No spring or summer picnic is complete without some classic macaroni salad. And Gram’s Easy Macaroni Salad is always a crowd pleaser!
I’ve been counting the days for what seems like forever. It’s a few week short weeks to the kickoff to Summer 2023 folks!! Are you guys as excited as I am?
I love all the seasons, but summer is at the very tippy top of my list. Always has been, always will be. So many fond memories of fun at the Jersey Shore growing up. Nothing beats a long sunny day at the beach soaking up the sun and floating in the ocean. It’s just magical. It’s like all your cares and worries drift away.
For me, another plus of the summer season is all the entertaining I’ll be doing. The beach is my happiest place, but my kitchen comes in a close second. And you know me, I’m a planner so I’ll be planning lots of menus all summer long.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
My Gram’s Easy Macaroni Salad makes numerous appearances on the menu throughout the summer. Not only because it’s delicious, but because it’s incredibly easy and it feeds a crowd. It’s perfect for BBQ’s and picnics or just great to have in the fridge as a side for your sandwich at lunch.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- elbow pasta
- mayonnaise
- yellow mustard
- distilled white vinegar
- kosher salt
- pepper
- eggs
- celery
- red onion
- parsley (optional)
- paprika (optional)
My Gram never wrote down any of the ingredients, but growing up, I watched her make it so many times, I can now make it with my eyes closed.
My favorite part of this macaroni salad is the addition of the hard boiled eggs. And lots of ’em. 8 large eggs total. Some celery and red onion for crunch, but if you prefer a milder onion, by all means use a Vidalia onion. And then everything is tossed in a tangy mixture of mayo, a bit of yellow mustard, white vinegar and salt and pepper. Don’t expect any leftovers guys.
Step-By-Step Instructions
First, you’ll boil your pasta according to the package directions and then drain and let cool
Make the dressing for the salad while the pasta is cooling and then set aside.
Add to a large bowl, your cooled pasta, eggs, celery and onion. Just before serving, toss with the dressing. Sprinkle with parsley and paprika, if desired. Cover and place in refrigerator to chill.
Take it from me, this is going to disappear quickly at your next spring or summer party. It’s a classic that never goes out of style!
Please let me know if you give the recipe a try. And if you have any questions about the recipe, just drop a comment below. Enjoy!
A Few Cook’s Notes for Gram’s Easy Macaroni Salad
I use elbow pasta for this recipe, but any small pasta shape will do.
I also use red onion, but you could substitute yellow or Vidalia onion if you prefer.
I like to toss everything together with the dressing right before I’m ready to serve.
More Delicious Pasta Salads to Enjoy
Tortellini, Roasted Tomato and Salami Salad
Zesty Twisted Turkey Pasta Salad
Gram's Macaroni Salad
Print Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 1 16- oz. box elbow pasta
- 1 cup good mayonnaise
- 2 tsp. yellow mustard
- 1 Tbsp. distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 8 large eggs, hard-boiled and roughly chopped
- 1 1/2 cups celery, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
- fresh parsley finely chopped for sprinkling on top, if desired
- paprika, for garnish, if desired
Instructions
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook elbows according to package directions. Drain and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayo, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta with eggs, celery and onion. Just before serving toss with the dressing. Sprinkle with parsley and paprika, if desired. Cover and place in refrigerator to chill.
Notes
I first shared this recipe back in May of 2017. I decided to re-share with all new photos, content and notes because this recipe is a very special recipe to me and always a hit for spring and summer picnics and BBQ’s!
I am right there with you girl! Can’t wait for summer and I love all the seasonal fruits and veggies available. This looks like the perfect dish for my Memorial Day weekend party I am planning. Easy to make ahead and looks delicious. Cheers girl!
I knew you’d be Karen! This one is perfect for Memorial Day! Happy Monday.
I’ve been counting down the days til summer for weeks now too! I LOVE macaroni salad, it’s probably my favorite summer side dish, and I can’t get over how delicious this one looks – I can’t wait to make it for one of our summer parties soon! Gorgeous photos.
Thanks Michelle! This one is definitely a summer favorite. Hope you enjoy it if you try!
Love the look of this salad Mary Ann! There’s nothing quite like spending time at the beach, it’s always the highlight of my year.
Mine too Alida! Hope you give this a try! It’s so delicious!
