Try this Fresh Macaroni Salad recipe, or contribute your own.
- • 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
- • 1 cup celery chopped
- • 1 small sweet onion chopped
- • 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- • 3/4 cup mayo or miracle whip
- • 2 tablespoons mustard
- • 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- • 1/3 cup sugar
- • 1 teaspoon salt
- • 2-3 hard boiled eggs diced into small pieces
- Carbohydrate 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Serving Size 1 1 recipe (0g)
- Sodium 0 mg
- Sugar 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Calories 0 calories
Step-by-step
- Place the macaroni noodles on the stove with water and cook until al dente.
- While the noodles are cooking, in a large bowl, mix together the chopped celery, onion, relish, mayo, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, and egg. Stir several times until the sugar dissolves into the mixture.
- Remove the noodles from the stove and rinse with cold water until the pasta is cooled. Add the noodles into the bowl of salad dressing, Stir and coat the noodles well with the dressing.
- Refrigerate the mixture for several hours before serving so that the pasta can soak up the flavors. Serve cold.
Undercooking pasta by precisely one minute is the singular secret to preventing a mushy macaroni salad. Starch molecules continue absorbing moisture from the dressing long after the heat turns off, meaning al dente pasta requires a firm interior bite straight from the boiling pot. Rinsing those hot noodles under cold running water halts the cooking process immediately while washing away excess surface starches that otherwise cause the mayonnaise emulsion to break down into an oily slick. Vinegar cuts through the heavy fat content of the mayonnaise base, creating a balanced emulsion when whisked thoroughly with sugar and mustard before the pasta joins the bowl. Letting the sugar crystals dissolve completely in the liquid ingredients prevents a gritty texture in the final dish. Celery and sweet onion contribute vital structural crunch to counter the soft pasta, while hard-boiled eggs add rich protein. Chilling the finished mixture for at least four hours allows the tubular elbow macaroni to draw the dressing inward through capillary action, fundamentally altering the flavor profile from a simple coating to an integrated dish. Pair this chilled side with heavily charred barbecue meats, where the cold temperature and acidic tang act as a palate cleanser against rich, smoky proteins. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days, though the pasta will continue softening as time passes.
