Our 3-year-old daughter Valentine came out of her room very late last night. “My bed is not letting me go to sleep.” Nice try, kid. I can’t really empathize; my bed lets me go to sleep before I’m even in it sometimes. Eric and I went to the drive-in movie theater last weekend. There are only like 300 drive-ins running in the US, isn’t that crazy? It’s only a 3 minute drive from our house so we take the kids all the time. And it’s easy to social distance! (Although I heard that real movie theaters are allowed to open up this week in CA!! So exciting! Can you tell we are movie people?) Anyway, there are no new movies of course, so the drive in is showing all these old movies from when we were kids. The Mummy, Transformers, School of Rock. So much fun to see them on the big screen again! Eric usually sets up the back of our minivan with blankets and pillows so we can lay down and relax, and I fall asleep every time. Every. Time. See Valentine? I don’t even need a bed to go to sleep, the back of a car will do for me. I think I’m getting old! This is the last week of school for my kids! Hooray! Just like when they actually attend school in person, we’re all mostly checked out at this point. Sorry, teach. But really is there anything better than being a kid on the last day of school? It’s the best! I feel so lucky that my kids are young and they didn’t miss out on anything important because of Covid-19. I mean don’t get me wrong, they missed out on school, and school is important (kinda;) but at least they weren’t graduating, right? My brother’s step-daughter is a graduating senior this year. Just like the last day of school is the best, the last few months of senior year are a total party! Such a bummer to miss out. And to top it off, they were driving through her graduation ceremony, and 4 cars away from the front where she was supposed to get her diploma, they ran out of gas!! ha! Way to make a weird situation even weirder!
Why this is the best Macaroni Salad ever
Because it has basically everything you could want in a macaroni salad recipe: perfectly cooked pasta, crumbled eggs, and fresh, crunchy veggies all smothered in a creamy and oh-so-flavorful dressing infused with fresh herbs and lemon. I mean, does it get any better than that? Oh, yes…yes it does. This recipe takes just 30 minutes to prep. Serve it as a side dish at your next BBQ or as a light lunch. You really can’t go wrong!
Best Macaroni Salad recipe ingredients
The full recipe can be found in the recipe card below!
How to make the Best Macaroni Salad
Now let’s talk Macaroni Salad! Are you a fan? I usually pick potato salad over macaroni salad, but that was before I discovered the secret to making it amazing: all the add-ins need to be chopped tiny. Now I am totally on team macaroni salad! I’m serious, for me this is the difference between a horribly crunchy experience and a beautiful, homogenous macaroni experience. It’s so easy to make. Here’s the line up: shredded carrots, celery chopped tiny, minced red and white onions (although you can just use one or the other if you prefer), green bell pepper, chives, hard boiled eggs, dill, and pimientos. This is the best combination! You can of course substitute whatever veggies you like best. But for me, this is where the magic is at for taste and texture. The other really important thing to remember with macaroni salad is not to overcook the pasta. You want to cook it until it is just barely al dente. The pasta is going to sit in the dressing for a few hours and will continue absorbing liquid. We want it to absorb some of that dressing instead of being waterlogged! And of course, we can’t forget the dressing. This is mayonnaise at it’s finest my friends. Add in some mustard, apple cider vinegar, pickle relish, and fresh lemon juice, and you will be in love! I hope that gatherings loosen up in your area so that you can bring this macaroni salad to a BBQ sometime soon! Or be like me: make it and eat it for lunch every day for days on end. No regrets. Macaroni salad forever!!
What goes well with Macaroni Salad?
Macaroni salad is such a classic summer dish! It’s perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or just to keep in the fridge for an easy and fresh lunch or side dish with dinner (or, if it’s been one of THOSE days, FOR dinner) any day of the week. I love to serve it as a side dish next to BBQ Smoked Pulled Pork or Black Bean Burgers with Sriracha Mayonnaise.Looking for great recipes to serve alongside this macaroni salad? Check out more of my summer BBQ recipes!
How to store Macaroni Salad
Leftover macaroni salad will last in a container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Since it’s served cold, you can just pull it out any time you’re hungry and dig in! If you’re classy like me, just grab a fork and get a bite straight from the container every time you pass the fridge.
Is it OK to make macaroni salad the day before?
Absolutely! In fact, it’s better that way. As the ingredients hang out together, the pasta and veggies soak up the awesome flavor from the dressing, making it taste even better!
More summer side dishes you are going to love!
Lemon Tarragon Pasta Salad « still one of my favorite pasta salads of all time! Need to update those photos! Easy BLT Pasta Salad « the only thing better than an actual BLT! Italian Tortellini and Pepperoni Pasta Salad « Who can say no to these Italian flavors! My Favorite Coleslaw (with Lemon and Fresh Herbs) « love this stuff. Literally The Best Mac and Cheese I’ve Ever Had « still true to this day. Greek Salad Recipe « so fresh and delicious! The Best Potato Salad Recipe « one of my favorite summer staples! Classic Egg Salad Sandwich « adding boiled eggs and mayonnaise to anything is my favorite apparently. Mediterranean Orzo Salad from Iowa Girl Eats Italian Pasta Salad from Kristine’s Kitchen Picnic Pasta Salad from Brown Sugar Food Blogger
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