This Southern macaroni salad is more than just a side dish, it’s a recipe rooted in tradition. I grew up making versions of this creamy, tangy classic with my great-grandmother, whose roots stretch from Louisiana to Mississippi. Every bite reminds me of summers in her kitchen, where we didn’t need measurements, just memory, taste, and love.
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This post was originally published in 2021. It has since been updated.
Macaroni Salad is one of the recipes my mama always cooked growing up, especially for BBQs and cookouts. It's essentially potato salad, but with macaroni pasta, and we even throw in a little shredded cheese!
Southern Macaroni Salad Ingredients
- Elbow Macaroni: This is the classic pasta for Southern macaroni salad. Those little curved noodles grab onto all that creamy dressing, so every bite is actually coated and full of flavor.
- Mayonnaise: This is not the place to hold back, and the mayo is what gives it that smooth, luscious texture you expect. Many Southerners prefer Duke’s Mayo for its tangy depth.
- Yellow Mustard
- Hard-Boiled Eggs: A staple because eggs contribute to the richness of the dish while adding texture and a mild, creamy bite. Some people even slice extra eggs on top for presentation.
- Celery
- Onions
- Salt and Pepper
- Shredded Cheese: This may be a curve ball ingredient! It's a delicious upgrade that enhances flavor and texture.
How to Make Southern Macaroni Salad
Full instructions with serving sizes can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cook the pasta: Boil elbow macaroni in salted water until just tender. Don’t overcook it, you don’t want mushy noodles. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking.
- Cool it down: Let the pasta cool completely. Warm pasta will soak up too much dressing and throw everything off.
- Make the dressing: In a large bowl, mix together mayo, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Taste it, you want it to taste how you like.
- Add your mix-ins: Stir in chopped celery, diced red onions, chopped eggs, and cheese. This is where the texture and flavor really come together.
- Combine everything: Add the cooled macaroni to the bowl and mix until every piece is coated in that dressing.
- Adjust to taste: Taste and tweak, add more mayo if you want it creamier, or a little more seasoning if needed.
- Chill before serving: Cover and refrigerate. This step matters, it lets everything soak together and taste how it’s supposed to.
- Stir and serve: Give it a good stir before serving. If it looks a little dry, add a spoonful of mayo to bring it back to life.
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Southern Macaroni Salad
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also grab your FREE ebook with my best 30-minute one-pot meals! Dinner stress stops here.
Ingredients
- 8 oz elbow macaroni pasta uncooked
- 3 eggs Boiled and sliced into chunks.
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- ½ cup chopped onions I used red onions.
- 2 celery stalks Chopped
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in accordance with the instructions on the package.
- Rinse the pasta in cold water and dry completely.
- Add the pasta to your serving bowl along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Chill for a minimum of 1 hour. A few hours is optimal.
Video
Notes
- Use a food processor to chop up the eggs and veggies if you want them really finely diced.
- You can omit the eggs if you wish.
- You can substitute sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for mayo.
- You can half the recipe by using half of the ingredients.
- You can double the recipe by doubling the ingredients.
- This is a dish that you will want to add your ingredients (especially the seasonings) a little bit at a time, and then taste repeatedly to determine if it needs a little bit of anything else.
- Dry macaroni salad can happen if the moisture sinks into the pasta. You can add a little additional mayo to get it creamy.
- To give the salad a pop of color you can sprinkle paprika throughout.
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Additional Toppings and Ideas
- Chopped Dill Pickles
- Sweet Pickle Relish
- Crumbled Bacon
- Jalapenos
- Sliced Tomatoes
- Red Peppers
- Green Peppers
- Creole Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Homemade BBQ Seasoning
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
Southern macaroni salad is extra creamy, thanks to a generous amount of mayo. Unlike lighter, oil-based pasta salads, this version is all about comfort and indulgence. Hard boiled eggs are a staple in many Southern salads (Southern Potato Salad, Deviled Eggs, etc.). The eggs enhance the rich and comforting texture.
I love to use my Air Fryer Boiled Eggs or Instant Pot Boiled Eggs because these methods are foolproof and pretty easy.
To boil them on the stove, place the eggs in a saucepan and cover them with cold water, about an inch over the eggs. Boil for 8-10 minutes and then place them in an ice bath for 10 minutes. Peel.
Dry macaroni salad usually means the pasta soaked up all the dressing while it sat. The fix is easy once you know what causes it.
How to keep it creamy (every time)
Cook pasta to al dente: Soft noodles drink up dressing and turn mushy.
