Classic Macaroni Salad

This Filipino version of the Classic Macaroni Salad made by mixing together al dente cooked elbow macaroni, carrots, celery, and onions, mixed in a savory sauce mixture of mayonnaise, pickle relish, mustard, sugar, and some salt and pepper to taste. Garnish it with some paprika and a halved sliced hard boiled egg on the side.

Classic Macaroni Salad Recipe:

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• Water for boiling
• ⅓ cup carrot, chopped
• ¼ cup celery, chopped
• ¼ cup onion, minced
• 1 cup mayo
• 2 tablespoon pickle relish
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• ¾ teaspoon ground mustard
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• Dash or paprika
• 1 hard boiled egg, sliced

Steps:

1. To cook the macaroni; in a pot of boiling water, add in the uncooked elbow macaroni. Cook till al dente, often giving it a mix, then drain.
2. Place these in a bowl with the carrots, celery, and onion. Mix well.
3. In another bowl, mix together mayo, pickles, salt, pepper, mustard, and sugar. Mix well.
4. Add the mayo mix into the macaroni-vegetable mix. Mix until well combined. Serve with a hard boiled egg, sliced and a dash of paprika. Enjoy!

How simple is this simple macaroni salad recipe?

This Macaroni Salad with Pickles made Filipino style, closely resembles the Southern Macaroni Salad (sometimes called “Creamy Southern Pasta Salad”). This type of salad is typically found in many Christmas tables from office get togethers or even fiestas. A nice refreshing and very filling salad that many love to eat to cool off in the hot Filipino weather. Some eat it as a substitute to rice in the holidays, or even eaten as a ‘palate cleanser’ to the fried, oily, or saucy dishes served at the table.

In this recipe, macaroni salad ingredients are just composed of easy to find ingredients like: the uncooked elbow macaroni cooked in a pot of boiling water, giving it a few mixes to keep these from sticking to each other. Cooked till al dente then strained. Set aside in a bowl with some chopped celery, carrots, and onions for an added color and crunch. In another bowl, mix together some mayo, pickle relish for a refreshing taste and slight tang, salt and pepper to enhance the flavors, adding more as needed. Some ground mustard for a tad sharp and hot flavor, with sugar for sweetness. Mix in the mayo mixture into the macaroni bowl, giving it a good mix till everything is covered in the sauce. Serve immediately topped with a dash of paprika for an extra festive color and spiciness, with a hard boiled egg sliced in half for garnish. Some like it a bit cold so it’ll typically be left in the fridge for a few minutes to an hour (without the garnish) before serving.

Questions:

• Can you use other types of pasta?

Yes, use farfalle (bow shaped pastas) for “Farfalle Pasta Salad with Mayo”, if you need to finish some leftover spaghetti make “Spaghetti Salad with Mayonnaise Dressing”, or use penne to make “Penne Pasta Salad with Mayonnaise”. Use any type of pastas you like, though we recommend using those with holes or wedges as these makes the sauce stick better.

• How to make this a bit ‘healthier’ ?

To make a light macaroni salad, add low calorie mayo, or remove the mayo fully then substitute this with sour cream, hummus, or greek yogurt. Add in some veggies as well to reduce most of the pasta and fill it up with more fibrous ingredients.

• Use other pasta salad seasonings?

You can omit the paprika or use other flavorings for example, use Italian seasoning to make “Macaroni Salad with Italian Dressing”.

• Make a loaded macaroni salad by adding…

While making a simple and delicious creamy macaroni salad may be enough for others, adding a few additions like eggs, canned tuna (strained before using) “Macaroni Salad with Egg and Tuna”, Just tuna for “Macaroni Salad with Tuna”, adding eggs and cheese for “Macaroni Salad with Egg and Cheese”, just cheese for “Macaroni Salad with Cheese”, or add and garnish with parsley for “Macaroni Salad Recipe with Parsley”.

Other Yummy Macaroni Recipes!

• Ham Macaroni Salad
• Chicken Macaroni Salad or the Filipino version of Chicken Macaroni Salad
• Baked macaroni or this Baked Macaroni (Filipino-style)
• No oven? Try out this No-Bake macaroni
• Macaroni Fruit Salad

Classic Macaroni Salad Resipi: (Tagalog version)

Mga Sangkap :

• 2 tasa ng uncooked elbow macaroni
• Tubig pang kulo
• ⅓ tasa karot, hiniwa ng maliliit
• ¼ tasa kintsay, hiniwa ng maliliit
• ¼ tasa sibuyas, tinadtas
• 1 tasa mayo
• 2 kutsarang pickle relish
• ¼  kutsaritang asin
• ⅛  kutsaritang paminta
• ¾  kutsaritang ground mustard
• 2 kutsaritang asukal
• Kaunting paprika
• Nilagang itlog, hiniwa sa dalawa

Paano Lutuin :

1. Para maluto ang macaroni; sa palayok na may kumukong tubig, ilagay ang macaroni at lutuin hanggang al dente. Haluin ito paminsan-minsan, at salain.
2. Ilagay ang mga ito sa malaking mangkok kasama ang mga karot, kintsay, at sibuyas. Haluin ng mabuti.
3. Sa ibang mangkok, haluin ang mayo, pickles, asin, paminta, mustard, at asukal. Haluin ng mabuti.
4. Ihalo ito sa hinalong macaroni kanina. Haluin at ihanda kasama ang itlog na hinati sa gitna, idekorasyon ng paprika at ienjoy!