Easy Macaroni Pasta Salad
Easy Macaroni Salad is a summer classic! Whip this up a day or two in advance for your next picnic or backyard barbecue for a delicious side dish!
Servings: 10
Calories: 201kcal
Ingredients
- 8 oz large macaroni elbow pasta
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 leaves stalks of celery plus the celery , finely chopped
- 1/2 small red onion finely chopped
- 1 large carrots finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to package directions. Drain the pasta and then spread out onto a sheet pan in a single layer. This will allow the pasta to cool faster and the noodles not to clump up. DO NOT RINSE. If you do, the dressing won't stick to the pasta as well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayo, lemon juice, half of the salt, pepper, dill and milk. Whisk in one teaspoon of the sugar then taste the dressing. Add more sugar or lemon juice if needed. I usually add in 3 teaspoons of sugar but your taste may be different.
- Stir in chopped veggies and parsley and mix well.
- Stir in cooked macaroni and toss until well coated.
- Season with remaining salt and pepper and more lemon juice if needed. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until chilled. Serve and enjoy!
- *Note* If the macaroni salad seems to dry out in the fridge, add in a splash or two of milk before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 7mg | Sodium: 337mg | Potassium: 97mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1175IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.5mg