Cool completely before mixing: Warm pasta absorbs dressing too fast and gets sticky.
Dress it generously: It should look slightly “over-creamy” when you first mix it. It will thicken in the fridge.
Reserve extra dressing: Before chilling, set aside a few spoonfuls of mayo mixture to stir in before serving.
Add a moisture boost before serving: If it looks dry, stir in a little mayo or milk.
It can sit out 1-2 hours. It takes about 2 hours for bacteria to start to grow to dangerous levels. In warm temperatures, that time shrinks. You can read the Food Safety Guidance from the FDA here.
Southern macaroni salad is one of those sides that actually gets better after it sits. The dressing soaks into the pasta, the flavors mellow, and it tastes like it came straight from somebody’s family reunion table. It's best to make it up to 24 hours ahead and store it in the fridge. It can be stored in the fridge for a max of 3 days.
You can freeze it, but I wouldn't recommend it. In general, mayo does not freeze well and usually develops ice crystals.
Yes, simply omit them or add something like diced green bell peppers if you still want some texture.
You can substitute mayo for plain Greek yogurt or sour cream if you wish.
Pair This Dish with These Main Dishes
Air Fryer Ribs
Air Fryer Cheeseburgers
Air Fryer Catfish
Traeger Smoked Chicken Breast
Chicken and Avocado Salsa
Slow Cooker BBQ Meatballs
How to Grill the Best Burgers
How to Grill Chicken Wings
Grilled Baby Back Ribs
More Southern Recipes
Southern Coleslaw Recipe
Southern Soul Food Baked Mac and Cheese
Instant Pot Collard Greens
Southern Mustard Greens
Southern Homemade Cornbread
More Salad and Side Dish Recipes
Southern Potato Salad
Broccoli Salad with Bacon and Cheese
Spaghetti Salad with Italian Dressing
Creamy Cucumber Salad
Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
How to Make a Charcuterie Cheese Board
Grilled Asparagus in Foil
Smoked Mac and Cheese
Check out our list of the Best Authentic Soul Food Recipes here.
Sabrina Boucher says
This was really good. I wanted to do a BBQ theme this weekend and had never tried making macaroni salad before so this recipe was super helpful. The salad turned out great and was easy to do.
staysnatched says
I'm glad this worked out for you!
Amanda G. says
I loved the addition of mustard! It gave it a nice little tang that went well with the other flavors. It reminded me of summer, and I will definitely be making it again, especially for BBQs.
staysnatched says
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Kayla says
Made this for Easter! Everyone loved it! Thanks Brandi!
staysnatched says
I'm so glad to hear that!
Veronica says
Such a nice and easy macaroni salad!! Flavors were amazing. Paired beautifully with our Easter Ham and other sides. Instructions were clear and thorough and I loved the notes on the end where it gave different variations on additional toppings and substitutes.
staysnatched says
I'm glad it worked out for you!
Shauna says
I love that Brandi always gives suggestions of other veggies to use in her recipes because when she drops a recipe that looks good most of the time I already have ingredients to make it, and I love instant gratification, HA! This is reminiscent of deviled eggs which LOVE, so this will be on repeat all summer!
staysnatched says
Go ahead and put it on repeat!
Shauna A says
I made this on a sunday and ate it throughout the week with whatever proteins I was feeling. I made few substitutions - I used Banza chickpea pasta and I used some dill pickle flavored mustard. Loved it!!!! Especially with some bbq meats
staysnatched says
Wonderful! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Eunice says
Fantastic and easy! We ordered BBQ from a friend and this was perfect with the ribs. I made the eggs in the Instant Pot and added sweet pickle. I used a gluten-free pasta with no problem. Thanks again Brandi!
staysnatched says
That sounds so good! I'm glad it worked out!
Danielle says
Made this today and it is absolutely delicious! I love the suggestions of extra veggies to add! So easy and a crowd pleaser for sure! Read the entire recipe, lots of good info! Another great recipe from Brandi! Thanks so much!!
staysnatched says
You're welcome! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Emily says
I was craving macaroni salad for the weekend and I knew I’d find the perfect recipe here. Tastes amazing, exactly what I wanted!
staysnatched says
I’m glad it was what you wanted!
Jill says
This was the perfect side dish for the first day of summer. I made it in the morning when it was cooler and let it sit all day. Very good!
staysnatched says
I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
Pam says
Add a can of tuna and you have a full meal...Thanks for an easy tasty recipe.
staysnatched says
That’s a good idea!