American
Creamy Macaroni Salad
Elbow macaroni, celery, and a mustard-mayo dressing. A picnic salad with a measured amount of sugar, not a cup of it.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Rinse the pasta so it does not clump.
- Dress it while it is slightly warm.
- Celery for crunch.
- Paprika is color on top.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Boil the macaroni until tender. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- 2
Stir mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper.
- 3
Fold in the pasta, celery, and onion.
- 4
Dust with paprika. Chill at least 30 minutes.
Pro tips
- If it looks dry after chilling, add a spoon of mayo, not a flood.
- Peas, 1/2 cup, are a fair addition.
- Onion can be scallion if raw onion is too sharp for the table.
Easy substitutions
- Yellow mustard
- Dijon
- Red onion
- Scallions
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Serve cold.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 260
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop · Vegetarian
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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