Description
This delicious macaroni salad features a creamy dressing with crunchy vegetables and tender macaroni, making it the perfect side dish for picnics, barbecues, or any meal.
Ingredients
8 ounces dry elbow macaroni noodles
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and diced
2 celery stalks, diced
½ cup diced dill pickles
⅓ cup diced red onion
¾ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons dill pickle juice
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, grated
¼ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni according to the package instructions until slightly past al dente. Drain and toss with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking. Set aside to cool.
- Prepare the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, dill pickle juice, vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, grated garlic, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
- Assemble the salad: Add the cooled macaroni, diced red bell pepper, celery, dill pickles, and red onion to the bowl with the dressing. Stir to combine.
- Season and chill: Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Chill the salad in the refrigerator until ready to serve. For extra creaminess, add two peeled and chopped hard-boiled eggs to the salad.
Notes
For a vegan option, use plant-based mayo and add extra veggies like avocado or cherry tomatoes.
For extra protein, add cooked chicken, tuna, or hard-boiled eggs.
Feel free to swap elbow macaroni with other types of pasta like rotini or penne.
For extra crunch, try adding chopped nuts like walnuts or almonds.
If the salad becomes too thick, add more mayo or pickle juice to loosen it up.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing, Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6th of the salad
- Calories: Approx. 250 calories per serving
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 450mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 5mg
