This Vegetable Macaroni Salad is a favorite side for family barbecues and potlucks. Made with a creamy mayo dressing and filled with olives, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, dill pickles, green onions, and pimientos, this flavor-packed pasta salad has a perfect blend of crispness from the veggies and creaminess from the dressing.
What we love about this Macaroni Salad
I make this macaroni salad for potlucks and as a barbecue side here at home. We love its creaminess and flavor! The olives, pickles, and pimientos give it a little saltiness and depth. The cucumbers and celery add a delicious crunch, and the tomatoes provide a bit of sweetness and acidity. Together, it is really a fantastic combination.
The dressing is mayonnaise-based with a little vinegar, pickle juice, salt, and pepper. The dressing perfectly complements the pasta and ingredients. If you need a side dish for a potluck or want a creamy side to go with those ribs, this one is a winner!
Looking for other summer barbecue dishes? Try our amazing Baby Back Barbecue Ribs, our tasty Potato Salad with Dill Pickles, or for dessert, our delicious Strawberry Glazed Pie!
What you need to make Macaroni Vegetable Salad
You will need the following ingredients:
- Elbow macaroni pasta
- Olive oil
- Mayonnaise
- Vinegar
- Pickle juice
- Salt
- Pepper
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Tomato
- Black olives
- Dill pickle
- Green onions
- Pimientos
Macaroni Salad with Vegetables Substitutions
I know what it’s like when you don’t have everything on hand and the last thing you want to do is run to the store and pick something up. Here are a few ideas to substitute items on the ingredients list if needed:
- Instead of using 100% mayonnaise, you could use half sour cream and half mayonnaise.
- Sweet pickles could substitute for dill pickles.
- You could substitute or add any of your favorite vegetables. Options could include diced sweet peppers, broccoli, shredded carrots, etc. If you add more vegetables, I would consider increasing the amount of dressing that you make.
- We have tried adding cubed cheese and ham, but prefer it without.
- Other pasta varieties could work as well.
Step-by-step Instructions for Vegetable Macaroni Salad
Step 1. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, pickle juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and chill in the fridge while you assemble the salad ingredients.
Step 2. Add the celery, cucumber, tomato, olives, pickle, ¼ cup green onions, and pimientos to the cooked pasta. Stir gently to mix evenly. Pour the dressing over the top and gently mix until fully incorporated.
Step 3. Before serving, garnish with 1-2 tablespoons sliced green onions if desired. In the images, I included a tablespoon or so of the different vegetables to help identify the ingredients in the salad, which you can use as a garnish as well.
Tips
- You can make the pasta salad in advance, but I wouldn’t recommend more than 1-2 days before serving for the best presentation. The quality of the vegetables will soften over time, especially the tomato. Once stored in the fridge, the pasta will absorb some of the mayonnaise mixture. If making the pasta salad in advance, add additional dressing or mayonnaise if needed right before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
| How to store macaroni salad? Can you make it ahead of time? |
| a. A mayonnaise-based pasta salad lasts 3-4 days, covered, in the fridge. To keep it food safe, it should not be out at room temperature for more than 2 hours. If you are outside in the heat, it is only safe for one hour if left out and not refrigerated. If it has been left out in the heat, I wouldn’t keep it to serve for later, as mayonnaise is more susceptible to bacterial growth. b. You can freeze the pasta salad, but the texture and taste will be less desirable. The mayonnaise can separate once frozen, and the pasta becomes mushy. c. You can absolutely make the pasta salad in advance, I wouldn’t recommend more than 1-2 days before serving for best presentation. The quality of the vegetables will soften over time, especially the tomatoes. Once stored in the fridge, the pasta will absorb some of the mayonnaise mixture. If making the pasta salad in advance, add additional dressing or mayonnaise if needed right before serving. |
| What can I serve with Vegetable Macaroni Salad? |
| Macaroni salad is a popular summer side dish for barbecue food like hamburgers, barbecue chicken, brats, hot dogs, ribs, brisket, or fried chicken. Other side dishes that often accompany macaroni salad include baked beans, corn on the cob, potato salad, cucumber salad, coleslaw, watermelon, fruit salad, and broccoli salad. |
Vegetable Macaroni Salad
20
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servingsThis Vegetable Macaroni Salad is a favorite side for family barbecues and potlucks. Made with a creamy mayo dressing and filled with olives, cucumbers, celery, tomatoes, dill pickles, green onions, and pimientos, this flavor-packed pasta salad has a perfect blend of crispness from the veggies and creaminess from the dressing.
Ingredients
8 ounces (½ pound) of elbow macaroni pasta (half of a 1-pound box)
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons vinegar (I use white vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
1 teaspoon pickle juice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup finely chopped celery (3-4 stalks)
1 cup seeded, finely chopped cucumber (about ½ a cucumber)
1 Roma tomato, seeded and finely chopped
½ cup of sliced black olives
⅓ cup of finely chopped dill pickle
¼ cup + 2 tablespoons sliced green onions, divided
¼ cup diced pimientos
Optional garnish: sliced green onions
Directions
- Cook the elbow macaroni pasta according to package directions. Pour the cooked, drained pasta into a large bowl and stir in the olive oil to keep the pasta from sticking together. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, pickle juice, salt, and pepper. Cover and chill in the fridge while you assemble the salad ingredients.
- Add the celery, cucumber, tomato, olives, pickle, ¼ cup green onions, and pimientos to the pasta. Stir gently to mix evenly. Pour the dressing over the top and gently mix until fully incorporated.
- Cover and chill until ready to serve (1 hour or up to overnight). If the pasta salad is prepared several hours or a day in advance, you may want to add additional mayonnaise if the pasta has absorbed a little of the dressing.
- Before serving, garnish with 1-2 tablespoons sliced green onions if desired. (In the images, I included a tablespoon or so of the different vegetables to help identify the ingredients in the salad, which you can use as a garnish as well.)
Notes
- You can make the pasta salad in advance, but I wouldn’t recommend more than 1-2 days before serving for the best presentation. The quality of the vegetables will soften over time, especially the tomato. Once stored in the fridge, the pasta will absorb some of the mayonnaise mixture. If making the pasta salad in advance, add additional dressing or mayonnaise if needed right before serving.
- To simplify preparation the day of, you can chop the vegetables the night before (except the tomato) and store them in an airtight container or ziploc bag, separately.
- We have eaten this pasta salad immediately after making it at room temperature when we haven’t had time to chill it, and it still tastes great! The flavors meld a little more as they chill and the cold salad may be slightly more desirable, but room temperature is fine too.
I enjoy the crispness of the vegetables mixed into the macaroni salad.
Thank you so much! The veggies add so much here. Thanks for taking the time to leave feedback, glad you enjoy it!
Love this as a vegetarian side! Perfect for my next cookout…thanks for the recipe!
This really is great side for potlucks and barbecues. We love it, hope you get to try it! Thanks for the great feedback!
I needed a side dish to bring to a BBQ potluck, and this recipe looked to fit the bill. It was very good and there were no leftovers!
I am so happy to hear this! I am glad it worked for your potluck, this has been a great potluck side for us as well. Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your feedback!