Easy Macaroni Salad
Looking for a proper side dish that’s guaranteed to be the star of your next barbecue or a lovely addition to your Sunday roast? This creamy macaroni salad is a game-changer. Forget those debates about macaroni versus potato salad—this is the clear winner, with a lighter texture, a bit of crunch, and a lovely tang that simply can’t be beaten.
Growing up, my family always had this on the menu, and it’s been one of my favourite things ever since. It’s the perfect accompaniment to all sorts of things, from a nice bit of fried chicken to a proper pork pie.
What You’ll Need
Macaroni: For a softer, more traditional texture, you'll want to cook the pasta a couple of minutes longer than the packet suggests. No one wants a hard bit of pasta in their salad!
The Dressing: You'll be making a classic tangy dressing with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, a touch of sugar, some sweet relish, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.
The Bits and Bobs: Finely diced red bell pepper, celery, red onion, and hard-boiled eggs give it a delightful crunch and flavour.
How to Make It
Get the Macaroni Ready: Cook the macaroni according to the instructions on the packet, but for a softer texture, let it go for about two extra minutes. Once it’s done, drain it and run it under cold water to cool it down quickly. Make sure it's properly drained so it doesn't get soggy.
Make the Dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients until smooth and well-combined.
Mix Everything Up: Tip the cooled macaroni, the lovely crunchy vegetables, and the diced eggs into a large bowl. Pour over your dressing and give everything a good stir until every bit of macaroni is coated.
Serve: You can serve this straight away, but it’s even better if you pop it in the fridge for an hour to let the flavours develop. Enjoy!
Recipe Card
Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes Servings: 10 people
Ingredients
8 oz (225g) dried macaroni
For the Dressing
1 cup (240ml) mayonnaise
2 ½ tbsp apple cider vinegar (or white vinegar)
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sweet relish
1 tsp Dijon mustard
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
For the Add-ins
¾ cup (90g) diced red bell pepper
⅓ cup (40g) finely diced celery
⅓ cup (40g) finely diced red onion
2 large hard-boiled eggs, finely diced
Instructions
Cook the macaroni as instructed on the packet, adding a couple of extra minutes for a softer result. Drain the pasta and immediately rinse it under cold water.
In a small bowl, whisk together all the dressing ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine the cooled macaroni, the dressing, the red pepper, celery, onion, and eggs. Mix thoroughly.
Serve and enjoy!
Would you like to try making another classic British side dish next, like a classic coleslaw?
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