Best Ever Classic Macaroni Salad
The best + easiest old-fashioned macaroni salad to bring to all the BBQs/potlucks! Everyone will be dying for the recipe!
We all need a good classic macaroni salad in our back pocket. One that we can always bring to backyard BBQs and potlucks. And one you can also make up to 2 days in advance.
But most importantly, we need it to be creamy. We need it to have tons of veggies. And we need plenty of extra-sharp cheddar cheese. Keyword being plenty.
So that’s what we have here. We have the four very important elements right in this classic macaroni salad (make-ahead, creamy, veggie-loaded, and abundance of cheese).
It’s quick, simple and make-ahead for up to two whole days! Just be sure to give it a good stir prior to serving.
And serve with all of my favorite kabobs – the bbq pineapple chicken kabobs, the shrimp boil kabobs, and/or the Korean chicken kabobs!
Best Ever Classic Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ½ red bell pepper, diced
- ⅓ cup diced red onion
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- ¾ cup diced extra-sharp cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Stir in peas during the last 1 minute of cooking time; drain well and rinse with cold water.
- Place eggs in a large saucepan and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Cover eggs with a tight-fitting lid and remove from heat; set aside for 8-10 minutes. Drain well and let cool before peeling and dicing.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, parsley, vinegar and Dijon. Stir in pasta, peas, eggs, bell pepper, onion, celery and cheese; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Cover; place into the refrigerator for 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Serve cold.
Did you make this recipe?
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I just finished putting this together. Measured everything per the recipe, making sure not to use more than the the 2 cups of uncooked macaroni. My pasta called for a ten minute cook time, so I added my 2 eggs to the boiling pasta water with the pasta, and they both finished at the same time with the peas. Saved myself a bit of effort there.
Assembled everything and taste tested the end result. So good! My new favorite macaroni salad. Made it a day ahead of time to allow flavors to meld and will serve it with a tomato/cucumber salad and grilled chicken. Thank you!
I’ve made this many times, I just omit the egg. Always a hit! Thank you. If I’m having guests over, I double the recipe.
I would add a meat to this. Some small diced ham or small cooked shrimp?
Is it two cups of cooked pasta or two cups uncooked?
Definitely uncooked!
It’s the best salad I’ve ever made and I thank you for sharing every time I make it
Just made this for a get-together at my house. Fantastic! I did a shortcut and cooked the eggs and mac together, and then tossed in the peas for the last couple of minutes. That helped me with the dishes, but otherwise this is the perfect macaroni salad!
Use a good quality brand frozen peas..raw! Delicious.
I searched and searched for a recipe to make for my 4th of July party yesterday. I’m so glad I landed on this one. I made it and it turned out fabulously. I omitted the eggs – only because I made potato salad, as well, with eggs. Thank you for keeping the classics going!
P.S. I thawed out the frozen peas. No need to cook them at all.
This salad is a new family favorite, with just a couple minor changes. Absolutely delicious as is, but I omitted the peas and added crumbled bacon. I double the batch and there’s never too much!
I love this! I make it all the time!
I tried it and I liked it. It’s a solid recipe. Not as good as my “World Famous” Macaroni Salad but it is easier to make. I live in the Chicago area, we should have a Mac off. LOL
This is our go to easy summer salad recipe whenever it’s super hot out! It’s so good! I personally like to replace the eggs with some smoked ham so it’s a little more filling and we can have it as a meal. Delicious!
DAMN DELICIOUS DELICIOUS
I made this and it was a total hit! You are so right it was damndelicious.
I made some with and some without eggs as we were going to a picnic and Know of two that can’t have eggs. Everyone loved it. I gave your site info to them.
I haven’t made it yet but what do u think about adding bacon ? I think that would be a great add , also the ham sounds like a excellent add , I CANT wait try this , thanks so much for the recipe !
I didn’t make it yet but I wanted to ask a question. It says only cook the peas for 1 minute but on the package of my peas, it says between 6-8 minutes? Just curious about that. Thanks.
If you cook the peas for 8 minutes they will be great next to mashed potatoes and roast beef. But they will be far too tender to be stirred into a salad. They will quickly become pea puree and you will have a green macaroni salad. Maybe fun on St. Pats day, but otherwise maybe not…
Cultural norms vary, but typically in cold salads (pasta salad, potato salad, chicken salad, pea salad, etc.) the veggies are left raw or are just blanched so they retain some crunch as well as their physical identity.
OTOH If you wanted to make a salad using pea puree as a dressing base (using, perhaps, a recipe calling for hummus as a starting point) that would be a different thing.
The peas will taste more like fresh peas and will not fall apart in the salad if cooked only one minute.
My husband was absolutely delighted! He said its a meal all by itself..lol Thank you!
It’s SO delicious!!!!! It’s super simple to make and is pretty healthy considering it’s macaroni salad. We will be making this again <3
I have never had a mac salad that wasn’t boring. This sounds absolutely fantastic. I will make it next weekend for our bbq. The only dif. will be the parsley, let’s face it parsley just looks pretty. I will do dill instead, I love dill. Also the corn sounds like a nice addition. I think this summer I will try substituting potatoes for the Mac.
