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Creamy Macaroni Salad with Bell Peppers and Celery Recipe

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4 from 60 reviews

A creamy and flavorful macaroni salad made with elbow macaroni, a tangy dressing of mayo, sour cream, mustards, and a blend of spices, combined with crisp diced bell peppers, red onion, and celery. Perfect as a chilled side dish for picnics, barbecues, or potlucks.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

Pasta

  • 1/2 lb cooked elbow macaroni (or 2 cups dry elbow macaroni)

Dressing

  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dill relish
  • 2 3/4 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

Vegetables

  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup green bell pepper, diced
  • 1/4 cup red onion, diced
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced

Instructions

  1. Cook the pasta: Boil elbow macaroni in salted water following the package instructions until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse it thoroughly with cold water to halt the cooking process and cool the pasta.
  2. Prepare the dressing: In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, yellow mustard, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, dill relish, sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, celery salt, black pepper, and seasoned salt. Mix thoroughly to create a smooth dressing.
  3. Combine pasta and vegetables with dressing: In a large bowl, add the cooled macaroni along with diced red bell pepper, green bell pepper, red onion, and celery. Add 1 cup of the prepared dressing and stir well to coat all ingredients evenly.
  4. Chill the salad: Cover the bowl and place the macaroni salad in the refrigerator for at least one hour to chill and allow flavors to meld together. Reserve the remaining dressing to help prevent the salad from drying out later.
  5. Final mix before serving: Just before serving, add the remaining dressing to the macaroni salad and stir well to ensure the salad is evenly coated and creamy.

Notes

  • Storage: Store macaroni salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. The salad tends to get creamier and more flavorful after sitting overnight.
  • Serving Tip: To prevent the pasta from absorbing too much dressing and becoming dry, hold off on adding all the dressing until just before serving. Keep some dressing on the side for mixing in later.
  • Author: Adeline
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://flavorhug.com/creamy-macaroni-salad-with-bell-peppers-and-celery-recipe/