Description
A recipe to replicate the sweet, tangy, and creamy macaroni salad commonly found in commercial delis.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
- 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to package directions until al dente. Drain the pasta immediately and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sweet pickle relish, white vinegar, yellow mustard, sugar, salt, and pepper until the sugar is dissolved and the dressing is smooth.
- Add the rinsed, cooled macaroni to the dressing mixture. Toss gently to coat all the pasta evenly.
- Fold in the chopped celery, red onion, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. Mix until all ingredients are distributed.
- Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld.
- Before serving, stir the salad again. Add a splash more vinegar or mayonnaise if the salad seems too dry after chilling.
Notes
- Rinsing the cooked pasta well with cold water is important to remove excess starch, which prevents the salad from becoming gummy.
- For the best deli flavor, make this salad a day ahead of time. The chilling period lets the vegetables soften slightly and the dressing flavors deepen.
- If you prefer a sweeter salad, increase the sugar in the dressing by one teaspoon.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 28
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 23
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 10
- Cholesterol: 75