Southern Macaroni Salad
This southern macaroni salad is the perfect summer side dish. It’s creamy, sweet, and the best accompaniment to your barbeque or cookout. All you’ll have to do is boil your noodles, chop your veggies then literally mix all of your ingredients together. It’s that simple. Plus, it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, so it’s a great make-ahead dish. Read along to see how to make southern macaroni salad in no time.
Why This is the Best Creamy Macaroni Salad
Savory Vs Sweet
This particular recipe is the perfect combo of savory and sweet. The peppers in this recipe add that savory taste while the mayo dressing adds in the sweet.
Feeds a crowd
Reminder! This is not a small recipe! This is at least 10 servings or more, making this the perfect dish for a large party or gathering.
It’s just really good
I just really like this recipe. I love “salads” such as these. They really remind me of my grandmother and potluck when I was a kid.
Equipment You’ll Need
When making this easy creamy macaroni salad, you really won’t need a lot of tools or equipment. Just the usual items to make macaroni; a large stock pot and a colander for draining off the water. Then you’ll need a large bowl, cutting knife and large spoon.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Elbow Macaroni:
I used two and a half cups of dry elbow macaroni. I bought a two pound box of dry macaroni and used about 3/4 of it. This recipe makes for a lot! So just keep that in mind.
Chopped Veggies:
I used a red and a yellow bell pepper, a red onion, and three celery stalks. This adds to that savory flavor and gives the salad a crunch.
Mayonnaise:
This is the majority for the creamy base for the dressing. It also gives it that sweet flavor.
Sour Cream:
The 1/4 cup of sour cream also gives it the creamy flavor and texture while lightening up the heavy mayo.
Seasonings:
For seasonings, you’ll need salt, pepper, sugar, ang garlic powder.
Step by Step How to Make Creamy Macaroni Salad
Step one
Boil your macaroni in water according to directions. Once the noodles are tender, remove from heat and drain off the water. Let the noodles cool.
Step two
Finely chop your peppers, onion and celery into small bits. In a small bowl, add your mayo, sour cream and seasonings, and mix thoroughly.
Step three
Add all your ingredients and cream base to a larger bowl. Fold together with a large spoon or spatula. Chill and serve cold for best results. Enjoy!
Southern Macaroni Salad
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Collander
- Large Bowl
- Sharp Kitchen Knife
- Cutting Board
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups Uncooked Elbow Macaroni
- 1 Yellow Bell Pepper
- 1 Red Bell Pepper
- 1 Red Onion
- 3 Celery Stalks
- 3/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 1 tbsp Pepper
- 1 tsp Sugar
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
Instructions
- Boil your macaroni in water according to directions. Once the noodles are tender, remove from heat and drain off the water. Let the noodles cool.
- Finely chop your peppers, onion and celery into small bits. In a small bowl, add your mayo, sour cream and seasonings, and mix thoroughly.
- Add all your ingredients and cream base to a larger bowl. Fold together with a large spoon or spatula. Chill and serve cold for best results. Enjoy!
Before you go…
What did you think about this sweet macaroni salad recipe? Did you try it? I’m telling you…this is the perfect summer side dish. If you make it, please let me know what you thought! I wanna know! Let me know here or in the comments below! I want to hear from you!