Macaroni salad is one of the things I look forward to every summer, I try not to make it often because I’m just not good at moderation where this “side dish” is concerned 😉 This is very similar to my personal recipe except that I typical do not add egg and always add one large full sour brine garlic dill pickle (like the ones you find in the deli) and a scant 1/4 cup miracle whip in addition to the Mayo to give it a slight hint of sweetness. I did decide to make the recipe exactly as written and thought it was excellent…but then added the pickle and it just gives it that perfect extra accent – highly recommend.
Thanks for the great recipe! Damn delicious really has alot of recipes that just look amazing. With working from home these days and no commute I just have more time in the kitchen and look forward to cooking more!
I made the macaroni salad to complement pulled pork sandwiches and it was delicious. I did add some fresh corn and I substituted dill for parsley. I love the fresh crunch of the veggies so tasty! It was a big hit! Will absolutely make again!
This is the best damn macaroni salad ever! I find I need more mayo! It’s my comfort good! Thank you do much.
I’ve made this at least 6 times, in fact I just finished making another one. It’s delicious and addicting.
This recipe does not disappoint! I have made this a few times and it’s been damn delicious!!:)
Best Mac. Salad … Ever … Won’t Be Making Any Other !!! Thanks Sooo Much For Sharing … Followed Directions … Perfect … Combinations Of Veggies … Is Outstanding ….
Omitted the onion and cheese and added diced dill pickle and diced black olives. Delicious!
I make my standard Mac salad which my husband and I love but was looking for something different and came across this recipe. It really is the best ever Mac salad. It is bursting with flavor. We loved it, can’t wait to make for a get together this summer.
This is a really good pasta salad. I omitted the red onion and pepper, replacing them with shredded carrots and chives, which my family likes better. I added a bit of chili powder, to taste. Everything else, I followed to a tee and it was delicious. I diced all of the veggies super tiny and shredded the cheese, which makes the texture excellent!
This is absolutely delicious. Only modification I made was adding a pinch of hot chili powder. So, so good.
Made this today! It’s so delicious! Brought it to a pot luck – it was devoured. My husband is eating the rest of it now as I’m typing this great recipe! Will be definitely making this again.
I’ll try it. Have to take mac salad to a church event. I hate mac salad…but I didn’t want to complain. Peas aren’t even a food…they are just yuk.
This was absolutely delicious. Easy to make and tastes yummy. My kids are it and wanted more!
This looks delicious!
This looks delicious
Thanks so much for posting these delightful recipes. They remind me so much of my childhood at home, where family is first , good home cooked meals and lots of Love♥️
This is my Mom’s way of making Mac Salad! (except for vinegar & mustard). I’d forgotten how good this is!
One of the differences is this: Velveeta instead of expensive “cheese”—-just as delicious!!!!
I did try this with Velveeta the second time I made it. I actually loved it. Good suggestion!
Great recipe! I did add relish and cayenne pepper, just personal preference, but fantastic!
Yummy! I made this for a bbq and everyone loved it! I made it as is and I’ll be making it again!
Easy to make, and everybody like it!
looking for the food value carbs, protein ect
Hi Alan! Nutritional information is provided only for select recipes at this time. However, if it is not available for a specific recipe, we recommend using free online resources at your discretion (you can Google “nutritional calculator”). Hope that helps!
Delicious..
Very good, well worth making, will use again!
I suffer from shaken baby syndrome and one of the parts of my brain that has to do with becoming addicted doesn’t work.
So, I can’t be addicted to this awesome macaroni salad but it’s so delicious that I think I could eat it every day.
This recipe is so good! I added chopped dill pickles & more mayo & Dijon mustard. I might add a little sweet relish (Southern Texas thing) but still thinking on. I followed it to the T other than that! My husband & I love different variations of Macaroni Salad & this one is definitely a keeper!! Thank you so much Damn Delicious for this yummy recipe!
What great additions, Margaret!
Perfect recipe w/o the sweetness(don’t care for sweet).
Made it exactly as is and love it…..the way macaroni salad should be! Next time I will add tuna!
Great idea, Lauri!
Made without the cheese because I didn’t have any but was delicious! Thankyou!
You are so welcome, Tammy!
I’m a Chef who likes cooking,,,can I join ur team
Absolutely perfect. Loved that this didn’t have tons of sugar. It was light and refreshing and my husband ate the whole batch.
Totally a winner! I’ve brought this macaroni salad to several BBQs and it is totally addictive! As a bonus, it is also easy to make.
I made this with gluten-free ingredients and opted out of the cheese. It was great! Thank you! Made this for my Memorial Day cookout!
It was delicious! Everyone loved it, even my Daughter who only loves her plain macaroni salad which she thinks is the best, but after tasting this recipe, she just loved it. Only thing I did different was leave out the cheese, apple cider vinegar and didn’t put in the eggs or my daughter wouldn’t have eaten it, and really, didn’t need it , it was awesome! Will make it again ))
So glad you and your family enjoyed it, Joanne!
