Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad
As classic as it gets, this easy cold macaroni salad is a must for summer days, potlucks and barbecues. The key is not to overcook the pasta and to find a good balance of crunchy, creamy and tangy.
Servings 6 servings
Ingredients
- 3 cups elbow macaroni cooked and drained
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup chopped onion I like yellow or red onion, but white onion also works
- ½ cup diced celery
For the salad dressing:
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ⅓ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon chopped sweet pickles optional
Instructions
- Cook 3 cups elbow macaroni according to the package instructions in abundant salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse the elbows under cold water to stop the cooking process, then let them drain well again or the pasta will be watery. Toss lightly with 1 tablespoon oil and let cool completely.
- In a large bowl, stir together the cooled pasta, ½ cup diced red bell pepper, ½ cup chopped onion and ½ cup diced celery.
- To make the creamy dressing, mix all the dressing ingredients (2 tablespoons sour cream, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 to 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (I use Dijon), ⅓ teaspoon salt, ⅛ teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon chopped sweet pickles) in a small or medium bowl until smooth.
- Add half of it to the bowl with the pasta. Mix everything thoroughly and add more until you have the desired consistency. Taste the pasta salad and adjust the seasonings to your liking.
- Place the salad in the serving bowl or platter, cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Stir the salad again before serving it cold.
Notes
Make ahead: this salad recipe benefits from being assembled and refrigerated a few hours before serving. This will meld the flavors and make it more flavorful.
Serving pasta salad: it's best to keep it in the fridge until serving time.
