The Best Macaroni Salad

July 1, 2009

My friend, Joanne, has a sister who is the ultimate homemaker.

Except that she works a full time job, but we’ll ignore that, m’kay?

Joanne’s sister, Mil, makes all sorts of wonderful foods to bring to every picnic and party she attends. Almost every time I see her, I say, “Mil, can I have the recipe for this?”

Mil is very generous with her recipes. I have dozens of recipes from her. Cucumber pasta salad. Popeye chicken salad. And this wonderful macaroni salad.

The Best Macaroni Salad

2 cups uncooked macaroni
1 cup Miracle Whip
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons spicy brown or horseradish mustard
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup brown vinegar
2 teaspoons celery salt
1 tablespoon onion powder
dried parsley (I use a handful.)
salt, to taste

Prepare pasta according to package directions, cooking to almost al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water until pasta is cool.
Whisk all other ingredients together in a mixing bowl. I measure the Miracle Whip, mayo, sugar, and vinegar, and I eyeball everything else. Mix until well
Pour the sauce over the pasta and refrigerate at least one hour.

Happily submitted to the Ultimate Recipe Swap, Family Recipe Fridays, Favorite Ingredient Friday, Finer Things Friday, Hooked on Fridays

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JoeyfromSC said:

Thanks SO much for taking the time to post this!!:) sounds so good!! By brown vinegar, you mean apple cider vinegar right? lol

I wonder if cucumbers would be good in this..I love them!

Thanks again and I can’t wait to try it!

# 1 July 2009 at 11:42 pm

Intentionally Katie said:

Really? It’s the BEST? Well, I love me some macaroni salad, so I may have to give this one a try…

Intentionally Katie’s last blog post..Chocolate Chip Cake Mix Cookies

# 2 July 2009 at 3:53 pm

Vanderbilt Wife said:

MMM. That does sounds good. Does macaroni salad usually have something crunchy, like celery, in it?

Vanderbilt Wife’s last blog post..Family Recipe Friday: Layered Salad

# 3 July 2009 at 7:42 am

Linda@Lime in the coconut said:

Sounds yummy….Love the addition of the horseradish!

# 3 July 2009 at 7:58 am

Tara (author) said:

Joey – Yes, you are right. Brown vinegar is the same as apple cider vinegar. I think you could add any veggies to this salad, and it would be delicious. Diced cucumbers, diced carrots, even celery and onion (see my note to Vanderbilt Wife below) would probably be yummy.

Vanderbilt Wife – Where I live, macaroni salad almost always has crunchy celery and onions in it. I hate the crunch! I like my macaroni salad to be just macaroni and the dressing, which is why I use celery salt and onion powder instead of the chopped veggies.

# 3 July 2009 at 8:01 am

DesignTies said:

Pasta is my favourite food in any way, shape, and form!! I’m always up for trying a new pasta recipe, and this sounds like a good one

Kelly @ DesignTies

# 3 July 2009 at 9:17 am

Jane said:

I’m going to give this recipe a try. I’ve been looking for a good macaroni salad recipe forever!

Jane’s last blog post..CAPE COD CURTAINS

# 3 July 2009 at 10:08 am

Amy @ Finer Things said:

Love it when I find THE recipe for something. Thanks for sharing this one!

Amy @ Finer Things’s last blog post..Finer Things Friday: Freedom

# 3 July 2009 at 1:38 pm

Julia @ Hooked on Houses said:

YUM! This sounds delish. Thanks for the recipe!

Julia @ Hooked on Houses’s last blog post..Hooked on Red, White, & Blue

# 3 July 2009 at 2:22 pm

Liz@HoosierHomemade said:

Thanks Tara! I needed a good macaroni salad recipe! This looks awesome!
~Liz

Liz@HoosierHomemade’s last blog post..Fruit for the Fourth

# 3 July 2009 at 4:25 pm

sarah said:

Well thins looks simple enough. I may just have to try it.

sarah’s last blog post..Finer Things Friday- Being Canadian

# 3 July 2009 at 6:37 pm

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# 5 July 2009 at 3:56 pm