Creamy Macaroni Salad

Cool, creamy, and packed with crisp vegetables and a perfectly tangy, sweet dressing — a classic, crowd-pleasing macaroni salad that is the essential side dish for every cookout, potluck, and summer gathering. Simple, nostalgic, and always the first bowl to empty.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound elbow macaroni
• 1.5 cups mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 0.5 teaspoons garlic powder
• 0.5 teaspoons onion powder
• 0.5 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 3 celery stalks, finely diced
• 1 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
• 0.5 cups red onion, finely diced
• 0.5 cups shredded carrots
• 4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
• 0.5 cups sweet pickle relish
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• smoked paprika, for dusting (optional)

STEPS

1. Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions until just past al dente — slightly softer than al dente is correct for macaroni salad as the pasta will firm up slightly as it chills. Drain and rinse immediately under cold running water until completely cooled. Rinsing stops the cooking, cools the pasta quickly, and removes excess surface starch that would make the salad gummy.
2. Make the dressing: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, yellow mustard, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika until completely smooth and well combined. Taste and adjust — it should be creamy, tangy, slightly sweet, and well seasoned.
3. Combine: Add the cooled drained pasta to the dressing and toss until every piece of macaroni is thoroughly coated. Add the diced celery, green bell pepper, red onion, shredded carrots, chopped hard-boiled eggs, sweet pickle relish, and fresh parsley. Fold gently until all the vegetables and eggs are evenly distributed throughout.
4. Chill: Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours — overnight is even better. The chilling time is not optional — it allows the pasta to absorb the dressing, the flavors to meld completely, and the salad to firm up to the perfect creamy consistency.
5. Adjust and serve: Before serving, taste the salad and stir well — the pasta will have absorbed some of the dressing during chilling. If it seems dry, stir in an extra spoonful or two of mayonnaise to bring it back to a perfectly creamy consistency. Dust lightly with smoked paprika if desired and serve cold.

NOTES Tips: Cooking the pasta slightly past al dente is intentional — perfectly al dente pasta absorbs too little dressing and the salad ends up dry and stiff after chilling. Rinsing the pasta under cold water after draining is essential for macaroni salad — it stops the cooking and removes surface starch that would make the salad clump and gum up in the dressing. The dressing will look like too much when you first toss it — this is correct. The pasta absorbs a significant amount as it chills and what seems like an overdressed salad at the start becomes perfectly creamy after a few hours in the refrigerator. Always taste and re-season after chilling since cold temperatures dull salt and seasoning — the salad almost always needs a pinch more salt and a splash more vinegar before serving. This salad keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days and actually improves over the first 24 hours as the flavors develop.