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Macaroni salad with egg is one of those timeless classics we all grew up with. It seems like every family has their own version of this recipe with the perfect sentimental story to go along with it. This particular version is one of those cold, creamy macaroni salad recipes that makes the perfect summer side dish!
During the warmer months, macaroni salad is always in our dinner rotation. If you love classic versions like this, be sure to try my Classic Macaroni Salad for a more traditional take or my Hawaiian Macaroni Salad for a tangy, vinegar-forward twist.
For even more variations, don’t miss my Macaroni Salad Recipes collection, where I round up all the best versions for every occasion. And if you’re looking for even more easy sides beyond macaroni salad, be sure to browse my full collection of Pasta Salad Recipes, including Italian, Mediterranean, and more fresh favorites.
Let’s make this salad!
What I Love About This Recipe
There is nothing more satisfying on a hot day than getting a plate piled high with seared meat and smooth macaroni salad! Part of what makes macaroni salad with egg such a satisfying side dish is how chef-friendly this recipe is.
- Easy to prepare
- Gets better with fridge time!
- Simple, filling ingredients.
- Creamy dreamy heaven!
What Is The Secret Ingredient In Macaroni Salad?
For us, the secret ingredient for a delicious macaroni salad is sweet pickle relish. It adds a light crunch in the texture of the salad and is balanced with both sweet and sour flavors.
Macaroni Salad With Egg Ingredients
- Elbow Pasta: Use good quality pasta like Barilla (no endorsement) cooked in well-salted water, just to al dente.
- Hard-Boiled Eggs: You’ll need hard-boiled eggs to make this salad. Try making my air fryer hard boiled eggs for easy, perfect hard boiled eggs.
- Sweet Pickle Relish: This recipe calls for sweet pickle relish — but don’t feel limited to that option. There are dozens to choose from at the grocery store, from salty to spicy to tangy. Get creative! If you don’t have sweet relish on hand, sub with some minced sweet pickles.
- Celery: Adds the perfect crunch and a bit of natural saltiness.
- Onion: I use yellow onion. White onion is a bit stronger but works nicely, too.
- Parsley: Adds beautiful color and a nice herbaceous freshness.
- Mayonnaise: Since I live on the west coast, I use Best Foods mayo. If you can find Dukes, use that instead.
- Sour Cream: Adds a nice creamy tanginess to the dressing.
- Milk: This thins the dressing to the perfect consistency.
- Sriracha: Don’t have Sriracha in the house? A good, easy substitute is any hot sauce you have handy or even Tabasco sauce. Get creative! We just want that slight tickle of heat in the sauce.
- Worcestershire Sauce: This adds great depth of flavor and umami.
- Sugar: Rounds out and enhances all the flavors.
- Salt + Black Pepper: Finishes off the seasoning perfectly.
- Dry Mustard: Is made from ground mustard seeds and adds mustard flavor without the vinegar found in prepared mustard. For a slightly different flavor profile, omit dry mustard and sub with Dijon mustard.
- Paprika: I use regular paprika but smoked paprika would be fabulous in this salad. If you want to spice things up, try hot paprika instead.
Tips For The Best Macaroni Salad With Egg
- Al Dente – First, for dishes such as this, with heavy sauces, you want your pasta to be just prior to al dente. Since the noodles will be sitting in the pasta for a while (preferably overnight, to get really yummy!), you want the structure to stand up to the length and liquid. Soggy pasta will ruin a perfectly delicious macaroni salad.
- Rinse The Pasta: Rinse the pasta after boiling. I know it goes against everything hardcore pasta cooks hold dear but it’s essential to this recipe. Washing off the starch will keep it from becoming a dry sticky mess.
- Pasta – For cold salads like this, it’s always best to use small, sturdy pasta that can stand up to the creamy sauce over time. Bow tie, or farfalle all work great too!
- Peeling Eggs – So, if peeling eggs is one of those chores you hate or you haven’t quite yet mastered I’ve got an easy trick to make this pasta salad a cinch.
- Just crack your boiled egg on a hard surface or roll it to break the shell. Then turn a spoon around backward and slip it under there. Work and wiggle it around the gg and the shell should come off easily.
- Dice Everything Small – That way everything is roughly the same size and all fits nicely on a spoon.
- 2-Hour Rule – try to reserve the FDA-recommended 2-hour serving rule for leaving items needing refrigeration out at room temperature. I like to nestle mine in a big bowl of ice when serving.
Storing + Freezing + Make-ahead
- How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge? This hard boiled egg macaroni salad will stay fresh and beautifully delicious for up to 4 days in the fridge. I do recommend you store it in an airtight container or cover it tightly with cling wrap for best results.
