, diced pimentos, and shredded carrots.
  • Add more dressing per your preference. This recipe makes a lot of dressing, but the noodles will soak up a lot of it as it chills. I like to add half of the dressing initially and then add more when I’m ready to serve as needed.
  • Make-ahead instructions: Feel free to make and serve this recipe within 48 hours. Macaroni salad actually tastes better after chilling for several hours because the pasta absorbs the dressing and flavors meld together. (I usually prep the morning of or the night before I plan to serve it.)
  • Storage instructions: Always keep classic macaroni salad in the fridge and enjoy within a week.

More potluck salads

macaroni salad in bowl with large spoon
5 from 3 reviews

Classic Macaroni Salad

Servings: 12 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Chill Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 28 minutes
A classic macaroni salad filled with veggies, cheese, eggs and noodles in a delicious creamy sauce. It's the perfect side dish for potlucks and BBQs!
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Ingredients
 

  • 8 oz elbow macaroni noodles , or other short pasta
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup diced dill pickles (about 4 small)
  • ½ cup diced red onion (about ½ small red onion)
  • ½ cup diced red bell pepper (about ½ a bell pepper)
  • ½ cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
  • ¾ cup diced cheddar cheese
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

Creamy dressing:

  • ½ cup mayonaise
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoon pickle juice
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt , or to taste
  • ¼-½ teaspoon ground black pepper , to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook pasta in generously salted boiling water according to package instructions. Drain and spread out on a sheet pan to cool. Do not rinse! You can add 1 Tbsp of olive oil to the pasta to keep it from sticking together as it cools.
  • Add eggs to a small saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover. Set timer for 12 minutes. When time is up, drain away hot water and replace with ice cold water. Let cool completely.
  • Chop red onion, red pepper, pickles, celery, cheddar cheese and hard boiled eggs. You want them to be fairly small pieces, similar to the size of the noodles. Finely chop dill and basil.
  • Whisk together mayo, sour cream, red vinegar, pickle juice, mustard, sugar, and salt and pepper.
  • Combine the cooled pasta with all of the mix-ins and half of the dressing.
  • Cover macaroni salad and chill for several hours or until ready to serve. I like to serve this macaroni salad within 48 hours of mixing, but it will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week.
  • As the macaroni chills, it will absorb a lot of the dressing. Before serving, stir in more dressing as desired (you may not use all of the dressing, depending on how creamy you want the macaroni salad).
Calories: 198kcal, Carbohydrates: 17g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 44mg, Sodium: 320mg, Potassium: 72mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 412IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 72mg, Iron: 1mg
Author: Annalise Sandberg
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