Macaroni Salad Recipe

My southern macaroni salad recipe is the classic side dish everyone knows and loves, packed with tomatoes, peppers, bacon, and a creamy, tangy mayonnaise dressing. I’ve added a few of my own twists to fix the things I don’t love about traditional versions, and it always turns out perfectly. This easy recipe is my go-to for picnics and potlucks, and it’s always one of the first dishes to disappear!

I’ll be straight with you, I’m usually not a fan of macaroni salad. Most recipes I’ve tried over the years have been too sweet, too mayonnaisey, too bland, or too dry and clumpy. But not this one. It’s inspired by a version I had at a local barbecue restaurant which had a surprisingly silky texture and a wonderfully zesty flavor. (Up until that point, I only got excited about a pasta salad recipe if it was made with a vinaigrette.) Here, I’ve developed a recipe that fixes all of those typical issues. You might not usually find jarred roasted peppers, pickle relish, and kale(!) in a macaroni salad, but they’re in mine, and honestly? It is so much better for it!

Christine F – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I’m a believer! We had this last night for dinner with spiral sliced ham. Absolutely delicious – everyone loved the sweet+salty+creamy+crunchy. But now it’s the next morning and it’s 100% WHAT I WANT FOR BREAKFAST!! Never had a macaroni salad do that before. :)

Key Ingredients and Tips

• Elbow Macaroni – Obviously, as this is a macaroni salad! But any small macaroni-like pasta shape will also work. You could also use gluten-free or high-protein pasta; just remember that gluten-free pasta does not hold up as long as pasta made with wheat, so be sure to eat this the day you make it.
• Mayonnaise – I’ve used regular mayonnaise in this salad, but feel free to use a low-fat version instead. These tend to be more acidic, so you might want to add a touch more sugar to balance things out.
• Apple cider vinegar – I love the slight fruitiness this adds to the dressing. (I also use it in my homemade potato salad recipe for this exact reason!) Yet, white wine vinegar could be substituted.
• Granulated sugar – I find a little sugar helps balance the acidity in the dressing and gives the pasta salad a slightly addictive quality; so many A Spicy Perspective readers have told me every time they make this for a potluck or cookout, they’re asked for the recipe!
• Roasted Red Peppers – I find that roasted red peppers (from the jar) add a lightly acidic, smoky-sweet taste.
• Sweet Pickle Relish – I add this for a tangy-sweet flavor. If you really can’t stand pickles, you can leave them out, but if you feel the salad needs a little acidity, add rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it tastes right to you.
• Scallions – In my experince scallions add the perfect amount of onion flavor without tasting raw.
• Cooked Bacon – Salty, bacon-y goodness goes well with anything! But that being said, people have told me they still love a vegetarian version of this salad made without the bacon.
• Garlic – Don’t worry about using raw garlic in this recipe, as I find the creamy dressing mellows that ‘raw’ flavor.
• Hot Sauce – I find that it doesn’t matter which hot sauce I use in this recipe, as it just adds a bit of a spicy kick. Good old Tabasco, Franks RedHot (which is what I usually use) or Cholula would work, or something a little fancier.
• Kale – I really, really want to sell you on including kale in all of your future macaroni and assorted pasta salads with this recipe. But, if you are serving your macaroni salad right away, you could sub in parsley if you really wanted to. But if it is the kids you’re worried about, I promise they won’t detect the fact you’ve snuck some in there.

How To Make

Find the full recipe with detailed instructions and storage tips in the printable form at the bottom of the post!

Cook the macaroni – First, I bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to the package instructions. For most brands I buy, this usually takes me around 7–10 minutes. As soon as it is done, I then drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water to both stop it cooking and to rinse off any excess starch, which might make the pasta salad gluey.

Make the dressing – In a medium bowl, I then mix together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, hot sauce, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon ground pepper.

Combine the ingredients – To assemble the pasta salad, I place the macaroni in a large bowl, add the chopped roasted red peppers, kale, bacon, pickle relish, and scallions.

Add the dressing – Finally, I pour over the dressing and then toss everything well to coat, refrigerating until I’m ready to serve.

Serving Suggestions

I think this macaroni salad is perfect for barbecues, picnics, and potlucks served alongside:

• Creamy Sausage Cheese Dip
• Chipotle BBQ Chicken Skewers Recipe
• Bread and Butter Sweet Pickles
• Homemade Dill Pickles
• Crockpot BBQ Chicken
• Brisket Recipe Oven Method

Storage Notes

I usually store leftover macaroni salad (or a big bowl of made-ahead salad) either in sealed containers or a big plastic bowl covered with plastic wrap for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.

Due to the mayonnaise and fresh ingredients, I don’t recommend freezing this. (Or any pasta salad, for that matter!)

Also, if you’re making this for a party or gathering, that mayonnaise-based salads shouldn’t sit out for more than 2-3 hours at room temperature (make that 1 hour in hot weather!)

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