Macaroni Salad

A classic, easy Macaroni Salad that is a hit for potlucks, parties and BBQs with both kids and adults. It’s a quick, easy and delicious recipe which makes it the perfect side dish.

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This simple and easy Macaroni salad has pasta, shredded cheese, ham and peas that’s covered in a mayonnaise dressing. It’s a staple at all of our gatherings and a great macaroni salad recipe for a potluck or backyard barbecues and summer parties.

Why You’ll Love this recipe

• You can prep it ahead of time!
• It’s a full summer dinner with pasta and protein.
• It’s so flexible. There’s so many great add-ins so you can change it up each time you make it to keep it fresh.

Macaroni salad ingredients

• Pasta – I used elbow macaroni noodles, but any short pasta will be fine, just prepare according to directions and cook until al dente.
• Seasonings – This salad is seasoned with celery salt, onion salt and seasoning salt.
• Dressing – We use mayonnaise and yellow mustard for the dressing. If you prefer it a bit sweeter you can also use Miracle Whip. If you are looking for it to be lighter you can substitute half the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt, just be aware it will have a slight tang to it.
• Cheese – I shredded cheddar cheese, but you can use whatever cheese you would like.
• Ham – To make it quick and easy I grabbed a bag of pre-diced ham, but this is a great way to use leftover ham if you have any.
• Peas – A bag of frozen peas makes this quick and easy. Simply run the frozen peas under warm water to thaw them then add to the salad.

More Great Ad-Ins!

• Diced red onion
• Diced celery
• Cubed cheese (instead of shredded)
• Diced red bell pepper
• Shredded carrots
• Pickles
• Pickle juice
• Crumbled bacon bits
• Diced hard-boiled eggs or take it up a notch and make Devilled eggs

How To Make Macaroni Salad

1. Boil macaroni in salted water according to directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
2. Mix together celery salt, onion salt, Mayonnaise, mustard and seasoning salt in large bowl.
3. Add noodles, cheddar cheese, peas and ham. Mix well. Chill until serving.

How do I keep macaroni from absorbing mayonnaise?

After the macaroni is done cooking, run it under cold water to cool it off. Then place it in the refrigerator to let it cool it down completely. After it’s cooled, mix your dressing and macaroni together. A cooled macaroni will absorb the mayonnaise slower.

How to Store Leftovers

FRIDGE: You can safely store this macaroni salad in the fridge for up to 5 days. Store in an airtight container to maximize freshness.

FREEZER: If you want to freeze leftovers, you can, but I don’t recommend it because the taste might change quite a bit after freezing and thawing.

Macaroni salad is a quick and easy crowd pleasing side that you will be whipping up all summer long! Keep it in the fridge for an easy lunch when the kids just want to stay outside and play.

Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @julieseatsandtreats or #julieseatsandtreats so I can see your yummy treat!

 

4.90 from 144 votes

Macaroni Salad

Quick and easy pasta salad that is always a hit at parties, potlucks and BBQs. Tons of flavor from the pasta, peas, ham, cheese and seasonings!

Prep:10 minutes mins

Cook:12 minutes mins

Chill Time:1 minute min

Total:23 minutes mins

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Ingredients

• ▢ 16 ounces elbow macaroni
• ▢ ½ teaspoon celery salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon onion salt
• ▢ 2 cups mayonnaise
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon seasoning salt
• ▢ 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
• ▢ 16 ounces frozen peas rinsed with warm water
• ▢ 1 cup diced ham

Instructions

• Boil elbow macaroni according to directions. Drain, rinse with cold water and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together celery salt, onion salt, mayonnaise, mustard, seasoning salt in large bowl.
• Add noodles, cheddar cheese, peas and ham. Mix well.
• Chill until serving, at least 1 hour.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 512kcal (26%), Carbohydrates: 35g (12%), Protein: 13g (26%), Fat: 35g (54%), Saturated Fat: 8g (50%), Polyunsaturated Fat: 17g, Monounsaturated Fat: 8g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 40mg (13%), Sodium: 831mg (36%), Potassium: 199mg (6%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 4g (4%), Vitamin A: 503IU (10%), Vitamin C: 15mg (18%), Calcium: 154mg (15%), Iron: 1mg (6%)

© Julie's Eats & Treats ®

We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box is calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.

how to serve macaroni salad

Creamy macaroni salad is the perfect side dish for any potluck or summer cookout. We love to serve it alongside Crock Pot Pulled Pork when we are feeding a crowd. Asian Steak Kabobs are also such a great option and scream summer! Crock Pot Hot Ham & Cheese Sandwiches are also a really good idea when you are hosting a group of hungry friends. 

More Salad Recipes For A Crowd!

• Taco Salad is such a good idea for a day when it is just too hot to heat up the kitchen and make regular tacos.
• This version of the Best Ever Potato Salad tastes just like Grandma’s secret recipe!
• Bacon Ranch Potato Salad is a great twist on the classic potato salad you now and love. Try it out next time a potato salad is on the meal plan!
• Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is made with basic pantry staples that you probably already have on hand so you can make this in a pinch.
• Tangy Italian dressing, pasta, veggies and salami are sure to wow everyone at your cookout. Italian Pasta Salad is definitely in our top five favorite salads!