Macaroni Salad

This creamy Macaroni Salad with peas is loaded with crunchy celery, bell pepper, onion, and chopped egg in a tangy mayo dressing. The best make ahead picnic side dish, ready in 30 minutes.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword Macaroni Salad

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings servings

Calories 476kcal

Author Jason Decker

Ingredients

2 & 1/2 cups dry macaroni noodles
3/4 cup small-diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped white onion
1/2 cup canned sweet peas drained well
3 large eggs hard-boiled and chopped
2 celery stalks thinly sliced
fresh chopped parsley for garnish

For the dressing

1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Instructions

Cook macaroni according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking; drain well.
2 & 1/2 cups dry macaroni noodles
Whisk together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic, dijon, salt, pepper, and paprika in a medium-sized bowl.
1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon Lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, finely minced, 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Add the bell pepper, onion, peas, egg, celery, and macaroni pasta in a large mixing bowl. Top with the creamy dressing and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary to your personal preferences.
3/4 cup small-diced red bell pepper, 1/2 cup finely chopped white onion, 1/2 cup canned sweet peas, 3 large eggs, 2 celery stalks
Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill. Give it a good stir, add to a serving bowl, and serve with parsley garnish, optional.
fresh chopped parsley

Notes

This makes a large batch, but you can easily double it to feed more or halve the recipe.
Tons of custom options, see my tips above on that.
Great for a make-ahead side dish.
Do not freeze.
Make extra dressing if you are not planning on eating this at one sitting.

Nutrition