No salad is more iconic than a Southern Macaroni Salad loaded with sweet pickles, black olives, and chopped boiled eggs. Dressed with a sweet and savory mayo and mustard dressing, this salad is both savory and has a touch of sweetness.
Ingredients
Salad Ingredients
½PoundMacaroniSmall Shells, Small Elbow, Ditalini, or Rotini
Cook the Macaroni. Cook the macaroni or pasta al dente according to package instructions. Drain and rinse thoroughly in cold water.
½ Pound Macaroni
Combine the Salad. Place the well-drained cooled macaroni in a large mixing bowl and add the chopped celery, sweet gherkins, hard-boiled eggs, red onion, and sliced black olives.
½ Cup Celery, ½ Cup Sweet Gherkins, ½ Cup Sliced Black Olives, 3 Hard Boiled Eggs, ½ Red Onion
Mix the Dressing. In a small-sized bowl whisk together the Miracle Whip, yellow mustard, sweet pickle juice, salt, and freshly ground black pepper.
1 Cup Miracle Whip Salad Dressing, 1 Teaspoons Yellow Mustard, 2 Teaspoons Sweet Pickle Juice, ½ Teaspoon Salt, ½ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Dress the Salad. Pour the dressing over the macaroni salad ingredients and mix well.
Refrigerate, Garnish & Serve. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with a sprinkling of sweet paprika and chopped parsley, if desired. Serve and Enjoy!
Sweet Paprika, Chopped Fresh Parsley
Notes
My Top Tips♡ Do not overcook the macaroni! Start checking if the macaroni is cooked at the minimum stated cooking time for the package of macaroni you are cooking. Then test frequently until the macaroni is just barely tender to the bite. This makes the best-defined and toothsome salad.♡ Make it creamy, again. Macaroni is very absorbent and may soak up much of the dressing. If this happens and the salad is tight, stir in a couple of tablespoons of mayonnaise or heavy cream to loosen it and make it creamy again.Substitutions & VariationsBudget-Friendly Version. You can make this salad with fewer ingredients to make a more budget-friendly salad. Just omit the olives, eggs, and red onion and purchase the least expensive macaroni regardless of the shape.Make-Ahead & StorageThis salad is best when made ahead at least 1 hour for the flavors to marry. Refrigerate any leftovers promptly in a sealed container. This salad will stay tasty up for to 4 days after making it.