Try this Summertime Macaroni Salad recipe!
- Carbohydrate 36.1424212346925 g
- Cholesterol 8.40000000710095 mg
- Fat 8.70477254010614 g
- Fiber 1.60323082912905 g
- Protein 6.20210929364925 g
- Saturated Fat 1.33414670642977 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (72g)
- Sodium 228.100935861037 mg
- Sugar 34.5391904055635 g
- Trans Fat 6.92747981041866 g
- Calories 251 calories
Step-by-step
- Cook macaroni according to package directions.
- Drain.
- Boil and peel eggs.
- Place macaroni in a large bowl.
- Add mayonnaise, sweet pickles, onion powder, salt, pepper, and yellow mustard.
- Mix well.
- You may need to add more mayonnaise, depending on your preferences.
- Add chopped eggs.
- Lightly toss.
- Chill!
Starchy pasta requires aggressive salting of the cooking water to build flavor internally rather than relying solely on surface seasoning. Achieving proper mouthfeel in a chilled pasta dish relies entirely on managing how starches interact with fats. Unchecked starch absorption turns a creamy binder into a dry paste within hours.
- Cook elbow macaroni in boiling water salted to the salinity of seawater, roughly 50 grams of kosher salt per gallon, stopping one minute before the package instructions indicate to maintain structural integrity.
- Shock the drained pasta in cold water briefly to arrest cooking, then drain thoroughly through a fine-mesh colander for at least five minutes to remove excess exterior water that would otherwise dilute the mayonnaise emulsion.
- Fold in half of the mayonnaise while the pasta remains slightly warm so the starches absorb the fat directly, reserving the remaining condiment to adjust the consistency just prior to service.
- Dice hard-boiled eggs uniformly to ensure even distribution throughout the bowl without breaking down into a paste during the final mixing phase.
Store the finished salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Expect the noodles to continue absorbing moisture over the first twelve hours, requiring an extra spoonful of mayonnaise before plating.
