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A delicious macaroni salad with tender pasta, vegetables, hard boiled eggs, and a nutritious, creamy dressing. This easy macaroni salad belongs at every BBQ and summer cookout!
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Why you'll love this recipe
This creamy macaroni salad is made just like a classic macaroni salad, but with one special twist. We're using a mayonnaise AND Greek yogurt as the dressing base, which adds nutrients, flavor, and even more creaminess.
Just like a classic pasta salad, it's a delicious side dish for Air Fryer Whole Chicken, Instant Pot Pulled Pork, Baked Chicken Thighs, and Garlic Butter Grilled Salmon.
Ingredient notes
Ingredient amounts are included in the printable recipe below.
- macaroni - I use ditalini short cut macaroni for this salad, but classic macaroni works nicely too.
- red bell pepper, celery, and red onion - These raw ingredients add texture and crunch to pasta salad that everyone loves. Of course, you can adjust the amounts, if desired.
- hard boiled eggs - A key ingredient in classic pasta salad. These add protein, texture, and flavor. Use my hands-free shortcut recipes for Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs or Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs.
- peas - I use frozen peas, thawed of course. Fresh peas are great when they're in season!
- mayonnaise - A staple ingredient for macaroni salad.
- plain Greek yogurt - I prefer to use the nonfat variety, but you can use any style yogurt for this recipe.
- lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon complements the vinegar and adds a zingy flavor to this recipe.
- apple cider vinegar - This adds a distinct zesty flavor to macaroni salad.
- Dijon mustard - A key ingredient in any pasta salad and a great binder for the dressing.
- honey - Any liquid or dry sweetener can be used.
How to make creamy macaroni salad
Full instructions are in the printable recipe below.
- Cook macaroni noodles. Rinse and drain.
- Boil the eggs and cool them down.
- Chop the eggs and vegetables.
- Make the creamy dressing.
- Refrigerate ingredients separately until ready to serve.
Recipe variations
- Feel free to substitute all of the mayonnaise with nonfat Greek yogurt to add protein AND reduce the cholesterol amount.
- Alternatively, you can replace the Greek yogurt in this recipe with mayonnaise to make an old fashioned macaroni salad.
- You are welcome to add more or less sugar to suit your taste preference.
- Use whole wheat macaroni in place of traditional macaroni to add fiber and nutrients to this recipe.
More summer salad recipes
- Tortellini Pasta Salad with Pesto
- Creamy Cucumber Salad
- Orzo Pasta Salad
- Loaded Potato Salad Recipe
- Broccoli Salad with Grapes
- BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
- Italian Vegan Pasta Salad
📖 Recipe
Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe
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Video
Note about scaling
When scaling, the light gray ingredient notes after the comma don’t change. Adjust as needed.
Ingredients
- 1 pound Dry Pasta (Ditalini or Elbow Macaroni)
- ½ large Red Bell Pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 ribs Celery, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 small Red Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 Hard Boiled Eggs, chopped
- 1 cup Sweet Peas, fresh, frozen, or canned
- 1 cup Mayonnaise
- 1 cup Plain Greek Yogurt, any fat content
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice, juice of 1 lemon
- 2 teaspoons Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 teaspoons Honey, or preferred sweetener
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper
Instructions
- Cook MACARONI according to package instructions.Optional: Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water.
- Drain, rinse until cool, and set aside.
- To make the dressing, whisk together MAYONNAISE, GREEK YOGURT, LEMON JUICE, VINEGAR, MUSTARD, HONEY, SALT, and PEPPER in a mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Place BELL PEPPER, CELERY, RED ONION, HARD BOILED EGGS, PEAS, and cooked PASTA in a large mixing bowl. Add dressing and toss until coated. Serve chilled.
Recipe Notes
- Feel free to substitute all of the mayonnaise with nonfat Greek yogurt to add protein AND reduce the cholesterol amount.
- Alternatively, you can replace the Greek yogurt in this recipe with mayonnaise to make an old fashioned macaroni salad.
