This is without a doubt the best macaroni salad recipe to serve at any potluck, BBQ, or picnic. With hard-boiled eggs and a whole pound of elbow macaroni it makes enough to satisfy a crowd. The chopped pepper and celery contribute that nice crunch.
The combination of the mayonnaise and yellow mustard give this incredibly tasty macaroni salad the right amount of creaminess without it being too heavy.
If this isn't the recipe you need for your picnic or barbecue, we have 50 more salad recipes for you to choose from. Everything from different versions of potato salad, to fruit salads and coleslaw, to salads you may have never heard of but will wow the crowd with. Go to the Salad Recipes section to get those delicious recipes!
Macaroni Salad
Ingredients:
1 pound cups uncooked elbow macaroni
6 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 green or red bell pepper, chopped
4 cups real mayonnaise
3 Tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Directions:
1. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender. Drain, and set aside to cool.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the eggs, celery, and pepper.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, pepper, salt and onion powder.
4. Combine in the bowl with the eggs and vegetables, and stir in macaroni until well blended.
5. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.
Why Do I Need to Chill a Recipe Before Serving?
There are a number of recipes, including this one, that require you to chill before serving. If you've ever wondered what chilling before serving does for the food, we've got the answer here for you. Chilling is a critical part of ensuring a recipe turns out as it should.
Chilling a recipe allows time for the ingredients to really take hold. If you're marinating something or using a dressing on it, allowing it time to sit in the fridge will allow that marinade or dressing to deeply penetrate the food. This will give you a dish that's more flavorful and vibrant than a dish you eat right after preparation.
Sometimes, chilling is a part of a recipe because it allows the prepared recipe to settle. With cookie dough, for example, chilling will allow the dough to settle. This stops the cookies from spreading out too much in the oven. As another example, chilling ground beef before forming it into burger patties will ensure each burger sticks together during grilling. Otherwise, the patties will fall apart and won't be easy to cook.
Before chilling anything, make sure it's cooled to room temperature. If you pop something into the fridge when its piping hot, it can have negative consequences on the integrity of the ingredients. With this recipe, be sure the pasta is cool before putting the salad in the fridge.