Old fashioned macaroni salad is a great side dish that's so easy to make. You can even make it a few days ahead - it's best if it sits over night. Keep this cold - if you are at a picnic or potluck either keep it chilled or eat it quickly and put leftovers in an ice chest.
Pour in elbow macaroni and cook until very tender.
Drain completely but don't rinse.
Stir a little mayonnaise into the macaroni to keep it from sticking.
Cool completely.
Step two
Combine mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper, and sugar in a small bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning and sweetness.
Put the cooled macaroni, celery, carrot, onion, peppers, and olives in a large bowl.
Pour mayonnaise mixture over and stir gently to combine.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight if time permits.
Add a little more dressing if necessary before serving
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days - keep chilled if you are bringing it to a cookout or picnic.
Notes
I usually double the sugar and the olives because that's how I like it. Make this to your own tastes.This creamy salad is easy to make but here are some tips to make your old fashioned macaroni salad even better!
Use salted water to cook the macaroni - about 2 tablespoons salt to 1 gallon of water.
Elbow macaroni is traditional but I do love a good shell macaroni salad! The ingredients get stuck in the shells...perfection.
Slightly overcook your pasta. I know the directions say not to overcook it but trust me on this. I once asked Mom why her macaroni salad was better than mine and she said (and I quote) "You have to cook the snot out of it darlin'". So there's that.
Drain the pasta but don't rinse it. Mix about ¼ cup of plain mayonnaise with the macaroni to coat it and keep it from sticking. You can also use olive oil for this but I don't recommend it.
I recommend Hellmann's Mayonnaise. I just like it the best.
Let it cool before adding the dressing and vegetables! If you add your vegetables to the hot macaroni they'll lose their crispness.
Always go by taste with the dressing. I use a lot more sugar than is called for in the recipe - I probably use ⅓ of a cup because we like things on the sweet side. Adjust to your own tastes.
Full disclosure - Just to be honest - I double the salad olives because I love them.
Let the flavors blend at least two hours in the refrigerator before serving. Overnight is better.
You may need to add a little more dressing just before serving if the macaroni soaks up all of the moisture. Just be prepared to make more and stir it in.
If the dressing seems too thick after it's mellowed in the fridge you can add a little cream or milk to balance it out.
Always keep macaroni salad chilled in the refrigerator until ready to serve and cover and put leftovers back in the refrigerator promptly.
This is fantastic for potlucks and cookouts but you MUST keep it cold. The easiest way is to fill a big bowl with ice and keep the bowl of macaroni salad in the bowl of ice.