Skip to Content

All American Macaroni Salad Recipe

All American Macaroni Salad is one of the most popular summer picnic and potluck sides. Macaroni salad is sitting right next to apple pie on American picnic tables everywhere. This iconic pasta salad is made with a classic macaroni noodle, green onions, peppers and olives; finished with a scrumptious mayo based dressing.

All American Macaroni Salad

If pasta salads are a favorite in your home be sure to check out some of our other recipes like the delicious Pasta Bacon SaladMediterranean Macaroni Salad, Tortellini Salad with Pepperoni, and the hearty Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad

Making a Classic American Macaroni Salad is a simple feat that has a big return. The pasta ingredients can vary depending on your preferences, and the dressing can be made with healthier ingredients than the traditional store bought mayo and sugar.

All American Macaroni Salad
black olives and garden grown roasted red peppers

Bragg’s apple cider vinegar gives the dressing a bit of tang and the addition of sweet relish on this salad brings out the flavor with added depth.

We used our homegrown roasted red peppers and they added a wonderful splash of color and flavor. You can use any roasted red peppers in your local grocery stores.

All American Macaroni Salad Recipe

American Macaroni Salad Recipe:

All-American Macaroni Salad Ingredients are just what you like. We enjoy the roasted peppers, black olives and green onions. They add lively flavor and color, but if you are looking for some more variety we are sharing some ways below.

Substitutions to Macaroni Salad

  • Substitute the granulated sugar with honey or pure maple syrup. It will change the flavor a bit so be aware of that.
  • Substitute finely chopped celery, dill pickles, or red onion for the green onions.
  • Instead of roasted peppers use red bell pepper.
  • Add 3 hard boiled eggs for added protein and flavor.
  • Omit the sweet relish in the dressing and add chopped sweet pickles to the salad.
  • Sprinkle with a dash of paprika to bring up the color.
  • 1 tsp. Dijon mustard, 1/4 Cup sour cream and a dash of garlic powder can be added to the dressing to bring up the flavor even more.

All about the Dressing

  1. Whisk the vinegar, sugar and mayonnaise together until it’s smooth, add the milk and mix until it is the desired consistency.
  2. If you are looking for a healthier mayo, try our Homemade Heart Healthy Mayo.
  3. Mix the veggies and sweet relish into the noodles.
  4. Add the dressing to the noodle mixture and gently stir until every noodle is covered with dressing.
  5. Chill in the fridge for several hours.
  6. Remove from fridge, refresh the salad dressing, if necessary (you may even need to make more if it all soaked into the noodles) and mix more into the salad.
  7. This is a good salad to make the night before and chill so the flavors merge well. The dressing will soak into the pasta some so keep that in mind.

Assembling the Salad

  1. Boil the elbow macaroni in a large pot of salted water to al dente. This will take about 10 minutes, be careful not to overcook the noodles.
  2. Drain, rinse and transfer the cooked noodles to a large bowl.
  3. Chop the drained black olives, roasted peppers and green onions.
  4. Prepare the dressing and pour over the salad, mixing until everything is well coated.
  5. Place in the fridge to allow the flavors to combine and marinate.
All American Macaroni Salad

Your Printable Recipe Card:

All American Macaroni Salad
Yield: 15 1 cup servings

All American Macaroni Salad

Prep Time: 50 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

All American Macaroni salad is famous summer picnic and potluck food. Count on it! Macaroni salad is sitting right next to apple pie on American picnic tables everywhere. A summer potluck staple. This yummy salad is on every mother's list of family favorite summer foods. Enjoy!

Ingredients

  • 4 Cups Elbow Macaroni, cooked and cooled
  • 1 15 oz. can black olives, chopped
  • 1 Cup green onions (about 4 including green tops), Finely Chopped
  • 1 Cup Roasted peppers, Finely chopped

For the Dressing:

  • 4 Tablespoons Braggs vinegar, with the Mother
  • 1/4 Cup organic sugar, to taste
  • 1 Cup mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 Cup sweet relish

Instructions

  1. Boil the elbow Macaroni Al Dente. Do NOT overcook! Drain and set aside
  2. Chop the drained black olives, roasted peppers and green onions fine
  3. Whisk the vinegar, sugar mayonnaise together until it's smooth. Add milk and whisk until it's pourable.
  4. Mix the veggies and sweet relish into the noodles.
  5. Add the dressing to the noodle mixture and gently stir until every noodle is covered with dressing. Your salad should be saucy.
  6. Chill in the fridge for several hours to overnight.
  7. Remove from fridge, refresh the salad dressing if required(you may even need to make more if it all soaked into the noodles) and mix more into the salad.
  8. Serve chilled

Notes

This is a great salad to make the day before serving to allow the flavors to merge.

Nutrition Information

Yield

15

Serving Size

1

Amount Per Serving Calories 212Total Fat 15gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 12gCholesterol 6mgSodium 571mgCarbohydrates 18gFiber 2gSugar 5gProtein 3g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

Follow Us:

We enjoy meeting you on our social networks. Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram . Tag us with your pictures of our recipes and comment on how it went for you. We would love to see what you do with them.

We often like, comment and share your posts of our recipes on our daily Instagram stories.

Ask questions and rate the recipe in the comments section below. Please share what you did with this recipe. We are always looking for more and better ways to make homemade food. Other cooks love your ideas!

Recent Posts:

An All American Macaroni Salad Recipe-Pin Image

Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes)

Wednesday 29th of June 2016

This looks absolutely wonderful. So great for summer entertaining.

Diane

Thursday 30th of June 2016

Thank you Jocelyn :)

Megan @ MegUnprocessed

Wednesday 29th of June 2016

Beautiful and perfect for summer!

Dorothy at Shockingly Delicious

Tuesday 28th of June 2016

A retro classic that is at home today!

Diane

Tuesday 28th of June 2016

Thank you Dorothy. It was fun to reminisce about Grandma while I made this salad for Father's Day and wrote the post. And then I found another stash of her old recipes! More retro recipes on the way :)

Lane & Holly @ With Two Spoons

Tuesday 28th of June 2016

Looks delicious! A throwback to the potlucks of my childhood!

Diane

Tuesday 28th of June 2016

Thanks Lane & Holly, It really is pretty retro.

Kristen Chidsey

Tuesday 28th of June 2016

My grandma was always in charge of macaroni salad and NO one made it like she did!

Diane

Tuesday 28th of June 2016

Kristen we had the Same thing in our family. Grandma OWNED the Macaroni salad :)

Skip to Recipe