This really is the best!!! I think I will use a bit less onion next time, but that’s just a personal preference. The seasoning of this is spot on. I have been waiting for the perfect recipe and this is it. Thanks
We love it, Regi! So glad you found the one! 🙂
As with all your recipes, dead simple and really tasty…
except.
We all found it (8 of us) a touch bland. I felt it needed some hot sauce, maybe some diced jalapeños… does anyone else have some things they’ve added to this great base to really give it some more flavor?
After I removed it from the fridge Ww thought the same so I whipped up more sauce mayo, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, healthy sweetener (we have our own blend of pyure and xylitol blended to a Powder I’m not big on sugar) and rice vinegar making sure it is tacky and not to runny. Delicious, Sorry I really don’t measure when I make sauce taste a feel
Ive added some cayenne pepper, and it gave it just the kick we needed. Also added some sour cream to cut the mayo
I always love a good macaroni salad, and I find this to be one of the tastiest ever! So many flavors mix together. I made it as the recipe stated. This recipe was chosen as I’ve made other recipes from this great website, Damn Delicious.
Thanks, Anne! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
This recipe is now in competition with my all-time favorite macaroni salad – Betty Crocker’s Cookbook 1969 edition, page 382 – Tuna Macaroni Salad. I subbed in dried parsley flakes and regular mustard. I have fibromyalgia and fresh parsley tastes like soap to me (as do cilantro and a few other fresh herbs) and Dijon mustard is much too intense for me but plain mustard in small quantities is fine (in this recipe I used only 1 teaspoon – just right!). Great recipe. Thank you for posting it.
Thanks so much, Kay! We’re so happy to hear that you liked it so much!
I made this for a family BBQ and it is so good. I think it may even be better the next day. I doubled the recipe so I would have leftovers. My family ate every single bit of this salad and I will definitely be making this again. It will be a summer staple!
It’s such a great summer recipe! And the flavors just get better the next day. Thanks, Julie!
Simply delicious. Add old-bay seasoning for that added touch. Try also adding small diced chunks of ham.
Those are great additions! Thanks for sharing, Bonnie!
Absolutely delicious. Thank you so much
I usually make my macaroni salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and cheese. Wanted to try something different and tried your recipe. I was impressed, it was really good. The only thing I added was some sugar. Guess that’s a southern thing. Ha
Delish! Thank you!
Very tasty macaroni salad I made a double amount and I enjoy the tangy apple cider vinegar. This recipe is very easy and can be adapted well to any changes.
Thanks Kelly!
What a fresh clean and pretty salad, a step up from your standard Midwestern style. I made it with pumpkin shaped pasta left over from Halloween. It’s gorgeous going to take it to work and share at a potluck.
Thanks, Melinda!
I’m a picky eater and I still loved this recipe! Thank you for sharing!
The site is one of the best, but you lose points with this recipe. All the ingredient are great! Except for the Peas? And not to be overly critical, but Yellow Mustard will do just fine and also plain white vinegar followed of course by omitting the egg . This will then be the classic Macaroni Salad. Keep in mind Macaroni Salad is/was traditionally made in order to use up left overs. It was not a side dish but for many families a main course (the only course) which if a family was lucky enough to scrape some pork/ham trimmings or turkey, chicken scraps and yes even fish cought by a family member, then this meal would have been one of the years best.
#damndelicious
Alf, there’s no need to be “overly critical” here. You can substitute any of the ingredients to your liking based on what you prefer and/or what you have on hand. Isn’t that what home cooking is all about?
Wow no need to get all deep on the whole where mac salad came from. I think this is a great recipe and you can absolutely take the things out you dont care for but there is no need to criticize what this recipe is.
Really…. make your own salad and move on, no need to be so b….y!
This is UH-MAZING. I’ve made it a handful of times now and it’s always a hit. Just wanted to add a comment that I’ve been craving it as an actual meal so, I added seasoned ground beef to it.
TO DIE FOR combination. I always put a little cayenne in the actual salad so I seasoned the beef with salt, pepper, a little garlic salt, and cayenne- SO good.
Sounds yummy! Thanks for sharing!
OHHH, I love the idea of cayenne. thanks
I absolutely love this but took time to make ie: chop ingredients xx
What an exceptional pasta salad! My husband and I agree that it’s the best we’ve tasted. I made it exactly according to the recipe, save for substituting some dried parsley for the fresh (I was out of fresh). I like that this doesn’t have that sharp/bitter note that most macaroni salads seem to possess, but rather is nicely balanced and simply delicious.
This is my favorite way to make macaroni salad! I make it as the recipe states and add chopped hard cooked eggs and cubed ham. It’s almost a meal in itself. Delicious!
You go to fresh easy! What state do you live in our ‘s closed. Sorry to say. Really loved shopping there I’m going to try the avacado/bacon salad with lemon dressing this weekend! Love your blog & recipes!!
I love your site. Everything I’ve tried so has been great and I recommend your site to everyone. Thanks for the great recipes!
Thank you, Donna! We love that.