Alton Brown Macaroni Salad - Delish Sides (2024)

The macaroni Salad by Alton Brown mixes celery, red pepper, and onion in a creamy mayo dressing—potluck perfection that only takes 7 minutes to prepare!

Try More Alton Brown Recipes:

  • Alton Brown Gnocchi
  • Alton Brown Icebox Cake
  • Alton Brown Jambalaya
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💗 Why You’ll Love This Macaroni Salad Recipe:

  • Smooth Bliss: Rich texture thanks to mayo and sour cream.
  • Easy & Accessible: Simple ingredients for a quick, tasty side.
  • Plan-Ahead Pleasure: Flavor deepens over time, great for prep-ahead convenience.
  • Your Way: Easily customizable to suit your taste preferences.

❓ What Is Alton Brown’s Macaroni Salad Recipe?

Alton Brown’s Macaroni Salad consists of cooked macaroni noodles, sweet gherkins, celery, red onion, bell peppers, and hard-boiled eggs combined in a tasty dressing made with sour cream, mayo, and seasonings.

Alton Brown Macaroni Salad - Delish Sides (1)

🥡 Alton Brown Macaroni Salad Ingredients

  • 8 oz dry macaroni noodles (227g)
  • ½ cup finely diced sweet gherkins usually 4-6 sweet gherkins for me (80g)
  • ¾ cup finely diced red bell pepper about ½ pepper (100g)
  • ⅓ cup thinly sliced celery about 1-2 stalks (55g)
  • ⅓ cup finely diced red onion (45g)
  • 2 large hard-boiled eggs, finely diced

Macaroni Salad Dressing:

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise use olive oil mayo (175g)
  • ¼ cup sour cream (70g)
  • 2 Tablespoons sweet pickle juice
  • 1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper optional

🥙 How To Make Alton Brown Macaroni Salad

  1. Get the macaroni noodles ready according to the instructions on the packet.
  2. Pour in a teaspoon of olive oil, give the noodles a little swirl to separate them while they sit, and then drain and rinse well with cold water.
  3. Mix the macaroni, sweet pickles, celery, red onion, red pepper, eggs, and a big bowl. Mix until fully blended. Place aside and have your dressing ready.

For the dressing:

  1. In a medium-sized bowl, mixthe mayonnaise, sour cream, red wine vinegar, sugar, dijon mustard, sweet pickle juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper (if using). Blend all ingredientsusing a whisk.
  2. Toss the macaroni salad ingredients with the dressing until everything is well coated.
  3. Cover the bowl and let the macaroni salad sit for at least an hour to enhance its flavor. Stir again just before serving, and savor!

💭 Recipe Tips

  • Chill for Flavor: Let the macaroni salad sit for at least an hour before serving to enhance the flavor.
  • Toss it Right: Ensure even coating by tossing the salad ingredients gently with the dressing.
  • Fresh is Best: Use fresh, quality ingredients for a vibrant and delicious result.
  • Adjust to Taste: Feel free to tweak ingredient quantities to suit your preferences.
Alton Brown Macaroni Salad - Delish Sides (2)

🍔 What Pairs Nicely With Macaroni Salad?

Macaroni salad is a perfect side dish to go with a variety of meals including burgers chicken, grilled hot dogs, Italian pinwheels, corn on the cob, fried okra, baked beans, deviled eggs, cornbread, and cheese with crackers.

🎚 How To Store Leftovers Macaroni Salad?

  • In The Fridge:Refrigerate leftover macaroni salad for 3 to 5 days if kept in a sealed container.
  • In The Freezer:Freeze leftover macaroni salad for at least 2 weeks by putting it in a heavy-duty freezer bag. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before eating.

🥵 How To Reheat Leftovers Macaroni Salad?

  • Stove: Heat macaroni salad in a pan over low to medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until heated.
  • Microwave:Pour macaroni salad into a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 10- to 15-second increments, stirring in between, until hot.

FAQs

Why does my macaroni salad not stay creamy?

Your macaroni salad may not stay creamy if the pasta isn’t cooked enough, hindering dressing absorption and causing dryness.

Should you rinse macaroni when making macaroni salad?

Yes, rinse cooked macaroni under cold water to cool it and prevent sticking before tossing it with salad dressing for macaroni salad.

How do you keep macaroni salad from absorbing dressing?

To keep macaroni salad from absorbing too much dressing, coat the pasta with oil before tossing it to create a water-repellent layer.

What do I do if my macaroni salad is too sweet?

If macaroni salad is too sweet, balance it by adding acid, like lemon juice or vinegar, to adjust the flavor.

Try More Alton Brown Recipes:

  • Alton Brown Chicken Marsala
  • Alton Brown Vegetable Stock
  • Brown Lobster Tail

Alton Brown Macaroni Salad Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving

  • Calories 207
  • Total Fat 9.5g
  • Saturated Fat 1.5g
  • Trans Fat 0g
  • Cholesterol 5mg
  • Sodium 293mg
  • Potassium 68mg
  • Total Carbohydrates 26g
  • Dietary Fiber 1.5g
  • Sugars 8.1g
  • Protein 3.7g

Alton Brown Macaroni Salad

Author: Imen Dridi Cooking Method:Stovetop Cuisine:American,British Courses:Salads,Dinner,Lunch,Sides Recipe Keys:MMacaroni Salad

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 15 minutesCook time: 7 minutesRest time:1 hour Total time:1 hour 22 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:207 kcal Best Season:Suitable throughout the year

Description

The macaroni Salad by Alton Brown mixes celery, red pepper, and onion in a creamy mayo dressing—potluck perfection that only takes 7 minutes to prepare!

