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A bowl of creamy macaroni salad with chopped vegetables, garnished with paprika and fresh parsley on top.
Melissa Jo

Macaroni Salad

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My family has been making this macaroni salad for MANY generations. I learned to make it from my mother and it's funny how the simplest ingredients make the BEST macaroni salad. You might as well bookmark this recipe now. It is a keeper.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lb. of elbow noodles
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 3 stalks of celery diced
  • 1 sweet onion diced
  • 1 tomato diced try to remove as many seeds as possible
  • Italian flat leaf parsley chopped
  • 1 tbsp. of sugar
  • 1½ cups of mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar
  • salt, pepper, paprika to taste

Method
 

  1. Boil elbows to package directions
  2. dice up all of the vegetables nice and small
  3. add all of the listed ingredients to a large bowl
  4. mix everything thoroughly then add the boiled elbows
  5. mix everything and TASTE (if you need a little more of this or that add it)
  6. chill at lest 3 hours (I chill overnight)
  7. To serve: Mix it up again and add paprika and parsley for garnish

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Notes

  • Taste Test: as with most recipes you MUST make it your own. Taste as you go! These ratios are what make the perfect macaroni salad to me, but a great rule of thumb is to add a little less of the condiments and seasoning. Then taste! You can always add more if needed.
  • Chill: You have to let this macaroni salad chill figuratively and literally. LOL After you mix everything together chill AT LEAST 3 hours. I always make the night before I am going to serve and chill for about 18-24 hours. This allows all of the flavors to blend together AND the dressing to thicken.
  • Dressing: The dressing you make will seem a little loose. But rest assured that once you chill (at least 3 hours) it will thicken perfectly into a creamy dressing.
  • Serving: When you take it out of the refrigerator to serve; mix thoroughly then add little more mayo if needed.
 

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