Mom’S Macaroni Salad Recipe

Mom’s Macaroni Salad. This spells Summertime to me with pot-luck suppers and get-togethers, family times, picnics, buffets, and grilling. I reckon everyone thinks their mother’s Macaroni Salad is the best and I am no different. I love my Mom’s Macaroni Salad! It’s a simple old fashioned salad, filled with crisp chopped vegetables, plenty of chopped hard-boiled egg, and a rich and tangy creamy dressing!

This is the perfect salad for when you are feeding the family alone, or when you have a crowd over for a back yard BBQ marathon. There is nothing extraordinary about this salad, but it serves to prove that it truly is the simplest thing in life which brings us the most pleasure! We love it with hotdogs or burgers and in all truth, we love it any time of year! I can tell you from experience that it is always very popular at church and community potluck and covered dish suppers!!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE MOM’S MACARONI SALAD

What I love about this salad most is its simplicity! You can also easily amp it up with some extra flavours as well! Its your choice!

INGREDIENTS

Elbow Macaroni

Fresh Celery

Green Onions

Hard Boiled Eggs

Mayonnaise

Mustard

Seasoning

Fresh Chives

Amp up this salad with just a few additional ingredients according to your family’s loves and tastes. Some suggestions are:

INGREDIENTS

Cubed Cheese

Chopped Fresh Herbs

Chopped Cucumber

Chopped Radishes (bear in mind they may bleed)

Chopped Fresh Peppers

Grated Carrot

Sweet Pickle Relish

Chopped Dill Pickles

Fresh or Frozen Peas

You can also easily turn it into a main dish salad by adding flaked tuna or salmon, or chopped chicken, ham, luncheon meat, or corned beef!

HINTS AND TIPS FOR COOKING HARDBOILED EGGS PERFECTLY

One thing which people can really struggle with is boiling and peeling eggs. Here are my sure fire tips to make both of those things relatively easy!

1. Place the eggs in a single layer at the bottom of a saucepan. Cover with cold water so that they are completely submerged and covered by a least an inch of water. For 6 eggs, plan on at least an inch, but for 7 to 12, you will need two inches.
2. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water to help prevent any egg from leaking out from the egg if it should crack. I also add some salt which is said to make them easier to peel. ½ teaspoon will do the trick.
3. Bring the pot to a full, rolling boil over high heat. Turn off the heat. Cover the saucepan with a lid and leave it sitting on the heat of the burner for 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Drain the eggs and roll them around in the pan to crack the shells a bit. Place under cold running water to cool the eggs off and prevent them from cooking further. Leave to sit in cold water until completely cold.
5. Older eggs peel much easier than newer eggs. I always use eggs which are at least one week old and preferably two weeks old. Older eggs have a higher pH than fresh eggs, which makes them less sticky. This is tried and proven for me. I never have a problem peeling week old eggs.
6. Gently roll the hard-boiled egg on a cutting board or other hard surfaces beneath the palm of your hand. This will create cracks all over the egg and loosen the shell. Don’t press down too hard.
7. I like to slip the tip of a teaspoon in between the shell and the hardboiled egg. This usually helps the shell to slip off easily.
8. I also like to peel them submerged in cold water. I am not sure why this works, but it does in most cases. It also helps to wash any shell away from the egg.

HINTS AND TIPS FOR MAKING MOM’S MACARONI SALAD

You are assured of success and a delicious salad if you follow my hints and tips!

1. Read through the recipe several times before beginning to help familiarise yourself with any ingredients, equipment, or techniques needed to make the recipe.
2. Assemble all of your ingredients in one place prior to beginning to cook the recipe. This can help to prevent you from leaving anything integral out of the recipe.
3. Cook the macaroni to al dente according to the package directions. It will absorb some of the dressing so it’s important that you do not overcook it, to begin with. Always cook your pasta in a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, giving it plenty of room to expand and move around in. Make sure that your water is at a full rolling boil before you add the macaroni. Stir it frequently to the macaroni from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
4. Drain the macaroni well and then place the colander under cold running water to cool it off quickly, stirring it around with your hand or a wooden spoon. Drain it very well before proceeding.
5. You will want to chop your vegetables fairly fine for this salad. This will give you the best texture and the best look. Nobody should have to cut their salad with a knife and fork. Bite-sized or smaller is best.
6. You can use a ballpark kind of mustard for this salad, which is nice and tangy and has lots of colors, or you can use a good Dijon.
7. Chop your hard-boiled eggs bite-sized. You do not want huge chunks of egg in the salad.
8. Taste and add you seasoning, adding it a bit at a time. You don’t want to risk over-seasoning it.
9. Hold back a bit of the dressing to stir into the salad prior to serving.
10. Do chill the finished salad in the refrigerator, covered, for at least an hour prior to serving it.
11. Garnish the salad just before serving.

HOW TO MAKE MOM’S MACARONI SALAD

Note – If you are adding any extras now is the time to add them.

SUGGESTIONS FOR SERVING

This simple to make and delicious salad is perfect for family BBQs, potluck suppers, covered dish suppers, or even for packed lunches to carry to work or school. It’s very versatile and adaptable to your own individual tastes and preferences. If you don’t have elbow macaroni, simply use another type of pasta that you do have, in the same measure.

Wagon wheel or bow tie pasta is great, as are pasta twists. If you don’t have green onions, you can use red or white onions or even shallots. Just soak them in a little water with lemon juice or vinegar for a few minutes to soften their harsh flavor. This recipe serves 6 generously, but if you want to serve more, it is very easy to double the ingredients.

HOW LONG WILL THIS SALAD KEEP

Ideally, this salad is typically meant to be served on the day and that is when it is at its best. However you can keep it for up to 2 or 3 days, and it will still be delicious. In that case, I would add a bit more mayonnaise as some of the dressing is sure to have been absorbed and you don’t want it to be dry.

If you are bringing this to a potluck supper, buffet, or a picnic, make sure it is only left out for a maximum of two hours at room temperature to ensure proper food safety.

Creamy and flavourful, and more than a little nostalgic, Mom’s Macaroni Salad is sure to be well received by one and all! It’s a tried and true classic, and beautiful in its simplicity. Be prepared to be asked for the recipe!

It’s a winner/winner and, whilst it is a more than a welcome dish for summer meals and cookouts, you will find that it will also come in very handy during the Holiday buffet season which will soon be upon us! It goes perfectly with cold sliced meats!

This salad is just plain delicious any time of year! Mom always did know best!

Print