Ingredients

  • Macaroni Salad Dressing:

Instructions

  1. Get the macaroni noodles ready according to the instructions on the packet.
  2. Pour in a teaspoon of olive oil, give the noodles a little swirl to separate them while they sit, and then drain and rinse well with cold water.
  3. Mix the macaroni, sweet pickles, celery, red onion, red pepper, eggs, and a big bowl. Mix until fully blended. Place aside and have your dressing ready.
  4. For the dressing:

  5. In a medium-sized bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, red wine vinegar, sugar, dijon mustard, sweet pickle juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper (if using). Blend all ingredients using a whisk.
  6. Toss the macaroni salad ingredients with the dressing until everything is well coated.
  7. Cover the bowl and let the macaroni salad sit for at least an hour to enhance its flavor. Stir again just before serving, and savor!

Notes

  • Chill for Flavor:Let the macaroni salad sit for at least an hour before serving to enhance the flavor.
    Toss it Right:Ensure even coating by tossing the salad ingredients gently with the dressing.
    Fresh is Best:Use fresh, quality ingredients for a vibrant and delicious result.
    Adjust to Taste:Feel free to tweak ingredient quantities to suit your preferences.

Keywords:Alton Brown Macaroni Salad

Alton Brown Macaroni Salad - Delish Sides (2024)

FAQs

How long does macaroni salad with mayonnaise last in the refrigerator? ›

When refrigerated, macaroni salad can last for 3-5 days. However, this duration extends when you choose to freeze it. Freezing macaroni salad allows it to last up to two weeks or 14 days!

How to doctor up store bought macaroni salad? ›

Generally by adding some stronger flavored vegetables such as bell pepper, pimento, onion, green onion, chives, white pepper, slight amounts of mustard, paprika, black olives, sweet relish, or parsley.

Should you rinse macaroni when making macaroni salad? ›

Rinsing your pasta also stops the cooking process, which will ensure that your pasta isn't overcooked and mushy. By washing away the starchy film on the pasta, you're guaranteeing that when you toss the pasta with your other salad components and dressing, the pasta won't stick together or clump.

What pasta is not recommended for pasta salads? ›

Above all: Do not, we repeat do not, make a pasta salad with farfalle. The floppy edges of the bow tie pasta will be overcooked by the time the knot in the middle is al dente, and besides: the slippery texture doesn't do much in the way of trapping sauce. Another shape to avoid? Tortellini.

What's the difference between macaroni salad and pasta salad? ›

Pasta salad and macaroni salads are very similar as they often can contain many of the same ingredients. The main difference between the two is in the way they are dressed. Macaroni salad is usually dressed with mayonnaise, while pasta salad is usually dressed with vinaigrette.

How do you keep macaroni salad from drying out? ›

You may have heard of another method to prevent pasta salad from drying out — adding oil to the noodles before adding the dressing. This works because oil can act as a barrier that prevents the noodles from soaking up a lot of liquid.

Why does macaroni salad taste better the next day? ›

Mayo, sour cream and other creamy ingredients will also soak into the pasta as it sits. After a day or two in the fridge, make sure you stir the mixture well to recoat the pasta with any dressing and the liquids from your veggies that have puddled at the bottom, and brighten the flavors with a bit of acid and salt.

Can you eat macaroni salad left out overnight? ›

If you're thinking, "That's, like, so many foods!" you're right. But you can still safely enjoy them as long as you adhere to certain guidelines. Typically, that means keeping food out for no more than two hours, says Dr.

Can you eat macaroni salad after 6 days? ›

For the most part, pasta salad will last between 4 to 7 days if you store it correctly.

How do you take the bitterness out of macaroni salad? ›

Tips to Remove a Bitter Taste
  1. Pour in a fatty ingredient, like cream, cheese, or oil.
  2. Mix in a little bit of sugar to hide the bitterness.
  3. Add a pinch of salt to a bitter dish.
  4. Sprinkle in a pinch of baking soda.
  5. Add acidic flavors to the dish, like lemon juice or vinegar.
Jul 10, 2024

What gives macaroni salad an aftertaste? ›

Vinegar and other acidic ingredients do strange things to the flavor of pasta when used in salad-level amounts. Ever notice an irritating acerbic aftertaste just about every time you've eaten pasta salad? That's the vinegar announcing itself, and it's not pleasant.

Why is my macaroni salad bland? ›

The last thing you want is a bland pasta salad. To make sure your pasta salad is well-seasoned and flavorful, it's best to start seasoning early. The best time to do this is right out of the gate when you're cooking the pasta. Use extra-salted water and the pasta will be well-seasoned by the time it's cooked.

What not to do when making pasta? ›

Here's our list of no-nos.
  1. Use a small pot to boil the pasta. Pasta needs room to breathe. ...
  2. Neglect to salt the water. Salting the water is the only opportunity you have to season the pasta itself. ...
  3. Forget to give the pasta a stir or two as it cooks. ...
  4. Cook it past al dente. ...
  5. Dump out all of the pasta water.
May 1, 2019

What are the seven things that you should not do when preparing the salad? ›

Common Salad Mistakes
  1. Here are seven things you should NOT do when making salads: Too much dressing. ...
  2. Pouring on the dressing. ...
  3. Wet salad leaves. ...
  4. Not seasoning it. ...
  5. Subpar salad dressings. ...
  6. Uncreative toppings. ...
  7. Served in a bowl.
May 13, 2013

What are the 6 guidelines for arranging salad? ›

Guidelines for Arranging Salads
  • Keep the salad off the rim of the plate. Think of the rim as a picture frame and arrange the salad within this frame. ...
  • Strive for a good balance of colors. ...
  • Height helps make a salad attractive. ...
  • Cut ingredients neatly. ...
  • Make every ingredient identifiable. ...
  • Keep it simple.

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