This simple but deliciously rich macaroni salad is perfect for your next barbecue or when making homemade fried chicken or pizza.
What is Macaroni Salad?
Macaroni salad is a cold pasta made typically from a type of pasta known as elbow macaroni. Macaroni pasta generally refers to the narrow, tubular-shaped variety of dried pasta. Elbow macaroni also has a thin tube but is slightly curved, resulting in a bend that mimics the human elbow joint.
Macaroni salad is a popular deli item sold throughout the United States, Australia, and New Zealand. It’s a typical pasta served at barbecues and picnics alongside other staple salads such as potato salad and coleslaw.
Cooking the Pasta
Cooking the pasta for this macaroni salad is a crucial component. I like to cook the pasta for a minute or two longer than the packet instructions, as pasta tends to harden when cooled, resulting in macaroni with more of a bite. Immediately run the cooked pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process.
IMPORTANT: Even though the sauce packs a lot of flavours, it’s essential to season the cooking water used to boil pasta so it absorbs the flavour as it cooks. Debates will rage over how much salt is required and whether it should taste like the sea. I like adding a teaspoon of salt to a litre of water so it tastes like salted water. Don’t worry; you won’t eat any of this salt; it will only serve to season the cooked pasta.
Vegetables
Like all recipes, finding a method maintained consistently across countries and regions, especially one as large as the United States, can prove impossible. Therefore, recipes for macaroni salad are as varied as pasta forms themselves. My macaroni salad recipes consist of vegetables I like, which include sweeter red peppers and onions, celery for some crunch, and grated carrots.
However, a macaroni salad generally consists of onions, celery, pickles, and dill. Onions and celery have been included in my fresh vegetable list. However, I’ve omitted dill from the list of salad ingredients. Still, it features in my dressing, along with parsley, salt, and pepper. Pickles, or gherkins, are included here, not for tradition but for my love of them.
Creamy Dressing for Macaroni Salad
The dressing for this salad can be compared to coleslaw recipes and ranch dressing. However, it makes no use of buttermilk. Some recipes call for sour cream, but I prefer the tangy smoothness of natural yoghurt when mixed with a rich mayonnaise. The seasonings here are what really draw comparisons to ranch dressing. Like my ranch dressing recipe, I’m using dill and parsley.
Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 300 g of Elbow Macaroni
- 2 Red Peppers Deseeded & Diced
- 1 Red Onion Diced
- 2 Celery Sticks Diced
- 2 Carrots Peeled & Grated
- 3 Gherkins Drained, & Diced + extra to serve
- 1 Tsp of Salt
For the Dressing
- 120 g Mayonnaise
- 120 g Natural Yoghurt
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Parsley Chopped
- 1 Tbsp Dill. Chopped
- 1 Clove of Garlic Minced
- Salt / Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a pan of water and 1 tsp salt to the boil to cook the macaroni. Cook the macaroni in the boiling water for 12-14 minutes. Drain the cooked pasta, then run under cold water until cold.
- To Make the dressing – Mix the mayonnaise and yoghurt in a bowl. Stir in the chopped herbs and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- To make the salad – Combine the pasta with the vegetables and toss well. Dress with the dressing, and place into a serving dish. Serve with extra pickles.
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