Best 3 Restaurant Style Macaroni Salad Recipes

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Macaroni salad, a classic side dish enjoyed at picnics, potlucks, and barbecues, is a versatile dish with endless variations. This recipe collection offers a diverse range of macaroni salad recipes, each with unique flavors and ingredients to cater to different tastes and preferences. From the classic macaroni salad with its creamy mayonnaise dressing and colorful mix of vegetables to the tangy vinegar-based macaroni salad with a hint of mustard, this article has it all. Whether you prefer a simple and traditional macaroni salad or one with a twist, such as the bacon-ranch macaroni salad or the Mexican-inspired macaroni salad with corn, black beans, and cilantro, you're sure to find a recipe that will delight your taste buds. With step-by-step instructions and helpful tips, these recipes will guide you in creating a flavorful and satisfying macaroni salad that will be the star of your next gathering.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

CHEF JOHN'S CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD



Chef John's Classic Macaroni Salad image

Whether it's sitting next to some smoky ribs or just a humble hot dog, this deli-style macaroni salad will always be a crowd favorite, as long as you pay attention to a few key details.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Salad     100+ Pasta Salad Recipes     Macaroni Salad Recipes

Time 4h33m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 16

1 cup mayonnaise
¼ cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon white sugar, or more to taste
1 cup finely diced celery
¾ cup diced red bell pepper
½ cup grated carrot
½ cup chopped green onions, white and light parts
¼ cup diced jalapeno pepper
¼ cup diced poblano pepper
1 (16 ounce) package uncooked elbow macaroni
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon water

Steps:

  • Whisk 1 cup mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl until well blended; whisk in sugar. Stir in celery, red bell pepper, carrot, onions, and jalapeno and poblano peppers. Refrigerate until macaroni is ready to dress.
  • Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain but do not rinse. Allow macaroni to drain in a colander about 5 minutes, shaking out moisture from time to time. Pour macaroni into large bowl; toss to separate and cool to room temperature. Macaroni should be sticky.
  • Pour dressing over macaroni and stir until dressing is evenly distributed. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or, ideally, overnight to allow dressing to absorb into the macaroni.
  • Stir salad before serving. Mix 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon water into salad for fresher look.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 294.5 calories, Carbohydrate 32 g, Cholesterol 7.4 mg, Fat 16.1 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 5.4 g, SaturatedFat 2.4 g, Sodium 508.1 mg, Sugar 3.2 g

THE WAHLBERG'S MACARONI SALAD



The Wahlberg's Macaroni Salad image

From Food & Wine magazine, here's what they say: I doubt Mark Wahlberg ate this macaroni salad to get into such sick shape to play champion boxer Micky Ward in his film The Fighter. But thanks to his brother, chef Paul Wahlberg, we've got the recipe for the Wahlberg family macaroni salad. Mark says that no one makes the dish as well as their mother, Alma. But you can try by making their recipe for yourself! Or go to Paul's cool new Mediterranean-Italian restaurant, Alma Nove in Hingham, Massachusetts, where the macaroni salad is on his menu at his brother's request. At least in pasta salad season in summer. I have tweeked this just a little. Feel free to add olives, more veggies, etc. Enjoy!

Provided by Sharon123

Categories     Vegetable

Time 29m

Yield 10-12

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 lb elbow macaroni
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely diced green bell pepper (I like to use red bell pepper too)
1/2 cup finely diced celery
3 tablespoons diced red onions (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 dash ground cayenne pepper (optional)

Steps:

  • In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni until al dente, about 8-9 minutes or to taste. Drain, then rinse the macaroni until cool. Drain very well.
  • In a large bowl, add the garlic powder, celery salt and mayonnaise to the macaroni and toss to coat. Add cayenne if using. Stir in well.
  • Stir in the green pepper, celery, onion and parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.
  • Chill before serving.

RESTAURANT-STYLE HOUSE SALAD



Restaurant-Style House Salad image

This is a recipe from a St. Louis based pasta restaurant chain and I have served this many time to rave reviews. I always the double the recipe.

Provided by BEBBEE

Categories     Salad     Green Salad Recipes     Romaine Lettuce Salad Recipes

Time 15m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 large head romaine lettuce- rinsed, dried and torn into bite sized pieces
1 large head iceberg - rinsed, dried and torn into bite sized pieces
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 cup sliced red onion
1 (4 ounce) jar diced pimento peppers, drained
⅔ cup extra virgin olive oil
⅓ cup red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
⅔ cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, combine the romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, artichoke hearts, red onions and pimentos. Toss together.
  • Prepare the dressing by whisking together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper and cheese. Refrigerate until chilled and pour over salad to coat. Toss and serve.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 352.1 calories, Carbohydrate 17.4 g, Cholesterol 9.8 mg, Fat 28.5 g, Fiber 5.7 g, Protein 8.9 g, SaturatedFat 5.5 g, Sodium 975.9 mg, Sugar 4.5 g

Tips:

  • Use high-quality mayonnaise. This will make a big difference in the flavor of your macaroni salad.
  • Use a variety of crunchy vegetables. This will add texture and flavor to the salad.
  • Don't overcook the macaroni. It should be cooked al dente, so that it still has a little bit of a bite to it.
  • Chill the macaroni salad for at least an hour before serving. This will allow the flavors to meld together.
  • Serve the macaroni salad with a sprinkle of paprika or chopped parsley for garnish.

Conclusion:

Restaurant-style macaroni salad is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for potlucks, picnics, and barbecues. With a few simple tips, you can make macaroni salad that tastes just like it came from a restaurant. So next time you're looking for a side dish that will please everyone, give this recipe a try.

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