This simple Macaroni Salad recipe is creamy, fresh, and only takes 25 minutes to prep! It has celery, bell pepper, shredded carrots, and bell pepper in a flavorful dressing. It's going to be the highlight at your next BBQ!
Want more yummy side dishes? You have to try Street Corn Pasta Salad, Tuna Pasta Salad, Cold Noodle Salad, or Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad!
My favorite Macaroni Salad
My favorite Macaroni SaladIf there's one side dish I completely drool over at a summer BBQ it's a good Mac salad! I love to use the ditalini noodles, and make it extra saucy, just like my all-time favorite mac salad from Jalapeño Bucks in Mesa, AZ, that inspired this recipe. It's saucy and flavorful and pairs well with any BBQ side dishes or main dishes like Ribs or Grilled Chicken.
How to make Macaroni Salad:
Combine: Cook pasta then rinse, drain and allow to cool. Chop celery, onion, carrot, and bell pepper and toss with pasta. Combine dressing ingredients and pour half of the sauce over pasta and toss to coat. Chill for at least one hour before serving. Just before serving stir in additional sauce before. Add more splashes of milk, if desired, to make is saucier.
Make Ahead, and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Keep the bowl of salad ingredients and dressing in separate containers in the fridge for 3-5 days.
To Freeze: Freeze homemade macaroni salad without the dressing in a freezer safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge before adding the dressing.
Serve With:
- BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Steak Kabobs
- Classic Hamburger Recipe
- Slow Cooker Ribs
- Pimento Cheese BLT
- Grilled Chicken
- BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches
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Recipe
Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound elbow macaroni , or ditalini
- 1/4 cup red onion , finely diced
- 1 rib celery , finely diced
- 1/2 red bell pepper , finely diced
- ¼ cup carrots , finely shredded , loosely measured, then squeezed out
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream , or plain Greek yogurt
- 2 Tablespoons milk
- 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar
- 1/2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 Tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook Noodles: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni according to package directions, until al dente. Rinse with cold water and drain. This stops the cooking process and rinses away extra starch so the noodles will not stick together. Cool the noodles completely before adding the dressing.½ pound elbow macaroni
- Combine: In a large mixing bowl, toss together cooked and cooled noodles onion, celery, bell pepper, and carrots.¼ cup red onion, 1 rib celery, ½ red bell pepper, ¼ cup carrots
- Sauce: In a small mixing bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, cider vinegar, sugar, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream, 2 Tablespoons milk, 2 Tablespoons cider vinegar, ½ Tablespoon granulated sugar, ½ Tablespoon dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Combine: Pour half of the sauce over pasta and toss until everything is well coated. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour before serving. Stir in additional sauce before serving. Add a splash of milk, for a thinner sauce, if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe June 2020. Updated April 2025.
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so easy and tasty!
This macaroni salad was delicious! Very quick to make.
Great recipe turned out great I added green sweet relish in place of sugar tastes delicious