This is my next step down memory lane. For some reason, I have been feeling particularly nostalgic lately. Maybe it’s because I have been seeing so many graduation pictures of kids of friends–friends that I myself graduated with many (many) years ago. Maybe it’s because I’ve started to learn that some of my friends’ kids–kids that I watched grow up–are having kiddos of their own. Maybe it’s because I live so far away from family and many friends that my mind naturally takes me back to happy, fun, carefree days that are harder to find as we get older.
Yeah, I’m a ray of sunshine today, huh?
But the title of this post is an upbeat one, full of promise for anyone who decides to dive into my my childhood with me. I say that this is the best macaroni salad EVER. I’m sure that’s up for debate by others, but in my humble (well, sometimes not so humble) opinion, this one really is THE best.
OK, so I’m a little bit biased. This recipe is my family’s recipe, made for nearly every summer potluck I ever attended. And that’s not just when I was a kid. My folks are still known to make and take this simple and flavor-bomb of a macaroni salad to many-a-party.
Why is this one so darned fabulous? Well, allow me to wax poetic on the crimes of other macaroni salads. So many imposters out there suffer from one of two sins:
- They’re bone dry, making you feel like you need a chaser of anything wet after trying to choke it down.
- They’re over-dressed, macaroni swimming in whatever sauce or wet concoction is tossed into the cooked pasta. You feel like you need a sieve just to get at the actual macaroni.
This perfect macaroni salad is neither of those things, and has texture beyond just some overdone and sticky elbow macaroni. The right mix of two kinds of mayo, along with the crunch of celery, the tang of apple cider vinegar, and the the punch of onion and green pepper make this a unique take on a picnic classic.
Every time I take a bite of this macaroni salad, I am transported back to those days of childhood summers and family gatherings. It’s a good feeling, and an even better bite of nostalgia! Enjoy!
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 12 people | 3 hours |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 30 minutes | 2 hours |
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As I mentioned in my list of crimes committed by other macaroni salads, this one is the perfect balance of tang, crunch, creamy and luscious. It is a crowd-pleaser every time, and I admit to making extra so that I can have a bowl of it all to myself once the party ends. Nostalgia in a bowl!
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- 1 lb. elbow macaroni
- 6 eggs hard boiled
- 1 cup white or yellow onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1 cup green bell pepper, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp. celery seed
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
- 1 tsp. freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 cups Miracle Whip (see note re: Miracle Whip)
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- Cook macaroni per package instructions. Drain and rinse macaroni to remove excess starch. Allow macaroni to cool completely. While macaroni is cooking, boil eggs; allow them to cool prior to use.
- Dice onion, celery and green onions. Add to cooled macaroni. Add cider vinegar, celery seed, salt & pepper.
- Peel and dice 5 of the hard boiled eggs. Add to macaroni mixture.
- Mix Miracle Whip and mayo together. Add to macaroni.
- Mix macaroni salad thoroughly, making sure to incorporate all of the ingredients. Cover and chill for 2 hours, or overnight.
- Remove from refrigerator and stir. Add additional mayo or Miracle Whip to get it to your desired consistency. Salt & pepper to taste. Prior to serving, peel and slice the last egg and arrange on top as a garnish. Sprinkle with paprika for color (optional).
Miracle Whip is one of those things that is a must in this version of macaroni salad. The regular mayo has a consistency that acts as a binder, while the Miracle Whip does the same while adding some unique tang to the dish that you can't get from regular mayo. I can't stress the need for this ingredient enough. If you can't find Miracle Whip, another brand of similar mayo-based dressing should work.
Looks so creamy and yummy, no wonder why its the best!
I don’t normally like macaroni salads, precisely for the crimes you mentioned, but I guess I’ll have to give this recipe a try 🙂 Looks great!
I love a good macaroni salad! This takes me back to my childhood!
Can’t wait to try this! Love the added hard boiled eggs & green bell pepper – yeah!!
I know what you mean about feeling nostalgic (my family lives far away), so I’m glad this dish can bring back great memories for you!
The boiled eggs just scream “I’m from the 70’s!”, which of course is right in line with where my nostalgia lies. :o) A fun and tasty throwback, for sure!
You are very correct about what’s wrong with most macaroni salads. I was used to eating the dry ones so often as a kid that I stopped taking a serving at most potlucks/picnics even though I was that American kid that *never* passed up pasta in any form. It’s such a simple dish, and yet it’s somewhat hard to get just right. Sounds like you’ve accomplished that though! 🙂