Description
Classic sweet Amish macaroni salad brings creamy, tangy goodness to summer picnics and gatherings. Rich pasta combines with crisp vegetables and zesty dressing for a crowd-pleasing side dish you’ll crave at potlucks.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups (200 g) elbow macaroni, uncooked
- 3 large hard-boiled eggs, chopped
- ½ cup (75 g) diced celery
- ½ cup (75 g) diced onion
- ¼ cup (35 g) diced red bell pepper
- ¼ cup (35 g) diced green bell pepper
- 1 cup (240 g) mayonnaise
- ¼ cup (60 g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsps white vinegar
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (optional, for garnish)
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Boiling Preparation: Generously salt a large pot of water and bring to a vigorous boil over high heat, creating the perfect environment for cooking macaroni to al dente perfection.
- Pasta Cooking: Gently introduce macaroni into the roiling water, stirring intermittently to prevent clustering, and cook until achieving a tender yet slightly firm consistency as specified by package guidelines.
- Cooling Process: Swiftly drain pasta through a colander, then immediately cascade cold water over the noodles to instantaneously terminate cooking and rapidly reduce temperature, preventing overcooking.
- Temperature Stabilization: Allow macaroni to rest and equilibrate to room temperature, facilitating moisture evaporation and maintaining an ideal pasta texture for maximum dressing absorption.
- Dressing Composition: Craft a luscious, tangy dressing by methodically combining mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, and carefully chopped vegetables, whisking until achieving a smooth, harmonious blend that will envelop the pasta with vibrant, creamy flavors.
- Final Assembly: Tenderly fold the cooled macaroni into the prepared dressing, ensuring each pasta strand is luxuriously coated, then refrigerate to allow flavors to meld and intensify, creating a sublime Sweet Amish Macaroni Salad that promises a delightful culinary experience.
Notes
- Prevent Soggy Pasta: Cook macaroni al dente, exactly as package suggests, to maintain a firm texture that won’t become mushy when mixed with dressing.
- Chill Cooling Technique: Rinse pasta with cold water immediately after cooking to stop the cooking process and prevent overcooking, ensuring perfect pasta consistency.
- Dressing Absorption Trick: Let pasta cool completely to room temperature before mixing with dressing, allowing noodles to absorb flavors without becoming watery.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Swap regular mayo with Greek yogurt or vegan mayo for lighter versions, and use gluten-free macaroni to accommodate different dietary requirements.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 550 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 22 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 43 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg