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Classic Macaroni Salad

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients
  

  • Pasta
  • 400 g 14 oz elbow macaroni
  • Salt for the pasta water
  • Salad
  • 3 stalks celery finely diced
  • 1 medium carrot finely diced or grated
  • ½ red bell pepper finely diced
  • ½ green bell pepper finely diced
  • ½ red onion very finely diced
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced
  • 3 hard-boiled eggs peeled and chopped
  • ¼ cup sweet gherkins or dill pickles finely diced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • Dressing
  • 1 cup 240g good quality mayonnaise
  • 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon pickle brine
  • Garnish
  • Smoked paprika for dusting
  • Fresh parsley chopped
  • Optional: extra sliced green onions

Instructions
 

  • Cook macaroni in heavily salted water one minute longer than al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water until completely cool. Shake well and allow to air dry.
  • Whisk all dressing ingredients together until smooth. Taste and adjust until creamy, tangy, and well seasoned.
  • Toss cooled pasta with half the dressing immediately to coat and absorb flavor.
  • Add celery, carrot, bell peppers, red onion, green onions, eggs, pickles, and parsley. Fold gently to combine.
  • Add remaining dressing and fold through until everything is evenly coated. The salad should look slightly overdressed at this stage.
  • Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Overnight is strongly recommended.
  • Before serving, stir well and taste and adjust seasoning, adding extra mayonnaise or vinegar as needed.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl. Dust with smoked paprika and top with fresh parsley and green onions. Serve cold.

Notes

  • Cook pasta slightly past al dente for better dressing absorption and classic texture
  • Rinse and dry pasta thoroughly — wet pasta makes the salad watery
  • Always make extra dressing — pasta absorbs it aggressively as it chills overnight
  • Dice all vegetables small and uniform — roughly the same size as the pasta
  • Season boldly — cold temperatures mute flavors significantly
  • Chill for at least 1 hour without exception — the chill brings everything together
  • Taste again before serving and refresh with extra mayonnaise and vinegar as needed
  • Keep cold when serving outdoors — place bowl over ice for safety
  • Store in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container
  • Do not freeze — mayonnaise separates, and pasta becomes mushy