Classic Macaroni Salad

Name: Classic Macaroni Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 260 min
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients: 8 oz medium shell macaroni; ½ cup finely grated yellow onion; ½ teaspoon salt; 3 Count — no visible unit text hard-boiled eggs; to taste black pepper; ½ cup dill pickles; ½ cup celery; 6–8 Count — no visible unit text radishes; ¾ cup mayonnaise; 3 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Tossing the macaroni with oil and vinegar first gives this salad its tangy deli-style backbone. The creamy dressing and crisp vegetables taste even better after a few hours in the refrigerator.

By Betty Lou Gardner4 hr 20 minUpdated 2026-08-25

This Classic Macaroni Salad is cool, creamy, and filled with crisp vegetables, chopped eggs, and tangy pickles in a rich dressing! A simple oil-and-vinegar mixture gives the pasta extra flavor before the mayonnaise is added, creating a salad with a distinctive old-fashioned deli character. It's a dependable make-ahead favorite for picnics, cookouts, potlucks, and family gatherings.

Betty Lou Gardner in a family archival photograph

Granny’s Kitchen Notes

From Betty Lou Gardner

I always make this a little ahead of time because the macaroni seems to take on more flavor after it sits for a while. Grating the onion is a small step, but I think it makes a big difference because every bite gets a little of that flavor without anyone noticing exactly why it tastes so good. If there are leftovers, they usually taste even better the next day.