Mac Salad Recipe

Cook pasta

Bring 6 cups of water to a rolling boil in a medium pot. Add a pinch of salt and the 3 cups elbow macaroni. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until just tender (al dente), about 7–8 minutes. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water, then drain the pasta into a colander.

Shock pasta

Immediately transfer the drained pasta into a large bowl of ice water (use the 4 cups ice and some cold tap water) to stop cooking and cool completely, about 3 minutes. This prevents mushy noodles and keeps them firm for the salad. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with clean kitchen towels or paper towels.

Prepare solids

While the pasta cooks and chills, chop the celery, red bell pepper, green onions, dill pickle, hard-boiled eggs, and parsley to the sizes listed. Thaw the frozen peas under cold running water if still partially frozen and drain well.

Combine salad ingredients

Place the cooled, drained macaroni in a large mixing bowl. Add the peas, diced celery, red bell pepper, green onions, chopped eggs, diced dill pickle, and chopped parsley. Sprinkle 1 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper over the mixture and gently toss to combine so the solids are evenly distributed.

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 cup plain Greek yogurt until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon celery seed, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon kosher salt (or 1/2 tsp table salt), 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice. Whisk until the dressing is homogeneous and slightly creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning: add more salt, pepper, or vinegar if desired.

Pour the dressing over the macaroni and vegetable mixture. Gently fold with a rubber spatula until everything is evenly coated. If the salad seems thick, stir in up to 2 tablespoons reserved pasta cooking water to loosen the dressing slightly.

Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate at least 2 hours, preferably 4–6 hours or overnight, to allow flavors to meld. Before serving, taste and adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle a little extra paprika and some chopped parsley on top as garnish, if desired. Serve chilled.