The word pasta was foreign to my ears for a large part of my growing years. We didn’t call anything pasta. We didn’t have pasta salad, we had Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad. We had macaroni, spaghetti and, occasionally, lasagna noodles. I was shocked beyond measure when I learned that spaghetti was the name of the noodles and not the sauce. In my small little world, the noodles were called spaghetti noodles because they were there simply to catch the sauce that was called spaghetti.
I don’t how we got that so messed up, but we did. In spite of it, we lived with ourselves and our misunderstanding of what pasta is.
Nothing called pasta salad existed in my little world. We had Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad. It was a fixture at picnics, backyard BBQs and potluck dinners. You couldn’t get by without seeing several versions at church covered dish meals.
While people had their own version, it varied only slightly from cook to cook. Mayonnaise and pimento were necessary. Some variation with vegetables was acceptable. Boil eggs might be added but not any meat.
It was simple, inexpensive and contained ordinary ingredients. That method of cooking is my preference still today.
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Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad
Served chilled, this salad is creamy, cool, tart and sweet. A great combination of flavors and nostalgia. I prefer the mild flavor of rice vinegar in this recipe. Substitute your favorite white vinegar and adjust the sugar accordingly. You might need more sugar is you use a stronger flavored vinegar.
cook the macaroni:
4 cups dried elbow macaroni
salt
1 tablespoons cooking oil
sauce:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 celery stalks, finely diced
1 medium sweet onion, finely diced
1 cup grated carrot (about 2 medium)
Cook elbow macaroni, in boiling salted water, according to package direction. Add one tablespoon cooking oil to the water before it boils. Don’t over cook the macaroni. Seven minutes is about all you need.
While the macaroni cooks, prepare the sauce. Or you can prepare the sauce ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until ready for use. However you decide to do it is your preference.
But listen to me: have the sauce ready to go because you need to mix the drained macaroni in the sauce while the macaroni is still hot. That’s the most important part of this whole recipe. The sauce will look like a runny mess. That’s exactly the way you want it. When the macaroni’s hot, it will absorb most of the liquid. If you thrown cold macaroni into your sauce, you will be disappointed and might be tempted to use disparaging words against me. Please don’t do that. The sauce that began as a runny mess will stay a runny mess unless you mix it with hot drained macaroni.
Back to preparing the sauce. Throw all the sauce ingredients into the biggest bowl you’ve got. Stir it well.
As soon as the macaroni is done, drain it and add it to the sauce while it’s still hot. (refer to diatribe above)
Stir well. Then, stir again. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
Cover and place in refrigerator for 4 hours or until well chilled.
Stir before serving.
Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- cook the macaroni:
- 4 cups dried elbow macaroni
- salt
- 1 tablespoons cooking oil
- sauce:
- 1 cup Duke's mayonnaise
- 4 ounces jarred pimento
- 2/3 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 celery stalks finely diced
- 1 medium sweet onion finely diced
- 1 cup grated carrot about 2 medium
Instructions
- Cook elbow macaroni, in boiling salted water, according to package direction. Add one tablespoon cooking oil to the water before it boils. Don't over cook the macaroni. Seven minutes is about all you need.
- While the macaroni cooks, prepare the sauce. Or you can prepare the sauce ahead of time and store in the refrigerator until ready for use. However you decide to do it is your preference.
- But listen to me: have the sauce ready to go because you need to mix the drained macaroni in the sauce while the macaroni is still hot. That's the most important part of this whole recipe. The sauce will look like a runny mess. That's exactly the way you want it. When the macaroni's hot, it will absorb most of the liquid. If you thrown cold macaroni into your sauce, you will be disappointed and might be tempted to use disparaging words against me. Please don't do that. The sauce that began as a runny mess will stay a runny mess unless you mix it with hot drained macaroni.
- Back to preparing the sauce. Throw all the sauce ingredients into the biggest bowl you've got. Stir it well.
- As soon as the macaroni is done, drain it and add it to the sauce while it's still hot. (refer to diatribe above)
- Stir well. Then, stir again. Taste for seasoning and adjust.
- Cover and place in refrigerator for 4 hours or until well chilled.
- Stir before serving.
marshasbakingaddiction says
I love macaroni! This salad looks perfect!
Jackie Garvin says
Marsha,
It’s pretty good! Thanks for stopping by!
Becca @ Amuse Your Bouche says
This looks brilliant. I love pasta salad and this one sounds so tasty!
Jackie Garvin says
Becca,
It’s pretty tasty. Thanks for stopping by.
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
This is the kind of dish that always goes down well at BBQs. I love the pop of colour in there too.
Jackie Garvin says
Dannii,
Old fashioned never goes out of style when it comes to this dish. Thanks for stopping by.
Gloria Duggan says
There are so many variations of pasta salads….and this looks great!!
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Gloria. Thanks for stopping by!
Christie says
Duke’s mayo is my favorite. There is nothing like an old-fashioned macaroni salad.
Jackie Garvin says
Christie,
It’s the mayo we buy. Thanks for stopping by!
cindy says
Saw this a few days ago and decided to make it for church lunch today. It was a hit! I had one request for the recipe and a comment “Miss Cindy, you always cook good stuff!” I’m sharing this post with my friend who asked for your recipe. We didn’t have “pasta” at my house growing up either, it was either spaghetti or macaroni and cheese or just noodles! 🙂
Jackie Garvin says
Cindy,
I’m so glad it worked out for you! You e hit to have macaroni salad at church potlucks. Thank you so much for sharing the link with your friend.
Lenoria says
Yummy!! This picture makes my mouth water just thinking about macaroni salad. I didn’t know what “pasta” was either – but I knew what macaroni was and I loved it and love it still. Mac and real cheese, mac and tomatoes, and macaroni salad (or just mac and a little butter, salt, and pepper).
sandradavisalltheway says
Hi Jackie, they say it’s going to be really hot in southern california next week. I think this salad will hit the spot. I bet it’s awesome!
Jackie Garvin says
It is yummy, Sandra. Stay cool!
Kentuckylady717 says
I have been wanting Macaroni Salad….for sure going to make this recipe….it is different from how I make mine , sounds delicious tho…
I was wondering what the difference between Rice Vinegar and Apple Cider Vinegar (this is what I use )
Can you send me msg. on twitter or here, but probably would get it sooner on twitter 🙂
I will need to go to the store for Rice Vinegar as I have never used it, plus I need Celery also….have everything else tho…..
Thanks
Jackie Garvin says
Rice vinegar is a little milder than apple cider vinegar. You can certainly use apple cider vinegar if that’s what you have.
Patricia Mann says
I’ve been looking for a macaroni salad recipe for a while. This sounds and looks so good. Thank you for this recipe. I’m definitely going to make this. Old timey recipes are the best. I’ve lived in West Virginia all my life and wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love southern dishes.
Jackie Garvin says
Thank you, Patricia. I hope you enjoy it.
Doris says
Jackie:
I have been looking for a “true” deli style macaroni salad and this is it!!! Just made it … did not disappoint. I used regular white vinegar though. Thanks for a keeper! Glad to have found your site. Blessings always.