Simple Macaroni Salad

This simple macaroni salad is made with elbow macaroni, roasted red peppers, black olives, dill pickles, green onions and yellow bell pepper for a smorgasbord of colors and flavors.
I remember my mom always made macaroni salad for every barbecue we did as a child. Beans, Potato salad, and a macaroni salad were always on our picnic table for those summer cookouts or picnics. And we never called it pasta salad, it was always called macaroni salad. But I’m not sure we ever said pasta either in our house either. I grew up in the Southwestern United States and my mother was from Arkansas so I’m not sure if the term “pasta” was ever used. I know my mom never made anything pasta except spaghetti so it was either spaghetti or macaroni on the table.
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We loved it when mom packed a picnic basket and we ate outside. We would go to a local park and eat at one of the picnic tables or she would spread a picnic blanket on the ground. It always made even a sandwich special but again, my mom was old-school so it was usually fried chicken. It was a classic picnic complete with checkered tablecloth, a thermos of tea or kool-aid (the old school kind), metal drinking glasses and a plastic container of homemade dessert usually brownies. Dad would make up some kind of mystery adventure such as a lost gold mine or a lost stash of gold. We never found the treasure but it was so exciting to think that we just might. These were such Good memories that didn’t cost my parents very much but were priceless to us.
Simple Macaroni Salad Recipe:
Scroll down for the complete and printable recipe
Ingredients
- 16 oz box Elbow Macaroni
- Roasted Red Macaroni
- Sliced Black Olives
- Whole dill pickles, chopped
- Green onions, sliced
- yellow bell pepper, chopped
- olive oil based mayonnaise
- red wine vinegar
- salt
- black pepper
- celery salt
Instructions:
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Cook macaroni accordingly to package directions, drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well.
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In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, vinegar, celery salt, salt, and pepper.
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In a large bowl, add the macaroni, roasted red peppers, black olives, bell pepper, green onions and dill pickles.
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Pour in the mayonnaise mixture and gently stir until well combined.
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Cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
It doesn’t take much to make those lasting memories with children. All it takes is a picnic lunch and a lively sense of imagination.
Other Salad Recipes:
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Ingredients
- 1 16 oz box Elbow Macaroni
- 1 cup roasted red peppers canned in water, chopped
- 1/2 cup sliced black olives
- 3 whole dill pickles chopped
- 4 green onions sliced
- 1/2 yellow bell pepper chopped
- 1/2 cup olive oil based mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- black pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
Instructions
- Cook macaroni accordingly to package directions, drain and rinse under cold water until cool. Drain well.
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, vinegar, celery salt, salt, and pepper.
- In a large bowl, add the macaroni, roasted red peppers, black olives, bell pepper, green onions and dill pickles.
- Pour in the mayonnaise mixture and gently stir until well combined.
- Cover and place in the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour.
This does look delicious. I like that it has black olives in it.
Pasta Salad is one of my favorite sides in the summer – I like that this is a healthier version 🙂 Pinned it {hugs}
Hi Evelyn, this recipe for macaroni salad sounds is so good.
This Macaroni Salad looks delicious! =)
Looks like a new one for my repertoire!
Evelyn, this macaroni salad is so fresh and delicious! Thanks so much for sharing
This salad is delicious and it’s so pretty.
Yummy! I'm really liking pasta salad. Just made some yesterday. I used vinegar and a bit of oil for the dressing.
Thanks for sharing, Evelyn! 🙂
oh my I loved this recipe.
Evelyn that looks like it is FULL of yummy flavors that I love. Pinning!!
xoxo
Hi Evelyn,
This looks amazing. I love all the colors and the flavors are amazing.
Yum!!! This looks really good 🙂 Thank you for sharing