This creamy New York deli macaroni salad recipe captures the essence of the sweet side salads found in grocery stores and delis throughout New York City and Long Island.
New York delicatessens are famous for their potato salad, macaroni salad, and coleslaw. These are all cold salads that go with deli sandwiches like pastrami, corned beef, and thinly sliced turkey breast.
Today I'm making a smooth, sweet, and creamy macaroni salad, the kind you get at the corner deli.
What You Need
This cold macaroni salad is made with elbow macaroni. You can sub fusilli, rotini, small shells, or cavatappi, a twisty cut similar to elbows.
- Elbow macaroni
- Mayonnaise
- Carrot
- Celery
- Red or green bell pepper
- Yellow or white onion
- Parsley
- White vinegar
- Table sugar
- Salt and black pepper
How To Make Sweet Macaroni Salad
Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until tender but not mushy. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. Shake the colander to remove excess moisture and transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
If you're not using the pasta immediately, prevent sticking by spraying it with a little cooking oil and mixing it well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until the sugar dissolves. Add the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and parsley, stirring well.
Pour the dressing over the pasta and gently toss with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined.
Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld. Overnight is better, if you have the time.
For Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad
Try Jovial Elbow Macaroni, made with brown rice flour—an excellent gluten-free alternative to traditional wheat pasta. Brown rice flour provides a neutral taste and a texture that closely resembles conventional pasta. You can also try Banza Elbows made with chickpeas.
Storage
Store homemade macaroni salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep it cold and tightly sealed. It will stay fresh for 3 to 5 days.
Stir before serving, and don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
How To Serve Mayonnaise Salads in The Hot Weather
Caution! Mayo-based salads, such as cold macaroni salad, potato salad, and coleslaw, should not be left unrefrigerated for an extended period. To prevent foodborne illness, refrigerate promptly and avoid leaving them out at room temperature for more than 1 hour.
In the summertime, the safe time is reduced to just 1 hour. If you have a deep tray, place the containers in ice to keep them cool or refrigerate after serving.
What Goes with Macaroni Salad?
You can easily find sweet macaroni salad in any New York City deli, typically made with elbows. It has a distinctive taste attributed to a generous amount of sugar.
On the other hand, creamy macaroni salad is an excellent choice for potlucks, picnics, and barbecues. It's easy to make and a nice side dish that is always very popular.
More Deli-Style Recipes
Undoubtedly, creamy macaroni salad is a perfect complement to hamburgers and hot dogs! It's also an ideal accompaniment to anything from the deli counter.
- Sweet Coleslaw
- New York Diner Tuna Salad
- Veggie Tuna Salad
- How To Make NYC Deli Chicken Salad
- NYC Bagel Store Veggie Egg Salad
- Deli Egg Salad Recipe
- Creamy Deli Potato Salad
- Cranberry Apple Tuna Salad
- Deli Matzo Ball Soup
And make sure you try our Deli Chicken Soup with Matzo Balls!
For summer cookouts, try these snapper recipes including Panko Breaded Snapper, Pan Fried Yellowtail, Roasted Yellowtail, Fried Mahi Mahi, and Grilled Grouper Collar.
I live in Florida, where yellowtail snapper is everywhere, but you can use any fresh white fish fillets and red snapper works great too. Serve with cold macaroni salad for a classic combo!
Takeaway
This creamy macaroni salad recipe is made using crisp bell peppers, crunchy celery, carrots, and a blend of spices, mixed with creamy Hellmann's mayonnaise.
It's a recipe that comes remarkably close to the authentic New York macaroni salad!
Whether enjoyed with a big turkey sandwich, baked salmon salad, egg salad, or veggie tuna salad from a bagel store or NYC deli tuna, this cold pasta salad is the perfect match.
The recipe is made with 8 oz. of pasta, equivalent to half a standard pasta box. Just double the ingredients for a crowd.
If you're using gluten-free Jovial elbows, cook 2 cups of uncooked pasta.
FAQ
Macaroni salad from New York delis is known for its creamy texture, balanced flavor, and classic ingredients—like mayo, vinegar, sugar, and crisp vegetables.
Yes, use gluten-free pasta such as Jovial gluten-free elbows. It's essential to avoid corn-based pasta, as it might introduce flavors that don't go with the traditional taste of the salad.
There are 290 calories in each serving of mayonnaise-based macaroni salad.
Macaroni salad needs a few hours to rest before serving. Make the creamy salad the day before you need it. Add a little extra mayonnaise before serving if needed.
Store homemade macaroni salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep it cold and tightly sealed. It will stay fresh for 3 to 5 days.
New York Deli Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncooked elbow macaroni (2 cups elbows)
- 3 tablespoons grated yellow onion, grated on the large holes of a box grater
- 1 carrot, peeled and shredded on the large holes of a box grater
- 1 rib celery, minced
- ½ minced red or green bell pepper
- ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 ½ tablespoons white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoons salt or more taste
- ½ teaspoon black or white pepper
Instructions
- Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water until tender but not mushy. Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water. Shake the colander to remove excess moisture and transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
- If you're not using the pasta immediately, prevent sticking by spraying it with a little cooking oil and mixing it well.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper until the sugar dissolves. Add the onion, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and parsley, stirring well
- Pour the dressing over the pasta and gently toss with a rubber spatula until thoroughly combined.
- Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to meld. Overnight is better, if you have the time
