Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad
Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad with olives and hard boiled eggs is a cookout favorite. This easy recipe is always a hit at barbecues, potlucks, and summer gatherings.
This old fashioned macaroni salad is simple, classic, and full of flavor. It’s packed with crunchy celery, green pepper, and olives, plus my favorite addition: chopped hard boiled eggs.
I found this recipe in a 1970s church cookbook. It’s similar to a lot of macaroni salads from that era, but the olives make it stand out. The original recipe calls for ½ cup of sliced olives, and the recipe submitter adds a note that says, “We like a lot so use more.” I stuck with the ½ cup, but if you’re an olive lover, don’t be shy about adding extra.
It’s one of those simple recipes that’s perfect for a cookout or potluck, or as a side dish for burgers or grilled chicken at home. It’s creamy and satisfying, and funny enough, my husband loved it, and he doesn’t even like olives!
Why You’ll Love this Salad
I made this salad a month ago, and I already made it again before I could share it here. Here’s what I love about it:
- It’s very versatile. Want more peppers? Add ’em in. Love olives? Double them. Don’t have celery? Leave it out. Everything is very flexible.
- I find that older macaroni salad recipes call for less mayo than is typically used in macaroni salads today. You can always start out with what the recipe calls for, and then add more as you like.
- I really like using green olives with pimentos for added color, but you can use whatever variety of olive you like (black ones too).
- The hard boiled eggs are optional but a great addition. Make them yourself or buy them boiled & peeled already from the grocery store.
- It’s great to make ahead. The flavor gets even better a few hours after making it. The pasta may soak up the mayo as it sits in the fridge, so you can stir in another dollop of mayo before serving.
I’ve been serving it as a side dish for burgers and brats, or, if I’m being honest, enjoying a big scoop for an afternoon snack.
My Top Tip: Steam the Eggs
I have the worst time peeling hard boiled eggs. And I’m finding myself doing it constantly for dishes like Grandma’s old fashioned potato salad and macaroni salad with shrimp. I’ve tried a bunch of different tricks without success, but one has finally worked for me: steaming the eggs instead of boiling.
The steam shrinks the inner membrane away from the shell, which is key for peeling eggs quickly and easily. Once your fingers are under the membrane, the shell slides right off. Here’s the short version of how to do it:
- Bring 1 inch of water to a boil. Reduce heat to medium.
- Add the eggs in a steamer basket. I use a silicone one.
- Cover and cook for 12 minutes.
- Place eggs in an ice water bath for 2 minutes.
- Peel and enjoy.
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 8 oz macaroni (about 2 cups dried)
- 3 hard boiled eggs diced
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 green pepper diced
- 2 tablespoons diced onion
- ½ cup sliced olives
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
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Instructions
- Cook 8 oz macaroni according to package directions in salted water. Drain well.
- In a large bowl, mix the cooked macaroni with 3 hard boiled eggs, ½ cup chopped celery, 1 green pepper (chopped), 2 tablespoons diced onion, ½ cup sliced olives, ½ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon yellow mustard, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Stir to combine.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or overnight) to let the flavors marry. Serve chilled.
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