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The Best Amish Macaroni Salad Recipe: Sweet, Creamy, and Tangy

The Best Amish Macaroni Salad Recipe

A sweet, creamy, and tangy macaroni salad made with elbow pasta, hard-boiled eggs, crisp vegetables, and a classic mustard mayonnaise dressing. It makes about 10–12 servings and tastes best after several hours of chilling.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 10 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta and Mix-Ins
  • 1 pound (16 ounces) Elbow macaroni
  • 4 eggs Large eggs, hard-boiled, peeled, and chopped
  • 1 cup Finely diced celery
  • 1/2 cup Finely diced onion
  • 1/2 cup Finely diced green bell pepper
Dressing
  • 1 1/2 cups Mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup Yellow mustard
  • 2 tablespoons Apple-cider vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Celery seed
Optional Additions
  • 1/2 cup Finely grated carrot
  • 2-4 tablespoons Sweet pickle relish
  • 1 tablespoon Pickle juice
  • As needed for sprinkling Paprika

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package directions, usually 8–10 minutes, until tender but still slightly firm. Drain thoroughly, rinse briefly under cold water, and drain again.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, granulated sugar, yellow mustard, vinegar, salt, black pepper, and celery seed until smooth and evenly combined.
  3. Add the cooled macaroni, chopped hard-boiled eggs, celery, onion, and green bell pepper to the dressing. Add any optional carrot, sweet pickle relish, or pickle juice, then stir gently until every ingredient is coated.
  4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. For the best flavor and texture, chill the salad for 2–4 hours.
  5. Stir the macaroni salad before serving. If it has thickened too much, mix in 1–2 tablespoons of mayonnaise or a small splash of vinegar, then sprinkle with paprika if desired.

Notes

Cook the pasta just to al dente because it softens as it cools and absorbs the dressing. Reserve a little mayonnaise for after chilling so you can restore the creamy texture before serving. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.