Creamy Macaroni Salad

I told you it wouldn't be long before I posted another recipe for macaroni salad.

I love a good, creamy macaroni salad so when our friends C & T invited us over for lunch last weekend I jumped at the chance to bring this traditional summer side dish. I had torn out this recipe for Creamy Macaroni Salad from Everyday Food so I thought I'd give it a try. I liked that the main ingredient in the dressing is yogurt instead of mayo, which not only makes it lighter but healthier.


I've never been able to find 8-ounce containers of yogurt in the grocery store. I'm not sure why recipes call for it. All I can find are 6-ounce containers, so I ended up using mayo to make up the difference. Since SP thinks of celery and carrot when he thinks of macaroni salad, I subbed shredded carrot for the radishes in the original recipe. I made this the night before so it chilled overnight. I think it would have done well with a little water or milk to thin it out before I served it, but even without that we all loved this recipe. That huge bowl was almost empty after only 4 adults chowing down. The yogurt and lemon added a wonderful tang and lightness to a dish that's traditionally very heavy and gloppy. The carrot and celery combo was perfect. This is definitely going to be my go-to macaroni salad from now on.

Creamy Macaroni Salad
Modified from Everyday Food

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1/2 pound elbow macaroni
2 hard-cooked large eggs, whites roughly chopped, yolks left whole
1 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 carrots, peeled and shredded
2 celery stalks, thinly sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (I left this out)

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and return to pot. In a small bowl, finely mash 1 egg yolk with a fork (reserve remaining yolk for another use). Add yogurt, mayonnaise, and lemon juice; stir until smooth. Add to pasta, then stir in egg whites, radishes, celery, and pickle. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chives just before serving. Thin with milk or water before serving, if needed.

The Best Macaroni Salad Ever

I know The Pioneer Woman is a brand. I get that she has to make over the top claims about things because people expect her to have the best of the best recipes. That's fine. She's obviously doing quite well for herself. But is her claim that this is The Best Macaroni Salad Ever actually valid? Ehhh...not necessarily.

I rarely make macaroni salad at home but whenever we've bought it at the store I remember why I dislike it so much. See, there was a Jewish deli in my hometown growing up that made THE BEST (and yes, I stick by that statement) macaroni salad I'd ever tasted. It was simple, not too gloppy from mayo and perfectly seasoned. Sadly, the deli closed its doors a decade ago and I have yet to find macaroni salad that's as good. Now this recipe is completely different from any macaroni salad I've had. As SP pointed out, there's no carrot or celery. Instead you have olives and roasted red peppers. But I figured it was worth a shot.


I cut the recipe in half since it was just the two of us and that was perfect for dinner (including going back for seconds and thirds) plus lunch the next day. I'd say half the recipe makes 6 servings. I'm not sure what kind of pickles she was recommending so I just used the hamburger dill slices we had in the fridge. I'm sure whatever pickle you like would work just fine. I reworked the directions below because nothing irks me quite like a recipe ingredient list that doesn't go in the order of the instructions.

We both enjoyed this, especially the fact that it wasn't overly mayo-ed, but it wasn't quite what either of us were looking for in the perfect macaroni salad. I think I'll keep the base (mayo, pickles, vinegar) and swap the red peppers and olives for carrot and celery. I'll report back since I envision plenty of grilling opportunities this summer.

The Best Macaroni Salad Ever
As Seen on The Pioneer Woman

4 cups elbow macaroni
3 whole roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup black olives, chopped fine
1/2 cup diced pickles (I used dill, any type would work)
3 green onions, sliced (white and dark green parts)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
3 teaspoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
Plenty of black pepper
1/4 cup milk (more if needed)
Splash of pickle juice

Cook the macaroni in lightly salted water according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool, then put in a large bowl. Add the roasted red pepper, olives, pickles, and green onions. In a small bowl, mix together mayo, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Splash in enough milk to make it pourable. Splash in pickle juice for extra flavor. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Add dressing to the macaroni and toss to coat. Add more of any ingredient you'd like

Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Stir and serve.