Classic Macaroni Salad
This easy classic Macaroni Salad recipe with pickles is the perfect make ahead side dish for summer potlucks, picnics, and parties! This version is packed with more veggies than other recipes, including peas, corn, and bell pepper, with pickles and pickle juice for flavor and green onion for a more subtle taste than more traditional red onion. It’s delicious for days left in the fridge, making it perfect for leftovers and for making ahead of time!
This classic macaroni salad has all the creamy taste you love about macaroni pasta salad from the mayo-based dressing, with additional sweet and tangy flavor from pickle juice, dijon mustard, and just a touch of honey added to dressing.
Frozen corn and peas are added directly to the boiling pasta water and it’s all drained together, saving on time and dishes and adding some healthy, nutritious veggies to the mix.
The chopped dill pickles and diced red bell pepper add an awesome crunch and punch of flavor to the macaroni salad, WITHOUT making it soggy after even 3-4 days in the fridge. You’re going to LOVE how easy this is to make, how delicious it tastes (especially after the flavors are allowed to marry for a little), and all the veggies packed into it!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Macaroni – or another small – medium pasta shape. This is also a great opportunity to use an alternative pasta like chickpea or whole wheat pasta, since you rinse off the pasta after cooking and don’t need those awesome starches in the pasta like you do for more authentic Italian pasta recipes.
- Frozen corn – fresh can also be used.
- Frozen peas – fresh can also be used.
- Mayonnaise
- Honey – or another sweetener like sugar or agave.
- Dijon mustard – can be substituted with yellow or whole grain mustard.
- Dill pickles and pickle juice – or sweet pickles (omit the honey in this case).
- Bell pepper – I prefer red because it has a sweeter flavor but any color will do.
- Green onions – or red onions (which will have a sharper onion flavor).
- Kosher salt and black pepper
This is a summary of how to make this recipe. Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, written in traditional recipe format, or Jump to Recipe.
How to make Macaroni Salad
- First, cook the macaroni according to directions on package in salted water.
- One to two minutes before the pasta is done cooking, add the frozen peas and corn to the boiling water to cook along with the pasta. Drain and rinse everything together until it’s cool to the touch.
- Meanwhile, mix the dressing. In a large bowl, mix the mayo, mustard, honey, pickle juice, salt, and pepper.
- Chop up all the pickles and veggies while you wait for the pasta to cook.
- Mix everything together in the large bowl with the dressing, making sure everything gets well coated.
- For best results, refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or up to 48 hours, to allow the flavors to marry. Serve cold or at room temperature.
This is a summary of how to make this recipe. Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions, written in traditional recipe format, or Jump to Recipe.
Frequently Asked Questions
This macaroni salad will stay good for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. The bell peppers and other veggies hold up really well in the salad, and don’t turn soggy. Just stir it up a bit before serving in case some of the pasta on the top layer dries out and you’re good to go!
Definitely! Macaroni is classic for “macaroni salad,” but I love using rotini or other small – medium sized pasta shapes. You can use an alternative pasta like chickpea if you like. Cooking time will vary depending on the shape and type – just be sure to add the peas and corn 1-2 minutes before the cooking time indicated on the pasta package.
Other pasta salad recipes
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Green Goddess Pasta Salad
- Creamy Lemony Vegetable Pasta Salad
- Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Dill Pickle Pasta Salad (from Recipes from a Pantry)
Be sure to check out this collection of 20 Easy Make-Ahead Pasta Salad Recipes!
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Macaroni Salad
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Equipment
- Large Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb. elbow macaroni or other pasta shape
- 1/2 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup dill pickle juice
- 1/2 cup chopped dill pickles
- 1 red bell pepper diced into small pieces
- 1/2 cup sliced green onions (about 3-4 onions)
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni in heavily salted boiling water according to directions. In the last 1 minute of cooking, add the frozen peas and frozen corn to the water.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, make the dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise (1 cup), the honey (2 tablespoons), dijon mustard (1 tablespoon), kosher salt (1 teaspoon), black pepper (1/2 teaspoon), and dill pickle juice (1/4 cup).
- When the macaroni, peas, and corn are fully cooked, drain and rinse with cool water until the it has cooled off completely (check it so you can make sure it's cool to the touch). Shake off as much excess water as possible and add it to the bowl with the dressing.
- Add the chopped dill pickles (1/2 cup), diced red bell pepper (1), and sliced green onions (1/2 cup) to the bowl and mix everything together. For best results, allow to sit for 1-2 hours in the fridge for all the flavors to marry.
- Serve cold from the fridge or at room temperature.
Notes
- This recipe can be made ahead up to two days in advance, and leftovers are good for 3-4 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container in the fridge so it doesn’t dry out (and stir it up before serving).
- Another pasta shape or type can be used instead of macaroni, such as rotini, or a chickpea pasta for a gluten-free/grain-free version.
- Make it vegan with a vegan mayonnaise substitute and by using sugar instead of honey.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and reflects one serving of the recipe (total servings indicated at top of recipe card). It does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
Will be making for the 4th at the boat. Sounds good.
Hope y’all like it! Have fun, and happy fourth to everyone!
Simple easy and yummy 😋 cause who wants to cook when it’s hot 🥵 outside
So glad you like it!