Cheddar macaroni salad is a timeless dish packed with flavor! This recipe combines cooked elbow macaroni with sharp cheddar cheese, chopped celery, and diced red onion.
A creamy dressing made with mayonnaise, sour cream, and a hint of Dijon mustard brings it all together. It’s the perfect side dish for summer picnics, or your next potluck or backyard bbq!
Cold pasta salad and potato salad are my most favorite side dishes to make when we are grilling out because they can be made in advance. That way I don’t have to be stuck in the house cooking while Lee is outside grilling. We also like that this particular recipe makes a big batch so we can eat it for lunch the next day or two.
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Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes
pasta – macaroni is one of the classic ingredients in most cold pasta salads. That being said, small shells, ditalini or virtually any short cut pasta will work.
cheese – I like small chunks of cheddar cheese, but any variety of cheese will work.
veggies – celery and red onion add a nice crunch and are typical ingredients in most classic macaroni salad recipes.
creamy sauce – we use mayo, sour cream, a little Dijon mustard, a splash of apple cider vinegar, a touch of sugar, salt and black pepper in our sauce.
How to make this easy macaroni salad recipe
- Cook pasta according to the package directions, rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.
- While the pasta cooks chop the onion and celery. Measure the ingredients for the dressing and mix it up in a small bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl combine the drained pasta, celery, onion and cheese chunks, toss to combine.
- Add the dressing to the pasta and gently stir until it is mixed.
Substitutions and additions
- Any short cut of pasta will work but macaroni and small shells work best.
- Almost any variety of cheese will work, try a little pepper jack for a little kick.
- Miracle Whip or Spin Blend can be used instead of regular mayo.
- Greek yogurt can be used instead of sour cream.
- Virtually any type of clear vinegar will work if you don’t have apple cider vinegar.
- Many other types of crisp vegetables can be used to add crunch and texture. Green or red bell peppers, sweet pickles, dill pickles or sweet pickle relish would all be a great addition to this dish.
- Yellow mustard can be used instead of Dijon mustard.
- Chopped hard boiled eggs can be added.
Should you rinse macaroni when making macaroni salad?
Rinsing pasta before using it in cold salads is an important step for several reasons; it stops the cooking process while helping the pasta cool down quickly, plus it removes excess starch so it doesn’t get sticky or gummy. Rinsing it will also help to ensure that each piece is coated in the dressing.
Why isn’t my macaroni salad creamy?
To ensure a creamy macaroni salad be sure to cook the pasta just right, not too al dente and not too done. Be sure to add a sufficient amount of dressing that is mixed in well. And finally, use full fat ingredients because low-fat ingredients may not be as rich and creamy as their low calorie counterparts.
How long does macaroni salad last in the fridge?
When stored properly in an airtight container macaroni salad can last 3-5 days in the refrigerator, but it can start to dry out even after a day or two. To make refrigerated macaroni salad more creamy you can add a couple of tablespoons of milk and stir until it is creamy, or make extra dressing and save it to add later.
Can you freeze macaroni salad?
While technically pasta salad can be frozen it is not recommended. The texture and consistently will not be the same after it is frozen and thawed. Macaroni salad is best eaten fresh within a few days of making it.
What to eat with macaroni salad
Mac salads go perfectly with many summer bbq, picnic, and easy main dishes. Below are a few ideas:
- hamburgers
- hot dogs
- pulled pork
- fried chicken
- sloppy joes
- brats
- pigs in a blanket
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Macaroni Pasta Salad with Cheddar Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1/2 cup cheese chunks
- 1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
- 1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
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Instructions
- Cook macaroni for the minimum amount of time specified on the package. Drain and rinse with cold water.1 lb elbow macaroni
- In a small bowl mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, vinegar, sugar, pepper, and salt until combined. Set aside.1 1/4 cups mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1 1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 1/2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1/4 tsp salt
- In a large bowl combine the macaroni, cheese chunks, celery, and onion. Add the sauce and stir to combine.1 lb elbow macaroni, 1 cup celery, 1/2 cup cheese chunks, 1/4 cup red onion
Notes
Nutrition Facts
Dishes that go great with macaroni salad…
Tender and juicy boneless pork ribs are cooked in the air fryer and ready in 20 minutes.
Looks pretty close to Granny’s but I like to add bacon or pre diced ham chopped up in mine because of meals not a meal without meat for me LOL
We usually eat this as a side dish to grilled meats, that way all we have to do is grill the meat, which takes like 10 minutes. But, bacon or ham would be a great addition. Thanks
This would make a comfort meal to me.. Love those bowl used for platting..
Thank you so much!
I love all sorts of salads…this looks so comforting and homey, Mindy.
Thank you!