This Small Macaroni Salad is the perfect simple side for small get-togethers and dinners with friends!
I have a confession: You know what my favorite summer food is? It’s not ice cream. It’s not s’mores. It’s not even a perfectly cooked and marinated ribeye steak (though that’s a really close second). It’s spoonfuls of macaroni salad stolen from the fridge on a hot summer day.
I don’t know what makes this taste so good. Maybe it’s the blast of cold air you get every time you open the fridge or the delicious feeling that you’re doing something vaguely naughty and getting away with it, but for whatever the reason, it’s the best, and I highly recommend it.
My go-to macaroni salad recipe (AKA the Best Macaroni Salad in the world) is party-sized. It’s made with a pound of macaroni and makes waaaay too much food unless you are having a party. And most of the time I make it, I’m not having a party, so it either ends up going to waste OR I eat a cutlery-drawer’s worth of spoon and forkfuls and don’t feel great about my life choices at the end of the weekend.
So, today I’m shrinking down my fav and sharing a Small Macaroni Salad recipe. It uses just four ounces of pasta and makes two to four very reasonable servings, making it perfect for burger nights with one or two friends, and leaves you with a little left over for fridge stealing the next day. 😉
Aside from being the perfect size, I LOVE THIS PASTA. I wasn’t kidding when I called the original the best macaroni salad in the world. And this small version is just as good. It’s not soaked in gallons of goopey mayonnaise like some pasta salad. There’s mayo to be sure, but just enough for a light dressing that’s sweet but not too sweet, tangy and not too vinegary. It’s loaded with crunchy bits of celery and bell pepper and is basically perfect.
Everyone I’ve ever served this pasta salad to falls instantly in love with it, even people who don’t normally like pasta salad. It’s that good.
So, serve with Tri-Tp Sandwiches. Serve with Oven-baked Ribs. Serve by itself in a bowl with a spoon. However you choose to eat it, it’s gonna be a good time.
Small Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
Pasta
- 4 ounces (1cup) macaroni
Dressing
- 1/4 cup (52g) mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 to 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- 1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard or yellow mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of cayenne
Vegetables
- 1 small green onion diced, use green and white parts
- 1/2 cup finely diced bell pepper any color
- 1/4 cup finely diced celery
- 1/4 cup finely grated carrot
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of generously salted water to boil and cook macaroni according to package instructions. Drain and set aside to cool completely. Stir occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking together too badly.
- In a medium bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients and whisk together until smooth. Add vegetables and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until pasta is cool.
- Once pasta is cooled, stir pasta into the dressing. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Adapted From Food Wishes
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Jessica says
Perfect, thank you so much. I was using your cs ribs recipe and saw your link to this salad and I was so happy for this idea. These 2 items with corn bread and mashed taters as well as corn on the cob. Going to be a delicious dinner!! Thanks again n Have a Blessed Day.
Judy Shkolny says
I made this small macaroni salad and used Italian dressing instead of the vinegar. I also used more celery. I used 3 little red onions instead of green onion. It is a very good salad. I will make it again
Sandra Stephenson says
I love, love, love this salad! The only change I make is to substitute grated cheese for carrot…personal choice. On Saturday I will serve it for a family funeral, tripling the recipe. I hope that it isn’t all eaten so I can bring some home, but, if not, I can make myself the small version soon. Thank You!
GiannaTheChef says
Best macaroni salad ever!! This is amazing! I’ve made it twice and the second time I tripled the recipe because I needed more than 4 servings. Absolutely delish!
Tom says
I just saw this recipe, but except for the cayenne, the ingredients are the same as I put in my macaroni salad. I typically make enough for a small army for family get togethers. This is the dish I am generally requested to make. Any leftovers get split up and taken home by multiple people. I do prepare all the vegetables in the food processor. That way they are all cut up into fine pcs and mix well in the salad.
Debbie says
Great macaroni salad. Loved the dressing. So flavorful with the Dijon mustard I served along with sloppy joes. Will definitely make again YUM!
Debbie Florio says
I have tried a few macaroni salad recipes within the last year, some promising to taste like deli salad. Actually some were delicious, but something was missing.I came across this one , I wanted to try it, not only because of the reduced volume, but it looked similar to the recipe my mother use to make.Well I have to say this is my favorite by far of the many I have tried over the past year, and I have to admit it beats my mothers recipe. The proportions of the ingredients are perfect.
Linda Schnall says
In the “small macaroni salad” recipe, it says to use 4 oz (1 cup) macaroni. Is that 4 oz dry or cooked?
Tracy says
4 ounces (by weight) dry.
Susan says
We have sandwiches for lunch. It gets old having chips with the sandwich every day. This is just the right size. It lasts the week and tastes good. I can add whatever I want. The dressing part is perfect – not too gloppy and not too dry
Tracy says
So glad you enjoy it, Susan!!
Karen says
This looks exactly like the macaroni salad my Dad used to make when I was growing up. It was not super heavy with mayo like most are now. One thing that was added was a can of rinsed dark kidney beans. No idea where that cMe from but it worked. I have tried to find a “drier” macaroni salad for years. I think I just did, with the addition of those beans.
Tracy says
Interesting!! I’ve never had kidney beans in pasta salad before, but it sounds kind of good now that I think about it!
BARBARA says
I’m rating this a 5 star because it will be when I make it. I’ll add some seeded and diced cucumber, maybe a few cherry tomatoes cut in half and steamed shrimp for an entree. I like the guide to proportion this for a small batch. Thank you!
Darlene says
Just made this to go with hamburgers for supper. My hubby is eating it by the spoonfuls from the bowl…haha. Good thing just him and I here. 🙂 Delicious recipe. Thanks for sharing Tracy.
Darlene
Nova Scotia
Tracy says
Lol the best way to eat it!! So glad you guys are enjoying the recipe!
Linda says
Fantastic! I actually made half recipe. It was delicious.
Confused says
In your recipe you say 1 green onion, use green parts and white…. Is the 1 only scallion onion? Do not see and green onion parts in your photo….
Tracy says
Yes, use one small green onion/scallion, both the white and green parts. I like mine pretty finely diced, so you can’t really tell from the photos, but they’re in there!
Suzanne says
This looks delicious, thank you for sharing!
Shreela says
Thanks for the small size, it’s perfect for me and DH, we eat smaller now that we’re seniors and he eats it with crackers. Subbed with frozen seasoning blend that thawed with the hot pasta. Cholula instead of Cayenne. DH approved for more quarantine meals, whew!