Family Favorite Macaroni Salad

Family Favorite Macaroni Salad. This one is a keeper. Delicious as-is, it is also a snap to adapt and change it up with additional ingredients to make a new salad each time it is served!

Like most other families, the macaroni salad we enjoy has evolved through the years. 

I think we all have a macaroni salad that we consider perfect, and the best part of this relationship is that you can make it your way! I prefer a light dressing on my macaroni salad so that the individual flavor components of the salad can shine through. But this salad recipe offers to much more and the reason we are sharing our favorite macaroni salad recipe, which is delicious enough already, but also so easy to adapt!  Family Favorite Macaroni Salad has a tangy yet light dressing. Seasoned with a touch of Dijon and garlic in the creamy dressing. But not overpowering in any way. I think you are going to like it as much as we do. Not too sweet, but flavorful enough that you will want to make this time and time again!

A basic macaroni salad may be the easiest recipe to adapt! And one of the reasons it remains our favorite.

Once when I made this salad, I used small dried tortellini for the pasta, and it was delicious! And honestly, while the salad is quite good as written, if you wish you could add one or two of the following suggestions to change it up a bit. One thing that holds true for most everyone I know, is that we get tired of eating the exact same thing time and time again...and that is where a delicious yet adaptable recipe shines. You can also turn this into a main dish macaroni salad, simply by adding a bit of meat. Diced ham or roasted chicken are excellent candidates. 

Just a few of our favorites, suggested so you can easily change things up!

Feel free to use one or two of the following add-ins to adapt Family Favorite Macaroni Salad as desired! Such as a grated carrot, small squares of diced cheese, pieces of roasted chicken, or ham. Chilled tiny shrimp are also delicious. How about steamed and chilled asparagus tips, small broccoli flowerets, or even cauliflower. The sky's is the limit really because just about everything from this list goes great as an add-in. Sometimes I will add a few deviled eggs to the top before serving, this is always a favorite with the menfolk around our table. 

Ingredients needed for this recipe:

• whole wheat macaroni
• frozen peas
• onions of choice
• hard-cooked eggs
• celery
• bread and butter style sweet pickles
• tomato
• sour pickles
• mayonnaise
• Dijon mustard
• garlic salt
• sweet pickle juice
• milk
• salt
• fresh ground pepper

You will also need the following:

• medium-size mixing bowl
• kitchen spoon
• silicone spatula
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons
• large stockpot with lid
• colander

Now we are ready to begin!

Family Favorite Macaroni Salad
by the seat of my pants

UPDATE: 04.27.2024

1 1/2 c small whole-wheat elbow macaroni 
1 c frozen peas
4 green onions, thinly sliced 

or 1/2 c diced onion 
or 1/2 c Quick Pickled Onions
2 - 4 hard cook eggs
2 stalks of celery (I use the inner stalks, they are tender and sweet)
1/2 c chopped "bread and butter" style sweet pickle slices
1 tomato, diced

1/3 c dill or your favorite sour pickle
1/3 c sliced black olives if desired

3/4 c mayonnaise
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T sweet pickle juice
2 T milk
1/4 t garlic salt
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

paprika for garnish, if desired

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Place the frozen peas in the colander you will use to drain the pasta. When the macaroni is tender, pour the cooked macaroni over the peas, and let drain. Let the macaroni and peas cool.

Wash, dry, and dice the tomato. Dice the sweet and the sour pickles. Peel and dice the eggs. 

Add the macaroni and the peas to a large mixing bowl. Top with the diced pickles and diced hard-cooked eggs.

Add the mayonnaise, mustard, sweet pickle juice, and milk to the mixing bowl. Sprinkle with garlic salt, a touch of salt, and fresh ground pepper. Fold the ingredients together. Adjust final seasonings. 

Place into a serving bowl. Garnish with paprika or as desired. Store in the refrigerator until serving time. 

Storage options for Family Favorite Macaroni Salad. Store in the refrigerator for three or four days. Do not freeze...

UPDATE:  For your convenience, a "copy and paste" version of Family Favorite Macaroni Salad has been included below. 

You may also enjoy: 

Root and Stem Salad. 

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Printable "copy and paste" version:

Family Favorite Macaroni Salad

by the seat of my pants

UPDATED: 04.27.2024

1 1/2 c small whole-wheat elbow macaroni 
1 c frozen peas
4 green onions, thinly sliced 

or 1/2 c diced onion 
or 1/2 c Quick Pickled Onions
2 - 4 hard cook eggs
2 stalks of celery (I use the inner stalks, they are tender and sweet)
1/2 c chopped "bread and butter" style sweet pickle slices
1 tomato, diced

1/3 c dill or your favorite sour pickle
1/3 c sliced black olives if desired

3/4 c mayonnaise
2 T Dijon mustard
2 T sweet pickle juice
2 T milk
1/4 t garlic salt
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

paprika for garnish, if desired

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Place the frozen peas in the colander you will use to drain the pasta. When the macaroni is tender, pour the macaroni over the peas, and let drain. Let the macaroni and peas cool. 

Wash, dry, and dice the tomato. Dice the sweet and the sour pickles. Peel and dice the eggs. 

Add the macaroni and the peas to a large mixing bowl. Top with the diced pickles and diced hard-cooked eggs.

Add the mayonnaise, mustard, sweet pickle juice, and milk to the mixing bowl. Sprinkle with garlic salt, a touch of salt, and fresh ground pepper. Fold the ingredients together. Adjust final seasonings. 

Place into a serving bowl. Garnish with paprika or as desired. Store in the refrigerator until serving time. 

Storage options for Family Favorite Macaroni Salad. Store in the refrigerator for three or four days. Do not freeze...

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