Creamy Macaroni Salad reminds me of summers and picnics and so it will always have a special place in my heart.  But have you ever noticed how hard it is to get a macaroni salad just right?  Too often macaroni salad is flavorless and dry – but not this time!  There are a couple of tricks to guarantee it turns out perfect every time.

✔️Cook the noodles a la dente, drain and toss with a few tablespoons of oil, and let cool before you add the rest of the ingredients.  The oil acts as a barrier to keep the macaroni from absorbing all the dressing and keeps the salad creamy.

✔️Soak the diced onions in water for 10 minutes and drain before adding to the salad.  This takes the sharp bite out of onions and leaves you with only the natural sweetness of the onion.

These tips work with any pasta salad, but I’m a big fan of this recipe in particular.  It’s creamy, a little bit sweet, and I even figured out a way to sneak a little cheese inside to make it extra flavorful.  You can count on me trying to add cheese to almost anything 😂

Here’s how it’s made!

The Noodles

My favorite noodles for this recipe are good old-fashioned elbow noodles.  Just remember to cook them  “al dente” so they keep their bite once they’re mixed with the creamy dressing and veggies.

After the noodles have cooked “al dente,”  rinse under cold water and toss with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil.

As I mentioned earlier, the oil acts as a barrier to keep the macaroni from absorbing all the dressing and keeps the salad creamy.  You will also want the noodles to cool before adding the rest of the ingredients.  Warm noodles absorb flavor and moisture.  That is good when making certain types of pastas, but in this case you want the sauce to coat the pasta and not absorb it.  So go ahead and let the cooked noodles cool while you finish prepping the rest of the salad.

The Veggies

A good macaroni salad needs a little crunch to offset the creamy dressing, so I like to turn to celery, red pepper, red onion, and a little shredded cheddar cheese.  The cheese won’t add crunch, but will add flavor and an even creamier texture.

You will notice from this picture that the onions are soaking in a small bowl of water.  I’ve found that when I soak diced onions for 10 minutes in cool water, it takes the harsh bite out of onions and leaves the sweet crunch behind.  Just be sure to drain before adding to the macraroni salad.

The Dressing

For the dressing, I like to combine some mayo (in this case I used low-fat and it tasted great) with a little vinegar, dijon mustard, sweet pickle relish, and sugar.  Stir until combined.

Assembling the Macroni Salad

Mix the veggies and cheese into the cooled noodles.

And drizzle with the dressing.  Look how cool and creamy this salad is!

Creamy Macaroni Salad tastes best when it has had a chance to chill in the refrigerator for a few hours and while it keeps well in the fridge up to 3 days, I like it best when it’s served the same day.  So if I plan on serving it for dinner that night, I like to make it in the morning to give it enough time to chill for dinner.  I hope you’re able to try it soon, it’s our family favorite!

Creamy Macaroni Salad

Noodles

8 ounces uncooked elbow noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil for tossing the noodles

Vegetables

1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 cup celery, chopped
1/4 c red onion, chopped (soaked in water for 10 minutes to remove the bite)
1 cup medium cheddar cheese , shredded

Dressing

2/3-3/4 cup mayonnaise (full fat or low-fat both work great)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 Tablespoon dijon mustard

Directions

Cook the elbow noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water. Toss with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and let finish cooling at room temperature (the oil acts as a barrier to keep the noodles from absorbing the creamy dressing later on – see post for more info).

While the noodles are cooling, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, relish and mustard. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Chop veggies and shred cheese.

Add the veggies and cheese to the cooled noodles. Pour the dressing over the top and mix well. Let chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

Macaroni salad is best served cold, so give it plenty of time to chill. The salad tastes best the same day, but will keep well when refrigerated for up to 3 days. Enjoy!