- Can I Freeze This: No. This pasta salad with egg and mayo does not freeze. Salads with mayonnaise don’t freeze well, as the dressing separates and the pasta gets too mushy.
- Make-Ahead Tips: Since this salad needs some chill time anyway, you’ll get the most tantalizing flavor profile if you can make it the day before serving. This is totally optional but – my, oh my – does it make a difference!
Variations
- More Protein: Toss in some cooked and cubed ham or chicken (rotisserie is a great choice) if you’d like this to bulk this salad up.
- More Veggies: Cooked vegetables blend very nicely into this salad and increase the nutritional value and visual appeal. I like to cook a cup or so of frozen mixed vegetables, drain them very well so they don’t dilute the dressing, and toss! Red bell pepper and black olives also are nice mix ins.
- Fresh Herbs: This is yummy with a little bit of fresh tarragon, parsley, thyme, of even rosemary mixed in.
- Sweeten It UP! Stir in some sliced grapes or apples to naturally sweeten the salad.
Serving Recommendations
This macaroni salad recipe is delicious and served with just about anything! Really! We like it with air fryer turkey burgers, crockpot pulled pork, grilled flank steak, French dip sandwiches, or grilled cilantro lime chicken.
If you’re looking for more potluck favorites to serve alongside this egg macaroni salad, I hope you’ll try our copycat KFC coleslaw, grape salad, carrot salad, and/or Ina Garten potato salad!
How To Make Macaroni Salad With Egg Recipe
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Add all salad ingredients.
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Toss with salad ingredients until everything is well coated. Taste and adjust seasoning
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Refrigerate for 6 hours or, better, overnight.
***See Full Instructions On the Recipe Below.
More Yummy Macaroni And Pasta Salad
There are lots of large bowl pasta salad recipes on the summer horizon! Here are a few delicious options you may want to whip up for your next warm-weather meal.
- Italian Dressing Pasta Salad
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad
- BBQ Pasta Salad
- Taco Pasta Salad
- Shrimp Pasta Salad
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- California Spaghetti Salad
- Elote Pasta Salad
Tried This Recipe?
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Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today — happy cooking, friends! ❤️ Kathleen
Macaroni Salad With Egg
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 (16-ounce) box elbow macaroni
- 8 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and diced
- 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
- 1 cup celery, small, chopped
- 1 cup red onion, small, chopped
- 1/2 cup parsley
Dressing
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup milk more as needed
- 1/4 teaspoon sriracha
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons paprika
Instructions
- Cook the macaroni (16 ounces) just until it's al dente according to package directions in lightly salted water; drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool. Set aside.
- Add all salad ingredients.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients. Toss with salad ingredients until everything is well coated. Refrigerate for 6 hours or, better, overnight.
Fans Also Made:
Notes
- Al Dente – First, for dishes such as this, with heavy sauces, you want your pasta to be just prior to al dente. Since the noodles will be sitting in the pasta for a while (preferably overnight, to get really yummy!), you want the structure to stand up to the length and liquid. Soggy pasta will ruin a perfectly delicious macaroni salad.
- Rinse The Pasta: Rinse the pasta after boiling. I know it goes against everything hardcore pasta cooks hold dear but it’s essential to this recipe. Washing off the starch will keep it from becoming a dry sticky mess.
- Pasta – For cold salads like this, it’s always best to use small, sturdy pasta that can stand up to the creamy sauce over time. Bow tie, or farfalle all work great too!
- Peeling Eggs – So, if peeling eggs is one of those chores you hate or you haven’t quite yet mastered I’ve got an easy trick to make this pasta salad a cinch.
- Just crack your boiled egg on a hard surface or roll it to break the shell. Then turn a spoon around backward and slip it under there. Work and wiggle it around the gg and the shell should come off easily.
- Dice Everything Small – That way everything is roughly the same size and all fits nicely on a spoon.
- 2-Hour Rule – try to reserve the FDA-recommended 2-hour serving rule for leaving items needing refrigeration out at room temperature.. I like to nestle mine in a big bowl of ice when serving.
Nutrition
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My picky eater son loved this, so I tried your hawaiian macaroni salad too. We loved it! I’m gonna make this again and again!
Wow, you’re awesome! I’m so happy your son liked this 🙂
Wht do you think Heidi’s turned out pink and yet the picture of your salad doesn’t look pink. She mentioned paprika, yet paprika is more on the orangey. I want to try this recipe. How should it look?
You usually comment but you didn’t. I have written down several of your recipes. Thanks, Ginger
Hi, Ginger. The dressing looks a little pink due to the combination of sriracha and paprika. Hope this helps!
Delicious, but my salad was a pretty pink from the paprika I guess. 🙂
My new favorite macaroni salad
That’s so easy to make!! 🙂
Enjoy! 🙂