Description
This creamy and comforting Dolly Parton’s Macaroni Salad combines tender elbow macaroni with a tangy, flavorful dressing made of mayonnaise, mustard, and sweet pickle relish. Enhanced with crisp celery, colorful bell peppers, and sharp red onion, it’s a perfect side dish for picnics, barbecues, or family gatherings, chilled to perfection and topped with a hint of paprika for a beautiful finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Macaroni
- 8 oz elbow macaroni
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish or dill relish
- Salt, to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp milk (optional, to thin dressing)
Vegetables
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1 cup green bell pepper, diced
- 1 cup red bell pepper, diced
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
Garnish
- 1 tsp paprika (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook macaroni: In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add elbow macaroni and cook until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool completely.
- Prepare vegetables: While the pasta cools, finely chop your celery, green bell pepper, red bell pepper, and red onion.
- Make dressing: In a large mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, yellow mustard, and sweet pickle relish. Stir until smooth and creamy, adding salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine salad: Gently add the cooled macaroni and diced vegetables into the dressing mixture, folding them together until well coated.
- Chill: Cover the salad and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours before serving to allow flavors to blend.
- Garnish and serve: Optional: Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika before serving for added color and mild smoky flavor.
Notes
- Ensure macaroni is cooled completely before mixing to prevent dressing from becoming runny.
- Add milk sparingly to thin dressing if needed, but too much can dilute flavor.
- For extra tang, try using dill relish instead of sweet pickle relish.
- Macaroni salad tastes best after chilling for at least 2 hours and can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
- Feel free to customize with other crunchy vegetables or add hard-boiled eggs for protein.
