Chill

Grandma’s Macaroni Salad

by:
October  4, 2022
5
7 Ratings
Grandma’s Macaroni Salad
Photo by Julia Gartland. Prop Stylist: Megan Hedgpeth. Food Stylist: Yossy Arefi
  • Prep time 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Serves 16
Author Notes

My favorite thing to eat, without question, is my grandma’s macaroni salad. I know what you’re thinking: Whose favorite food is macaroni salad? But it’s not just any macaroni salad, and especially not the kind you find at grocery stores. My grandma’s version is made exclusively with giant elbow macaroni, lots of hard boiled eggs, and a light coating of a just-sweet-enough blend of mayo, Miracle Whip, and sweet relish. It’s my ultimate comfort food.

My grandma has a giant, basketball-sized Tupperware bowl she always puts her macaroni salad in, and it's usually served on a plate alongside corn on the cob and a burger, or a steak, or something similar off her backyard grill. At my house, we eat it on its own out of a bowl (or sometimes straight out of the stockpot).

And yes, this recipe is designed to serve a crowd, but you can adjust the recipe for practicality.

—Allyson Reedy

What You'll Need
Ingredients
  • 24 ounces (680 grams) large elbow macaroni
  • 1/2 medium white onion, diced
  • 1 stalk of celery, diced
  • 2/3 cup Miracle Whip
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
  • 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
  • kosher salt (to taste)
  • black pepper (to taste)
  • 6 eggs, hard boiled (4 diced; 2 sliced)
  • 2 tablespoons McCormick’s Salad Supreme Seasoning (plus extra for sprinkling)
Directions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the macaroni according to instructions.
  2. Drain, then pour cooked macaroni into a large bowl. Add onion and celery and toss to combine.
  3. In a separate medium bowl, mix Miracle Whip, mayonnaise, sweet relish, and yellow mustard. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to the bowl with macaroni and mix so that all noodles are lightly and evenly coated.
  4. Add in the diced hard boiled eggs and Salad Supreme; mix gently.
  5. Arrange sliced eggs on top and sprinkle with more Salad Supreme seasoning. Store in an airtight container and let chill for at least an hour. Leftovers last for up to three days.
Tags:

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Popular on Food52

1 Review

Victoria G.
Victoria G. August 12, 2023
It's good, moreish. You're stuck with a jar of salad supreme, which has zero opportunity in the rest of my repertoire. To me it's a summertime duel between Grandma's macaroni salad and Clementines tuna macaroni salad. Fresh tomatoes always win.