Description
Dolly Parton’s Macaroni Salad is a creamy, Southern-style side dish made with elbow macaroni, crunchy veggies, and a tangy-sweet dressing. Perfect for potlucks, BBQs, and make-ahead lunches, this old-fashioned macaroni salad recipe is full of nostalgic flavor and easy to make.
Ingredients
2 cups elbow macaroni, uncooked
1 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup celery, finely diced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup carrots, grated
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the elbow macaroni until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water to cool.
2. Finely chop the celery, bell peppers, red onion, and grate the carrots.
3. In a large bowl, mix the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until creamy.
4. Add the cooked macaroni and vegetables to the bowl. Stir gently to coat everything in the dressing.
5. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving to allow the flavors to meld.
Notes
Let the salad chill longer for better flavor.
If the salad dries out after refrigerating, stir in a little extra mayo before serving.
Finely dicing the veggies gives a better texture throughout.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: No-bake
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 380mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 17g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 15mg