Macaroni salad...everyone has their own recipe. I took several different recipes and came up with my own version. This has been my go to macaroni salad recipe for several years now. It is requested at potlucks. My boss requested I bring it today for our Memorial day potluck - I was cooking the elbow macaroni last night and thought wow it sure did plump up! I took a second look at the box and I used the whole box - 1 lb, instead of 8 oz of dried macaroni. That's okay, because we expected a large crowd, but that meant I had to get the carrots, celery, olives, pickles, onions etc. back out of the fridge and cut up more - since I was now making a double batch, so yeah, the recipe doubles easily! Wasn't a drop left when the potluck was over.
I use dill pickles, but you can use sweet pickles if you so desire. If so, please use Vlasic sweet gerkins.
The bouillon cubes add flavor to the macaroni. This is another reason why you only add a few pinches of salt when making the dressing. You can use the same chicken / vegetable bouillon trick when you are cooking your potatoes for potato salad as well. It really adds a nice flavor. No one will know your secret as to why it's so yummy.
Makes 5 cups ( can double recipe for 10 cups. If you double you don't have to double the amount of bouillon cubes)
8 oz dried elbow macaroni
2 vegetable or chicken bouillon cubes ( I use knorr brand, or you can use 2 tsp. vegetable or chicken base)
1 cup sliced celery
1/4 cup chopped onion, red or white onion
1/4 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup chopped Vlasic brand baby kosher dill pickles (or use sweet pickles)
1/4 cup sliced black olives (leave them out if you are a hater)
In a small bowl mix together:
3/4 cup Best Foods or Hellmans mayonnaise (you heard me!)
2 Tablespoons pickle juice
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 pinches salt (pickle juice is salty, and so is the mayo, so please don't oversalt)
In a large pot bring water to a boil as per macaroni package directions. Add the bouillon cubes, or vegetable/ chicken base to the water and stir to combine. Add dried macaroni and cook 7 minutes, or until al'dente. Drain. Rinse for only a few seconds to help cool off to stop the cooking process - you don't want to rinse off all the flavoring you just infused into the macaroni.
In a large bowl add the sliced celery, chopped onion, pickles, olives and sliced black olives. Add the drained and cooled macaroni. Add in the dressing and toss to coat. Refrigerate so flavors can meld. Best if taken out of the refridgerator 30 minutes before serving to knock the chill off. Enjoy.
