Macaroni Salad Recipe (2024)

Mitsuko — June 1, 2016 @ 1:12 pm Reply

I made this for a family barbecue night- it was simple and very fresh tasting. I forwent the dill pickle as no one in the family, besides me, likes dill pickles. Instead I added green onion (just to give it a little more flavor and in Hawaiian Mac salad they use onion. I figured it would go nicely with our teriyaki turkey burgers and grilled corn on the cob). Anyway, it did and all my boys liked the Mac salad! I used a greek yogurt I made myself. I think the success of this dish would greatly depend on the type of yogurt you use. I find too many commercial yogurts to be overpowering in taste when I have used them in other dishes. (Too tangy/sour). you definitely want a really mild, but thick, yogurt. I would recommend brands like: stoneyfield, wallaby, or chobani. And would stay away from fa*ge and dannone. Anyway, thank you for the recipe! We are still munching on the leftovers.

Wendy — June 29, 2015 @ 12:35 am Reply

Call me strange but I actually like mayo and Miracle Whip…depends on the salad or sandwich ingredient which one I use. You don’t need to use a lot and you can get lighter versions of both these days. Adding a bit of yogurt is a good idea though to make it more tangy and to cut down on fat although some yogurts are high in fat. It’s all about individual choice and taste.

Nancy Long — June 16, 2015 @ 8:30 am Reply

Aha, maybe that’s why I’ve never been fond of macaroni salad. I make pasta salads, but use vinaigrettes for them

Nancy — April 2, 2014 @ 7:48 pm Reply

I really wanted to like this! Made it today and was not happy at all. I tried so many extra things to make it tastier but I just don’t like this at all. Would not make again.

Sandy Aldern — July 4, 2011 @ 5:34 pm Reply

Made my salad for today’s holiday barbecue! Perfect light salad to go with ribs, watermelon, and my mother-in-law’s baked beans. Margarita cupcakes for dessert!

Sharlene Simon — July 4, 2011 @ 5:06 pm Reply

Made the macaroni salad for a party on Sunday which was our Independence Day celebration with 12 family and friends. It was delicious! I doubled the recipe since it said it made 6 servings but that wasn’t necessary. It’s a generous 6 servings! Also would cut back on the celery a little and increase the dill pickles next time. Love that it’s not full of mayo….the low-fat Greek yogurt was perfect to keep it light! The Best Ever Potato Salad was a huge hit at the previous gathering….love these recipes!

Cheryl — June 19, 2011 @ 10:09 pm Reply

I made this recipe today and it was great! A very light and refreshing add to my cookout. Thank you for sharing the recipe!!

Baking In Brooklyn — June 19, 2011 @ 7:19 pm Reply

This looks really tasty! I will have to try it soon!

It’s creamier and lighter?! I didn’t know the two could ever co-exist together!

I can’t wait to give this a try. I might just add some diced avocado. Mmmm.

Thanks for the recipe!

Silvia — June 17, 2011 @ 4:40 am Reply

If I may suggest: all rice and pasta salads in Italy are dressed only with olive oil and lemon, no mayo at all. They are so very practical, one can use almost everything, ham, cheese, vegetables (fresh or pickled), olives, even tuna and eggs, and they can be very light and fresh too.

The Housewife — June 17, 2011 @ 1:43 am Reply

Thank you! I always stay away from macaroni salad while eyeing it longingly! I love that you re did a classic.

Looks fabulous! I think I’ve bookmarked more of your recipes than any other foodie I follow. :)

Sandy Aldern — June 16, 2011 @ 10:52 pm Reply

Sounds wonderful! Love the “light.” That’s how we eat most of our meals (other than cupcakes). Will be trying it soon!

Megan — June 16, 2011 @ 10:04 pm Reply

This looks very refreshing!

Looks delicious! I’ve been using Greek yogurt for all my tuna/chicken/pasta salads lately, with a tiny bit of mayo, too. I love the tanginess and creaminess :)

I am with you…I could never get into the soup salads of summer….the mayo messed with my head. Lol. Love the sound of this. I would leave out the egg but yum!

Jessica — June 16, 2011 @ 4:10 pm Reply

This sounds great! I recently got some Himalayan pink salt and organic peppercorns from Sustainable Sourcing https://secure.sustainablesourcing.com and I’ll have to try them out in this recipe. Thanks for sharing!

abakersheart — June 16, 2011 @ 3:34 pm Reply

ive been looking around for a good lighter version and this is perfect. It was super yummy!!!

Jennifer Plank — June 16, 2011 @ 2:03 pm Reply

One more reason I love your blog. I, too, HATE mayo. Always looking for a way to replace it. Will surely be trying this one straight away.

This looks great! I’ve been craving some picnic food lately, and I love this lighter version of macaroni salad!

Kelly — June 16, 2011 @ 11:45 am Reply

This recipe looks so yummy!! I recently started the long process of loosing weight, but I love macaroni salad… this seems like a healthy twist… I can’t wait to try it at our next BBQ!!

Jess — June 16, 2011 @ 9:26 am Reply

This looks delicious! I tend to shy away from these types of salads too, for the same reason, so I love what you’ve done with this version. I haven’t tackled potato or macaroni salads yet, but I have rekindled a love for chicken salad by making them on my own with lighter dressings.

Maria63303 — June 16, 2011 @ 9:16 am Reply

Thank You! I love to eat cool salads during the summer but hate the overpowering mayonaise that seems to rule them…I’m definitely giving your recipe a try!

Ohh, this looks perfect! I can’t stand how much mayo goes in those salads, too–I always wind up scraping it off with my fork and then being left with a big ol’ pile of mayo when I’m done.

Ann — June 16, 2011 @ 8:46 am Reply

How wonderful! I am fighting for my health, so I can’t have heavy mayo salads….I just made a Russian Bean Salad as an alternative. Yours looks amazing!

i’m always down for lightened-up versions of the classics…this sounds amazing!

I never loved macaroni salad but my family members did, I bet they’d love this lightened up version!

I had to re-read this post a couple of times to make sure there really was no cheese in this. Macaroni without the cheese? Then I read the title fully – salad. OH! Now I understand. I should probably start waiting to read my google reader until after I’m fully awake. Oh well, the salad looks tasty just the same, weekend neighborhood BBQ may just be getting a side of macaroni.

Looks really yummy, that’s a perfect salad for summer!

Jaime — June 16, 2011 @ 1:43 am Reply

This looks so good. I need a macaroni salad recipe. I just wanted to say that I have become a huge fan of your site. Your one of my top three favorites food bloggers. I especially love when you give a list of your favorites recipes. I love it! Thank you for doing what you do!!! You inspire me to wanna cook more. ;)

I love this lightened up version! Awesome.