Grandma’s Macaroni Salad

Today I am sharing my Grandma’s Macaronis Salad recipe. In my opinion, this is the best, in fact the only, macaroni salad recipes.

But, I know that today’s post is quite controversial. If you ask ten people what makes a good macaroni salad, you’ll likely get ten different answers. Some people say mayonnaise. Some people say mustard. Some people say hard boiled eggs. Others say dill pickles or cheddar cheese. And, for some unGodly reason I’ve never been able to figure out, some people think tuna fish belongs in macaroni salad.

No joke, I had an aunt who used to put tuna in her macaroni salad. Just thinking about it makes me gag. What a horrible waste of elbow macaroni. (In case you can’t tell, I am not a fan of tuna fish).

My Grandma’s macaroni salad is pretty simple. Dare I say, classic? But don’t let the simplicity fool you. It is also darn delicious.

Why You’ll Love It:

Okay, as I just said, I actually can’t promise you’ll love this one. If your idea of “classic” macaroni salad includes dill pickle relish, olives, or some sort of seafood, you will probably be disappointed.

But if your idea of the perfect macaroni salad is more traditional, this is the recipe for you.

This recipe is quick and easy to throw together. It uses pretty standard pantry staples, except for the secret ingredient, Miracle Whip.

Actually, I bet this is a pantry staple in a lot of households, but it’s not in mine. My mom never liked Miracle Whip, so growing up we always had Hellman’s Mayonnaise. Now I usually buy Sir Kensington’s or Primal Kitchen And I use mayonnaise sparingly. I’m not the type to slather it in a sandwich. I might put a super light coating on a turkey and Swiss, but usually mayonnaise is reserved for salads and dips and ranch dressing.

I only buy Miracle Whip if I’m making macaroni salad or turkey and red pepper sandwiches. And I couldn’t imagine making either of those recipes without.

Could you make this recipe with just mayonnaise? I mean, sure. But then it wouldn’t be my Grandma’s macaroni salad. And the thing I love most about this recipe is how it takes me back to summers done by, to family picnics and summer barbecues that seemed to go on forever. When I eat this macaroni salad I can almost feel the sprinkler stinging my skin and the tickle of the fireflies’ feet on my hands. And as much as I love summer today, it just doesn’t feel quite the same as it did when I was a kid.

So to me, the number one reason to love this dish is nostalgia.

How to Make Macaroni Salad:

Macaroni salad is pretty easy to make. You start with a big pot of lightly salted boiling water. Once the water is boiling, add the pasta and cook for 8-10 minutes, until tender. Then drain and set aside. Different types of pasta have different cooking times, so be sure to check the box. You don’t want mushy macaroni.

While the pasta is cooling, mix up the Miracle Whip, Dijon mustard, salt, pepper, and celery salt. I make my dressing in a small bowl with a whisk. Then, chop your veggies and add the diced peppers, celery, and onion to a large bowl.

Add the cooled pasta and toss to combine. Then stir in the dressing. Mix well, until all the macaroni is coated.

Cover and chill for at least four hours or overnight. I like to make my macaroni salad the day before I plan to eat it. I just love how the flavors come together overnight.

Enjoy!

Grandma’s macaroni salad is the perfect addition to any cookout. It goes great with burgers and dogs, grilled chicken, or pulled pork with homemade barbecue sauce. I also love it alongside a deli sandwich.

I’ve even been known to eat leftover macaroni salad for lunch all by itself. Maybe I’ll add some grape tomatoes and carrot sticks, a hard boiled egg, or some cheese and crackers (on the side, not in the macaroni salad), but I find the pasta filling on it’s own.

Macaroni salad is also a great dish to bring to a potluck or to send along to a friend.

Macaroni salad keeps in the refrigerator for about five days.