I have a pasta salad of some sort in my fridge all summer long. It goes so perfectly with anything on the grill or for lunch. Can’t wait to try this one, as it looks absolutely delicious!!
You’ll love it Jennifer! Happy Monday.
YESSSS! I am suuuper excited for the start of summer! There is something about summer that makes it perfectly acceptable to lounge around, slow down and just enjoy life. And that is something I can totally support. :) Summer DEFINITELY requires pasta salads on repeat, and this one looks absolutely delicious, Mary Ann! I love hard boiled eggs in my pasta salad, so I LOVE that you used them here!! This salad is right up my alley! Pinning to try! Cheers, dear! <3
Woohoo Chey! I knew you’d be excited too! Hope you enjoy this one and thanks so much for pinning!
I can’t believe we are talking about summer, Mary Ann! Just hearing you talk about it is making me all excited and happy for all the bbqs we will have. I love recipes like this, ones passed down from family. Funny how your grandma didn’t write it down, but you know it all the same and now you have it wrote down for all of us to enjoy! Pinned and trying this one at my next bbq. Love all the eggs in there! Makes it nice and substantial :) Cheers to a lovely week, my friend! xo
The eggs make this macaroni salad Dawn! I can still close my eyes and see my Gram in the kitchen making it!
I can almost taste that salad, it’s so nostalgic!! Love that you shared this Mary Ann!! Yay for the start of summer :-)
It’s sooo good Lindsay! A summer fave!
Summer is my favorite, too! The long, sunny days make shorter, grayer days worth it :). Macaroni salad is so perfect for this time of year, and I love that this was your grandma’s recipe. Grandma recipes are definitely the best. Have a great week, Mary Ann!
My Gram was an awesome cook Kelsie!! I enjoy this macaroni salad all year long, not just summer! Happy Monday.
Thank you for this recipe Mary Ann, I will make this when my visitors from Germany return from their road trip.
It’s so easy Gerlinde and always a favorite with everyone. Happy Monday!
I could eat that whole entire bowl myself Mary Ann, I’m hopeless when it comes to macaroni salad ~ I shared this one on facebook today, it’s a winner!
Me too Sue! It’s one of my favorite recipes of my Gram’s! Thank you so much for sharing! Happy Monday!
Any recipe from Gram is a winning recipe in my book! This looks SO good. Sometime’s ya just can’t beat the classics! :)
I agree Karly! You can never beat the classics! Hope you have a great week!
Summer is at the tippy top of my favorites list, too, and so are classic salads like this one – especially if they’re old family recipes! Nothing better! I’ll be sharing – and making – this one very soon. Happy Summer, Mary Ann!
Thanks so much for sharing Michele! This one has been a favorite for years! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
I just love macaroni salad, Mary Ann – it’s the perfect summer salad – brings backs so many great summer memories. And don’t you just love family recipes past down with love! Hope you are having a great week!
I hope you’re having a great week too Geraldine. I can still see my Gram when I close my eyes, in the kitchen at the counter whipping this one up!
Nope – no leftovers with this one!! I love mac salads! Especially on sunny summer days! :)
Notta spoonful left…ever!
Dishes like this get me so pumped up for summer!
Me too Matt! It’s almost here!
What a wonderful macaroni salad!! I am SO excited for summer to be just beginning. Truly the best time of year. Summer gatherings are not complete without macaroni salad, and this one looks just fab!!
You’d love it Katherine! It’s delicious, feeds a crowd and you can make it ahead!
I love summer too….and I’m really loving this pasta salad! It looks delicious and it just scream SUMMER! Happy Almost Summer!
Same to you Kathy! This one’s a winner!
Same here! I cannot wait for summer…and all the macaroni pasta salads! Sounds so good!
I’m doing the final countdown Tieghan!
I wish the weather would cooperate to make this weekend and the unofficial start to summer a little nicer! Would love to enjoy a bowl of this with a BBQ outside!
Me too Gina. Not sure what it’s looking like here yet. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for an outside BBQ or two and some of Gram’s macaroni salad! Happy holiday weekend!
I’m quite certain I could eat my weight in this salad. It looks like a wonderful combination of macaroni and egg salad, YUM!
Me too Chris! Lol!
Mary Ann, this reminds me of a salad, my mom use to make, every time we have a family gathering, so good! it just screams home to me! have great week!
Glad it brings back memories Gaila! Hope you’re week is off to a great start too!
Grandma knows best!
Yes she does!
So classic and perfect!
