Who is up for some Deli-style creamy classic Macaroni Salad? Me! Me! Me! Well, then let us just make it.
Creamy Macaroni Salad with the sweet crunch of bell-peppers and celery is like a side which you cannot really miss for your summer cookouts.
This recipe works as a charming side for all your grilling recipes. In fact, these pairs exceptionally well with hot dogs and steaks as well.
A VIDEO TUTORIAL 🙂
Not just summer cookouts but for picnics or potlucks or some tailgate parties this salad works like a charm. If you want to make this a complete meal for yourself, then just add some chicken or tuna and you will be good to go.
Macaroni Salad is typically made creamy using Mayonnaise. And, honestly, I LOVE Mayonnaise. I know it has got lots of carbs in it and it is unhealthy - there you go, I have used the term. But, it is still one of those ingredients that bring in a creamy texture in our salad. Though I try to avoid Mayonnaise for most of my salad recipes if you skip Mayonnaise here, then there would be no fun in this recipe.
For sweetness, I like to add a combination of sugar and sweetened condensed milk. If you feel like condensed milk is going to turn to the salad too sweet, then you can totally skip it out. But, I have seen that condensed milk makes the salad creamy as well as sweet. And, this sweetness is typically important because when we pair this salad with a spicy, hot grilled chicken or pork-tenderloin, then we can understand the importance of sweetness in our salad.
I believe that celery and bell-peppers are other major components of a classic Macaroni Salad. Celery and Bell-Peppers provides a beautiful crunch to an otherwise creamy salad. On the other hand, if you are using some red bell-peppers then that’s even better because it would make it look so much more colorful.
I always like to add some red onions in my macaroni salad. Red onions give a pleasing kind of sweetness and a noticeable crunch which is extremely important for a good macaroni salad.
Another important component of this recipe is fresh lemon juice. I really adore the lemon-y freshness in my salads. They certainly enhance the existing taste of the veggies and add a little zingy touch to the salad that makes it so much fresh and refreshing.
Just to intensify the flavors and make this kind of more appetizing, I have added some Dijon Mustard. If you do not have Dijon mustard, you can use Yellow Mustard for this recipe.
Finally, no recipe is complete without a dash of salt, pepper and some paprika. So, let’s grab our spices and drizzle it all over the salad.
Other Variations of this recipe
- Hard-Boiled Eggs - You could also use some hard-boiled eggs in this recipe. Hard-boiled eggs will add lots of protein in your salad and would also make it thicker. But if you don’t like eggs you can just cast it aside.
- Jalapenos – Besides making your Macaroni Salad look colourful, Jalapenos will spruce up the heat of your salad making it much spicier and tastier.
Let’s Talk Creamy Classic Macaroni Salad Taste:
I know you are looking for that creamy macaroni salad that you get in a delicatessen and guess what this is just that in fact much better!
Deli-style Creamy Classic Macaroni Salad
INGREDIENTS
- ¼ Cup Condensed Milk
- ½ Cup Mayonnaise
- ¼ Cup Dijon Mustard
- 1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
- 1 tablespoon Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Salt & Pepper
- ¼ Cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ Cup Red Onions
- ½ Cup Green Bell Pepper
- ½ Cup Red Bell Pepper
- 1 Cup Macaroni cooked
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook the Macaroni until al dante. Strain the water in a colander and allow it to cool down to room temperature.
Dressing
- Mix the Condensed Milk, Mayonnaise, Dijon Mustard, Lemon Juice, Granulated Sugar, Vinegar, Salt and Pepper in a mixing bowl.
- In a separate mixing bowl take some Red Onions, Green Bell Peppers, Red Bell Peppers, and the cooked Macaroni.
- Add the dressing over the veggies and Macaroni and mix well using two spoons. Chill it for 1-2 hours covered in the refrigerator and serve with dinner.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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