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This Easy Macaroni Salad is a classic side dish made with tender elbow macaroni, cheddar cheese, celery, sweet relish, and a creamy mayonnaise dressing. It’s quick to make, easy to customize, and perfect for cookouts, potlucks, picnics, and summer gatherings!
For more crowd-pleasing potluck salads, try my Creamy Potato Salad With Eggs and Bow Tie Pasta Salad.
Why you’ll love this macaroni pasta salad recipe!
There’s a reason macaroni salad has been a cookout favorite for generations. It’s creamy, comforting, and pairs perfectly with everything from burgers and hot dogs to grilled chicken and barbecue.
My version skips the hard-boiled eggs and uses cubes of cheddar cheese for extra flavor and texture. Sweet relish adds just the right amount of sweetness while celery provides a fresh crunch in every bite.
The best part? This macaroni pasta salad tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge, making it the perfect make-ahead side dish for busy summer weekends.
- Simple ingredients: Everything you need is easy to find and probably already in your kitchen.
- Creamy and flavorful: The mayo-based dressing is sweet, tangy, and perfectly balanced.
- Great for gatherings: This recipe is always a hit at barbecues, potlucks, and holiday cookouts.
- Easy to customize: Add your favorite vegetables, proteins, or cheeses to make it your own.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
- Mayonnaise – Use your favorite brand for a rich, creamy dressing.
- White vinegar – Adds tanginess that balances the sweetness.
- Granulated sugar – Gives the dressing its classic sweet flavor.
- Kosher salt – Enhances all the flavors in the salad.
- Black pepper – Adds a subtle kick.
- Celery – Provides fresh crunch and texture.
- Sweet relish – Adds sweetness and classic macaroni salad flavor.
- Cheddar cheese – Cubed cheddar creates delicious bites of cheesy goodness throughout the salad.
- Elbow macaroni – The traditional pasta choice for macaroni salad.
Variations
- Feel free to substitute apple cider vinegar with white vinegar.
- Swap out or add to the celery with diced bell peppers, shredded carrots, peas, or minced red onion.
- Substitute the relish with chopped Dill pickles, Gherkins, or any sweet pickles you like best.
- Replace the cheddar cheese with cubed ham or oven-backed bacon, or use both!
- If you’re a rebel at heart, try making this macaroni salad with rotini or shells instead of elbow macaroni.
- Replace or add to the mayonnaise with sour cream for extra tang and a thick, creamy dressing.
How to Make Macaroni Salad With Mayo
- Prepare the macaroni: Cook the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions. Then, rinse it under cold water, and drain.
- Create the macaroni salad dressing: Combine the mayo, white vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, celery, sweet relish, and cheddar in a large bowl.
- Add the macaroni: Gently fold the pasta into the dressing mixture.
- Chill: Cover the bowl with foil or plastic wrap, and transfer it to the fridge for at least three hours.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this recipe with all your favorite cookout and picnic recipes! I love to pair it with grilled marinated chicken, burgers, hot dogs, brats, crock pot pulled pork, or crock pot BBQ chicken.
Then, add sides like baked beans, broccoli salad, and easy fruit salad to make a complete meal.
How to Store
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container, and store them in the fridge for 3-4 days. I don’t recommend freezing this recipe! The noodles will become soggy, and the mayonnaise won’t thaw well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! In fact, it tastes even better after chilling for several hours or overnight.
Elbow macaroni is the traditional choice, but shells, rotini, and small pasta shapes also work well.
Absolutely! Chopped hard-boiled eggs are a popular addition if you enjoy them.
The pasta absorbs some of the dressing as it sits. Simply stir in a little extra mayonnaise before serving.
More Easy Summer Side Dishes
Side Dishes
Corn, Avocado & Cilantro Salad
Pasta
Bow Tie Pasta Salad
Side Dishes
Homemade Cornbread
Side Dishes
Creamy Potato Salad With Eggs
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Easy Macaroni Salad
Equipment
- 1 pot
- 1 Large bowl
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni cooked al dente and drained
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 stalk celery finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons sweet relish
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese diced
Instructions
- Boil the macaroni in salted water until it’s al dente. Rinse in cold water and drain well.1 pound elbow macaroni
- In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper, celery, sweet relish, and cheddar. Stir it until all of the ingredients are incorporated.1 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 stalk celery, 2 Tablespoons sweet relish, 8 ounces cheddar cheese
- Fold the macaroni into the dressing mixture and stir to coat.
- Cover the bowl with foil or plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge. Let it chill for at least 3 hours, or overnight.
- Serve!
Notes
- Cook the pasta just until al dente so it doesn’t become mushy.
- Let the salad chill before serving so the flavors have time to develop.
- Stir the salad before serving to redistribute the dressing.
- Add a splash of vinegar if the salad needs a little extra brightness.
- Cut the cheese into small cubes so every bite gets some.
- If the salad seems dry after chilling, stir in a little extra mayonnaise before serving.
I really enjoyed your macaroni salad recipe! The tips for customizing it with various ingredients are especially helpful ưhen I street view. What’s your favorite twist on this classic dish?
I’m one that has to have lot’s of hard boiled eggs in my macaroni salad. I don’t like the texture of egg whites so I only use the yolks. I use green onions, celery, mini sweet colored peppers, sweet pickle relish, a little yellow mustard, in mine. I something add tuna.