Picture this: a bowl of creamy, cool southern style macaroni salad, its short, tubular noodles cradling crisp, freshly grated carrots and onion. Flecks of vibrant yellow from chopped hard-boiled eggs and tangy, bright, roasted red pepper bits mingle throughout, promising bursts of flavor with each bite.
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Southern Macaroni Salad is perfect for a pot-luck, barbecue, orfamily gathering. Perfectly pairs with burgers, crispy and tender pernil, and a vegan puerto rican rice.
Southern-Style Macaroni is inspired by Southern Macaroni Salad, traditionally from Italy, and made with fresh green peppers, mustard, and sugar.
As a kid, this was my favorite recipe growing up. My mom was inspired by the traditional recipe and added a few twists.
The dressing in this southern-style macaroni salad is a silky, smooth blend of mayonnaise, lemon, and vinegar, balancing rich creaminess with tangy acidity and a hint of piquant spice.
Each forkful is a symphony of textures and tastes, the tender macaroni giving way to crunchy vegetables and the gentle tang of the dressing. It’s the perfect side dish for any occasion – a backyard barbecue, a picnic in the park, or a potluck with friends.
I highly recommend chilling the pasta before adding the mayo. Warm pasta will cause the mayonnaise to turn translucent because it cooks it just so slightly.
Pasta will absorb some of the mayo, and if you’re making this pasta salad the night before, I recommend adding mayo and mixing it before serving.
Cook the macaroni or pasta of your choice in really salty water. Salty water is the best way to season pasta.
Slightly undercook the pasta or to al dente, drain with a colander, and stop the cooking process by adding ice and allowing the pasta to cool much faster, preventing the pasta from overcooking.
Once at room temperature, add the ingredients and mix well. Then cool.
Remember that the pasta will continue to cook, so slightly undercooked pasta is ideal.
Overcooking the pasta is a common mistake when making pasta salad, and it can result in mushy and unappetizing pasta. Instead, cook the pasta until it is al dente or firm to bite.
While dressing is essential to pasta salad, adding too much can make it soggy and overpower the other flavors. Start with a small amount of mayo and add more as needed.
Pasta salad should be served chilled, so refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving. Cooling the macaroni salad will allow the flavors to meld together and the pasta to absorb the dressing.
While the pasta type (southern-style macaroni salad) is in the name, other pasta shapes can work with this recipe.
Instead of macaroni, pick pasta with a scoop or spiral shape.
Bow tie or farfalle
Fusilli
Rotini
Cavatappi
Rotelle
Store in the refrigerator in a glass container for up to 3 days.
Serve and enjoy!
Reheating not required.
If you want to try mayo from scratch, try this homemade mayo with avocado oil recipe.
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2 Responses
This is a delicious take on this salad. I loved the smoked red peppers and the combination of mayo and vinegar.
Thank you!