- You are welcome to add more or less sugar to suit your taste preference.
- Use whole wheat macaroni in place of traditional macaroni to add fiber and nutrients to this recipe.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on brands, ingredients, and portions.
Carole says
Some gluten free notes: I had to use GF macaroni. I found one that was a mix of rice and corn, which I don't really like as much as the GF ones that are entirely rice (the rice-corn mix seems to cook up a bit tougher in texture). If you do choose a GF pasta monitor the cooking time exactly and also stir it a lot as it cooks because GF pasta goes from done to mushy very quickly. As soon as it was the texture I wanted, I strained it and ran cold water over it to stop all further cooking. This also helps keep it from lumping together. Unfortunately, I couldn't find GF versions of the tiny sized macaroni as seen in the photo. Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly and used half mayo and half Fage Greek yogurt. I think it turned out excellent and I will definitely make it again.
Traci says
Thanks so much for sharing your experience—I really appreciate the detailed notes! It’s always helpful to hear how different types of GF pasta perform, and your tips will definitely come in handy for others making this swap. I’m so glad it turned out well with the mayo and Greek yogurt combo, too. Hope it becomes a regular for you!
GF says
I really love this macaroni salad. It’s super easy to make, and I can do it ahead, which is a big win. I love to make the full batch, which makes a lot, and I eat it for days. My friends go crazy for it! Excellent recipe! Thank you KG!
Traci says
Yay!! So glad you're enjoying it! I love to eat it for days too LOL! Thanks for taking the time to share this. xoxo
David says
We really liked this recipe!
Traci says
Yay! Thank you so much and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Cheers!
Jeff says
I love this macaroni salad! The dressing makes tangy and more nutritious - way better than a straight mayo dressing. Better for you too!
Bonnie says
Adding dill relish to the dressing was mentioned a couple of times in the comments, but I don’t see it in the recipe. It sounds like a great addition to the dressing, but how much. One teaspoon?
Traci says
Hi there! Sure, you can start with a teaspoon or two and adjust by adding more, if needed. Let me know if you have any more questions. Enjoy!
Georgie says
I made this salad last night and it was a tremendous hit with my whole family! I’ll definitely be making it again.
Traci says
Yay! So glad you went for it. I always love when the family gives thumbs up 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience. Enjoy!
Lorelei says
just a question: the 4 cups of pasta is uncooked, correct? or is it 4 cups cooked pasta?
Traci says
Hi! Yep, uncooked is correct 🙂 This pasta salad yields 10 cups, so you could reduce the whole yield, if needed. Let me know if you have any more questions. Enjoy!
David says
I made this to go with a bbq tri tip, it's for my birthday. Outstanding recipes. Thank you!
The Kitchen Girl says
Yay! So glad to hear you're enjoying my recipes. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment 🙂 Cheers!
Crystal says
I made this today. Delicious with a much lighter, fresher flavor using the Greek yogurt vs all heavy Mayo. Thanks for the new go-to recipe for macaroni salad!
The Kitchen Girl says
You are so welcome, Crystal 🙂 I absolutely love the combo too. So glad you found the recipe and enjoyed it as much as we do. Thanks for the feedback. Much appreciated!
Dave says
Great Recipe! No one believed I made it 😊
The Kitchen Girl says
Wow ... such a compliment to both of us 🙂 Thanks for the review!
Maggie says
Just made this tonight and it's delish! Can't wait to try it tomorrow after it melds together. If it tastes as good as tonight then yum!
The Kitchen Girl says
So glad to hear it, Maggie! Now you got me all wanting some Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback...much appreciated
Susan says
Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe! We enjoyed it very much.
The Kitchen Girl says
Oh awesome! So glad you enjoyed and thanks for letting me know. This macaroni salad is definitely on repeat during the warmer months 🙂
Luci says
Macaroni salad is one of my favorite dishes to make! I love the healthy substitutions you recommend and will have to try those next time!
The Kitchen Girl says
Glad to hear it, Lucy 🙂 Thanks so much!