Macaroni Salad Recipe

Boil water and cook potatoes

Bring 1.5 liters of water to a rolling boil in a medium pot with 1 tsp salt. Add the cubed potato and parboil for 6–8 minutes until just tender but not falling apart. Use a slotted spoon to remove potatoes and transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Reserve boiling water for the pasta.

Cook macaroni

Return the reserved boiling water to a rolling boil if needed. Add macaroni and cook according to package instructions until al dente (usually 7–9 minutes). Drain pasta and immediately rinse under cold running water to stop cooking and remove surface starch. Drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Dry and combine

Pat the cooled potato cubes dry with paper towels and add them to the bowl with the drained macaroni.

Prepare vegetables

While pasta cooks, shred the carrot, thinly slice the cucumber, and thinly slice the onion. Toss cucumber with a light pinch of salt and let sit 5–10 minutes, then squeeze out excess moisture. Soak sliced onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain and pat dry to remove sharpness.

Cook sausage

Heat a small skillet over medium heat (no oil needed for Vienna-style sausage) and lightly brown the sliced sausage rounds 2–3 minutes per side until they develop a little color. Drain on paper towels. If using precooked hot dogs, you can also briefly boil or pan-sear them.

Add to bowl

Add the prepared carrot, cucumber, onion, corn, and browned sausage to the bowl with macaroni and potatoes. Toss gently to combine.

Make the dressing

In a small bowl, whisk together 0.75 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tsp sugar, 0.5 tsp soy sauce, 0.5 tsp mustard, 1 tbsp milk (optional), 0.25 tsp salt, and 0.25 tsp black pepper until smooth and slightly glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning — add a little more vinegar if you like brighter acidity or a touch more sugar for balance.

Combine salad with dressing

Pour the dressing over the macaroni-vegetable-sausage mixture. Using a large spoon or spatula, gently fold the dressing through the salad until everything is evenly coated. Be careful not to mash the potatoes.

Chill and rest

Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1–2 hours, to let flavors meld. If the salad tightens up in the fridge, you can stir in 1–2 tbsp extra mayonnaise or a splash of milk before serving to loosen it.

Garnish and serve

Just before serving, fold in the chopped hard-boiled egg if using, sprinkle chopped scallion or parsley on top, and give the salad one final gentle toss. Serve chilled or at cool room temperature.