Thanks Jennifer!
Yes! Hooray for summer!!
I have a confession: I usually skip macaroni salad. There’s just one reason, it so often has too much dressing and tastes goopy. But you (and your Gram) have won me over with this one. I’ve been thinking about it ever since I saw it on Instagram! I love the egg addition and that the dressing looks like it’s in perfect proportion.
I hope you give it a try Marissa! I just love this one and I think you will too!
This macaroni pasta salad sounds amazing! I know my kids would eat this too! very summery, and perfect picnic food like you said! I love your idea of spending summers by the beach! I wish I lived close by to the beach too !!
I love the beach Amisha! It’s so relaxing. This macaroni salad has been a favorite at our house for years! I hope you give it a try!
Oh my goodness! When I saw this Mary Ann I immediately thought of my MaMaw! Hers was just like this but she put dill in hers… JUST LIKE IT! I make it several times a year, especially during picnic season… it is SO good and definitely a crowd pleaser! I loooove all the crunchy goodness in it and the pop of the macaronis! Hooray for Summer coming soon too! I looove summer too… I’ve never been to the Jersey shore, but would love to visit some day!
Open invitation Traci! You’d love it here! We enjoy this all summer long for our BBQ’s and lunches. I love the eggs and all the crunchy stuff too! Thank goodness I watched Gram make it hundreds of times! Have a great holiday weekend!
Bring on summer! I’m so excited and this salad is just perfect! :)
It’s my FAVORITE summer salad Laura!
Looks absolutely delicious. My mother makes a lovely macaroni salad too so you are right, it feels quintessentially summer with this lovely side. Love how you added the crunch – YUM. Adding this to the bbq list! Who knows, maybe one day I will try it on the Jersey side!
I don’t think summer would be summer without this macaroni salad! It’s a favorite at all our BBQ’s!
You brought Summer to me! Love that this isn’t drenched in a mayo dressing, it looks perfect. Love the egg addition, too! Go Gram!
Gram perfected this recipe over the years. It’s my favorite Kevin! I hope you give it a try. Happy Friday!
Can I make this salad the night before my bbq and refrigerate it..???
Hi Evan. Yes, you can. I would save some of the dressing to toss the day of serving though. Enjoy. This one is my favorite!
Wow, read this recipe and said, “this sounds like a potato salad recipe but with pasta” I am IN! I halved it for a refrigerator go to for snacks and still couldn’t believe 4 eggs and half a box of pasta— “it isn’t right.” Not only is it right it is DELICIOUS! I did add half a cucumber and a tomato (I can’t do anything by the book). Another wonderful, go to, recipe from the beach house kitchen. KUDOS!
YAY! So happy you enjoyed my Gram’s recipe Susan. I’ve been enjoying this macaroni salad for longer than I can even remember! I’ll be making it for the holiday weekend this July 4th! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and for following the BHK!!
This is my mother’s recipe! My family has been making this macaroni salad for decades & I have never seen it printed. Of course ingredient amounts are to taste, but this is it! Great to see it in print & hopefully more families will love it as much as we do! ❤️💯
Yay! Hope you give my Gram’s recipe a try Amanda! It’s my favorite!
Does the macaroni stick if you don’t soak it in cold water after cooking, or add at least some of the dressing?
You can rinse it if you prefer Mary. Once you coat with the dressing it’s fine. Enjoy!
I usually make Macaroni Salad on the morning I’m going to serve it. It’s always totally consumed, so I don’t worry about storing leftovers. My family makes ours pretty close to yours. We always include hard boiled eggs, & use “Hellmann’s” mayo. We use yellow onions, & we also like to slice a hard boiled egg on top of the salad. We lightly sprinkle paprika over the completed salad for visual effect. Our family never included mustard, but I do now, & were loving it!
So happy you enjoy it Angela! Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!
I made this! Company was coming and I needed a side for a slow cooker pork loin. Your salad was delicious. I think it’s the eggs and using real mayo that put it over the top. Also, I used gluten-free elbow macaroni and it worked perfectly. I’ll be making this often. Thanks, MaryAnn
So happy you enjoyed it! I’ve made it countless times for friends and family and it’s always a hit! A LOVE the eggs too!
I came to this page because it was posted as a summer corn salad!! That was the picture. Can you fix that? I’m not interested in the mac recipe.
That is not a pin that I created, so I cannot fix it. Sorry.