Description
A quick, make-ahead macaroni salad loaded with diced ham, sweet pickle relish, and crunchy vegetables. This crowd-pleasing side dish comes together in 10 minutes of active time and tastes even better after chilling.
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni
- 1.5 cups cooked ham, diced
- ½ cup sweet pickle relish
- 2 stalks celery, finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely minced
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, diced (optional)
- 2 green onions, sliced (optional)
- ¼ cup bacon bits (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente (8-10 minutes).
- Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse thoroughly under cold water to stop cooking and cool it down. Let it drain well.
- While pasta cooks, dice the ham, celery, and red onion into small, uniform pieces. If using, dice hard-boiled eggs.
- In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, garlic powder, black pepper, and salt until smooth.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta, diced ham, celery, red onion, and sweet pickle relish.
- Pour the dressing over the mixture and toss gently but thoroughly to coat all ingredients.
- Add diced eggs and bacon bits if using, and toss again.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, ideally 2-4 hours, to allow flavors to meld.
- Stir once or twice while chilling. Serve cold or at room temperature, garnished with fresh black pepper or green onions if desired.
Notes
Rinsing the pasta is crucial to prevent it from becoming mushy and to remove excess starch so the dressing doesn’t get gluey. The salad tastes better after chilling for a few hours. It can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Do not freeze as the texture of the mayo and vegetables will suffer. If the salad becomes too thick after chilling, stir in a splash of milk or vinegar to loosen it.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 8
- Sodium: 650
- Fat: 18
- Saturated Fat: 3
- Carbohydrates: 42
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 12
Keywords: macaroni salad, labor day recipe, make-ahead side dish, ham salad, picnic food, quick dinner, summer bbq sides, pasta salad