The Perfect Pasta Salad
If you’ve already enjoyed the Old Fashioned Potato Salad recipe, you will also like this dish – the same dressing, but different starches. I really like the macaroni salads from my local delis, but the price is a tough pill for me to swallow. The ingredients are mostly basic items, and at the core of the dish is pasta or potatoes, which are inexpensive. Save a dime and make your own perfect pasta salad at home!
What You Need to Make Deli Style Macaroni Salad
- Macaroni Pasta – I like this pasta because it’s traditional for this dish, but also smaller and holds all the delicious dressing. If you only have penne, shells, or other small pasta go for it.
- Eggs – hard boiled eggs add color and texture. Just a few are needed.
- Celery and Onions – More texture and also crunch. Sweet onions or red onions will work well and a couple of celery stalks.
- Milk, Mayo, Mustard – The core of the dressing, a bit of milk and mayonnaise. I use yellow mustard, but Dijon, spicy brown or your favorite mustard will work.
- Salt, Pepper, Sugar – Just a dash of salt and pepper will do. How much granulated sugar you add is up to you, I like my salad a little on the sweeter side. You can start with a little and add until the flavor reaches your liking.
- Sweet Relish – Take note, this is a sweet not dill relish. Add a little more color, a bit more sweetness and tang!
How to Make Deli Style Macaroni Salad
First, place the macaroni pasta in a large saucepan. Next, place the eggs in a medium saucepan. Fill each pan with enough water to have 2″ above the eggs or pasta. To the pasta water, add 1 teaspoon of salt for every 3 cups of water. Mix and bring the water to a boil. Cook to the directions on the pasta box.
Bring the eggs to a boil. Once the egg water is boiling, cover the saucepan with a lid and remove it from the heat. Let the eggs rest for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, drain the warm water off and replace it with ice cubes and cold water.
While the pasta and eggs are cooking, peel and fine dice the onion. Cut two celery stalks into 1/4″ thick sticks, and then across to make petite diced pieces. Place the onions and celery cubes into a large mixing bowl.
Peeling and Prepping Eggs
Let the eggs rest until the ice is mostly melted. Drain off the cold water. Give the saucepan a gentle shake to rattle the eggs against each other and the pan. Don’t do this too aggressively, just enough to crack the eggs.
Peel the eggs and rough chop them into 1/4″ x 1/4″ pieces.
After the pasta is tender, drain it well in a colander and place the pasta in a large mixing bowl. If you want to serve the salad immediately, put the pasta in a bowl and let it sit in the freezer for about 10 minutes. Then, add the celery, onions, and eggs.
Making the Macaroni Salad Dressing
In a small mixing bowl, add all the dressing ingredients (milk, mayo, mustard, salt, sugar, pepper, and sweet relish). Using a whisk or spoon, mix until well combined and smooth. The dressing is fairly loose (a bit runny), don’t worry! The pasta will absorb the dressing and if the pasta sits overnight, the dressing will be absorbed even more.
Add the dressing to the celery, onion, pasta bowl and gently fold the dressing into the mix.
Serve Your Homemade Deli Style Macaroni Salad
As noted above, if you want to enjoy this the same day, chill the pasta for a bit before mixing in all the rest of the goodness. Otherwise, you can store the salad overnight. The sauce will absorb more. Give it a stir before serving.
Deli Style Macaroni Salad
Equipment
- large saucepan
- medium saucepan
- measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- chef's knife
- cutting board
- strainer
- mixing bowl and whisk
Ingredients
Macaroni Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups dried macaroni pasta
- 4 eggs
- 1 cup finely diced sweet onion
- 1 cup finely diced celery
Dressing Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
- 1/3 cup sweet relish
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt + 1 teaspoon for every 3 cups of water for the pasta
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
Boiling Pasta and Eggs
- Pasta. Start by placing the dried pasta in a large saucepan. Add water so that there is at least 2" of water covering the pasta. Add 1 teaspoon of sea salt for every 3 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil and cook to the time recommended on the box.
- Eggs. At the same time as the pasta starts, get the eggs going. Place four eggs in a medium saucepan. Cover the eggs with water and bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, cover the pan and remove it from the heat. Let the eggs sit for 15 minutes.
Veggies
- Onion. Peel the onion. Cut the onion in half. Taking one half, cut off the root end and the dried top. Then, slice the onion into thin slices along the ribs, then across to make finely cut pieces. Put the onions in a mixing bowl.
- Celery. Cut the ends off the celery if they are dry. Be sure to clean any dirt off the stalks. Cut the stalk in half, then into sticks lengthwise. Next, cut the sticks into small, diced pieces. Add the celery to the onion.
Dressing
- Liquid Ingredients. In a different mixing bowl, add the mayo, milk, mustard, sweet relish and whisk together.
- Seasonings. Next, add the sugar, salt, and pepper to taste. I provided my recommended quantities but add more or less to your liking. Combine the dressing well.
Eggs and Pasta
- Pasta. After the pasta is done cooking, drain it well in a strainer. If you would like to eat the pasta right away, place the drained bowl of pasta in the freezer to cool. Skip this step if you want to serve the pasta the next day and chill the mixed pasta in the refrigerator overnight.
- Eggs. Drain the eggs and fill the saucepan back up with ice, cover with cold water. Allow the egg to chill until the ice is mostly melted. Drain and peel. Then chop up the eggs. Add them to the onions and celery.
Assembly
- Combine. Add the chilled pasta to the bowl with the onions, celery, and eggs.
- Add the Dressing. Pour the sauce mix over the pasta and veggies. Using a large spoon or spatula, gently fold the sauce into the mix. Serve immediately.
