Name: Classic Macaroni Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 2 cups dry small elbow macaroni; 1 cup mayonnaise; 1/2 cup diced celery; 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper; 2 large hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced; 2/3 cup sweet pickle relish; 1/4 cup sliced pimento stuffed olives; 1 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. celery seed, crushed; 1/4 tsp. crushed summer savory; 1/2 tsp. fresh yellow mustard; paprika; 14 whole pimento stuffed olives

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This is a traditional old fashioned recipe for classic macaroni salad that includes hard boiled eggs and pimiento stuffed olives!

Makes 7 cups

Bowl of Macaroni Salad.

Macaroni salad: the summer staple.

Macaroni salad is that inescapable pasta salad that is frequently served at picnics and potlucks during the summer. As a rule, mayonnaise has fallen into disfavor for some reason recently, along with sweet relish. But both of them will be found here in abundance.

Above all, Spanish olives.

One of my favorite secret ingredients is Spanish olives. Most labels call them pimiento stuffed olives, but I have always known them as Spanish olives. So I will still use that name occasionally, in spite of what it says on the jar. Anyway, I love Spanish olives and I am always looking for ways to use them. Although we have always used Spanish olives in potato salad, this is the first time I have added them to macaroni salad. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Generally speaking, macaroni salad is quite versatile. It’s surprising how much you can change the recipe and still call it macaroni salad. In particular, I have noticed that some recipes even include meat. Not here! This is strictly a vegetarian version. I hope you enjoy this variation.

elbow macaroni sweet relish Spanish olives eggs mayonnaise celery bell pepper celery seed

Ingredients used to make Macaroni Salad.

Ingredients:

2 cups dry small elbow macaroni
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
2 large hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced
2/3 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup sliced pimiento stuffed olives
1 tsp salt
1 teaspoon celery seed, crushed
1/4 teaspoon crushed summer savory
1/2 teaspoon fresh yellow mustard
paprika
A few whole pimiento stuffed olives

Instructions:

To begin with, bring 2 quarts of water to a rolling boil. You can add 1 teaspoon of salt if you like. Gradually add 2 cups dry small elbow macaroni to the boiling water.
Stir gently and return to a rapid boil. Cook uncovered, while stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water.
To assemble the macaroni salad, place the cooked macaroni in a large bowl and add the following ingredients: 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup diced celery, 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper, 2 hard boiled eggs (peeled and diced), 2/3 cup sweet pickle relish, 1/4 cup sliced pimiento stuffed olives, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon crushed celery seed, 1/4 teaspoon crushed summer savory, and 1/2 teaspoon fresh yellow mustard. Gently stir together until well blended.
Finally, you should refrigerate the pasta salad until chilled. To serve, sprinkle a little paprika over the macaroni salad and place a whole Spanish olive on top.
1 - Gradually add 2 cups dry small elbow macaroni to the boiling water.
2 - Stir gently and return to a rapid boil. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes.
3 - Place the cooked macaroni in a large bowl and all of the ingredients. Gently stir together until well blended.
4 - Refrigerate the salad until chilled. To serve, sprinkle paprika over the macaroni salad. Place a whole Spanish olive on top.

Note: Sometimes on hot summer days, I will serve chilled Pickled Beets with this macaroni salad.

5 from 1 vote

Classic Macaroni Salad

This is a traditional old fashioned recipe for classic macaroni salad that includes hard boiled eggs and pimiento stuffed olives! Dried small macaroni shells or rotini can be used in place of the elbow macaroni.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword best, egg, elbow macaroni, mayonnaise, olives, paprika, pasta, potluck, simple, Spanish olives

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Refrigerate 1 hour

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings 14 half-cup

Calories 196 kcal

Ingredients

2 cups dry small elbow macaroni
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup diced celery
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
2 large hard boiled eggs, peeled and diced
2/3 cup sweet pickle relish
1/4 cup sliced pimento stuffed olives
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. celery seed, crushed
1/4 tsp. crushed summer savory
1/2 tsp. fresh yellow mustard
paprika
14 whole pimento stuffed olives

Instructions

Bring 2 quarts of water to a rolling boil. You can add 1 teaspoon of salt if you like. Gradually add 2 cups dry small elbow macaroni to the boiling water.
Stir gently and return to a rapid boil. Cook uncovered, while stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and rinse in cold water.
To assemble the macaroni salad, place the cooked macaroni in a large bowl and add the following ingredients: 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup diced celery, 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper, 2 hard boiled eggs (peeled and diced), 2/3 cup sweet pickle relish, 1/4 cup sliced pimiento stuffed olives, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon crushed celery seed, 1/4 teaspoon crushed summer savory, and 1/2 teaspoon fresh yellow mustard. Gently stir together until well blended.
You should refrigerate the pasta salad until chilled. To serve, sprinkle a little paprika over the macaroni salad and place a whole Spanish olive on top.

Recipe Notes

Sometimes on hot summer days, I will serve chilled Pickled Beets with this macaroni salad.