Southern Style Macaroni Salad
A creamy, tangy classic with tender pasta, crisp veggies, and a rich Southern-inspired dressing, this chilled side dish is a crowd-pleaser at any cookout or potluck.
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Servings: 10
Ingredients
For the Salad Base
- 16 ounces of elbow macaroni or ditalini pasta cooked until just shy of tender
- Half a red onion minced finely and briefly soaked in ice water
- A trio of celery stalks diced into small pieces
- One small red bell pepper chopped into tiny cubes
- Four sweet gherkins finely chopped (or use sweet pickle relish as an alternative)
- Two to four hard-cooked eggs chopped into small bits
For the Creamy Dressing
- 1 cup of full-fat mayonnaise or Miracle Whip as preferred
- 1/4 cup of tangy sour cream
- 2 tablespoons of liquid from a pickle jar
- 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- A dash of garlic salt
- A light sprinkle of celery seed
- A small pinch of kosher salt
- A small pinch of ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions, stopping about 30 seconds before the minimum suggested time to keep it firm. Drain and rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop the cooking.
- While the pasta cooks, place the finely diced red onion into a bowl of ice water. Allow it to soak while you prepare the other ingredients. This step mellows the sharpness of the onion.
- In a large bowl, combine the chopped celery, diced red bell pepper, minced gherkins, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. Drain the red onions and add them in as well. Incorporate the cooled pasta and mix gently to distribute everything evenly.
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, and Dijon mustard. Sprinkle in garlic salt, celery seed, kosher salt, and black pepper. Whisk until smooth and well blended. Adjust seasoning to taste if necessary.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the salad mixture and toss gently until everything is coated uniformly.
- Cover and refrigerate the salad for at least one hour before serving. This dish can also be prepared up to a day in advance—simply stir before serving to refresh the texture and flavor.
Notes
For best results, use freshly cooked and cooled pasta. Allowing the salad time to chill enhances flavor and texture.