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A delicious plate of Chef John's Classic Macaroni Salad

Chef John's Classic Macaroni Salad

This deli-style macaroni salad will always be a crowd-pleaser, whether it's sitting next to some smoky ribs or just a humble hot dog.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 5 hours
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Calories: 295

Ingredients
  

Dressing
  • 1 cup mayonnaise Optional
  • 60 ml white vinegar
  • 2 cucchiaino Dijon mustard
  • 2 cucchiaino kosher salt or more to taste
  • 0.5 cucchiaino ground black pepper
  • 0.125 cucchiaino cayenne pepper
  • 1 cucchiaino white sugar or more to taste
  • 1 cup finely diced celery
  • 0.75 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 0.5 cup grated carrot
  • 0.5 cup chopped green onions, white and light parts
  • 0.25 cup diced jalapeño pepper
  • 0.25 cup diced poblano pepper
Macaroni
  • 1 package uncooked elbow macaroni 16 ounces
  • 15 ml water Optional
  • 1 cucchiaino mayonnaise Optional

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Colander
  • Large Bowl

Method
 

  1. Whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon, salt, black pepper, and cayenne together in a bowl until well blended. Whisk in sugar, then stir in celery, bell pepper, carrot, green onions, jalapeño pepper, and poblano pepper. Cover and refrigerate until macaroni is ready.
  2. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender but firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain but do not rinse.
  3. Let macaroni drain in a colander for about 5 minutes, shaking out the moisture from time to time. Pour macaroni into a large bowl; toss to separate and let cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes. Macaroni should be sticky.
  4. Pour dressing over macaroni and stir until evenly distributed. Cover and refrigerate until macaroni absorbs the dressing, at least 4 hours or overnight if possible.
  5. Stir salad before serving. Mix water and remaining mayonnaise into salad for a fresher look.

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 5gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 508mgPotassium: 170mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 19mgIron: 2mg

Notes

Top with sliced green onions if desired. This salad is perfect for picnics or barbecues and can be made ahead of time.
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