Sweet and Tangy Amish Macaroni Salad Recipe (2024)

This delicious recipe for creamy Amish Macaroni Salad is a great side dish recipe for your spring picnics, summer BBQs, and all your potlucks! Sweet and tangy, with just the right amount of crunch, this Amish Macaroni Salad recipe will become your GO TO macaroni salad recipe!

Sweet and Tangy Amish Macaroni Salad Recipe (1)


Sweet and Tangy Amish Macaroni Salad Recipe (2)

My husband and I have completely different views on whether potato salad or macaroni salad make the best side salads for summer parties. I will almost always gravitate to potato salad first. I've got lots of potato salad recipes on this blog.

My husband, on the other hand, will always choose macaroni salad over potato salad when given a choice! This recipe for Amish Macaroni Salad is his very favorite. I've been able to perfect it over the years and this is the recipe I make whenever I serve macaroni salad. This recipe for Amish Macaroni Salad does make a lot. It's an easy macaroni salad for a crowd that will have everyone asking for the recioe.

This macaroni salad is all the things! It's enrobed in a sweet creamy dressing, yet it's still got a tang to it. It's got the perfect combination of crunch to soft ratio. It's the one pasta salad recipe I will pass up potato salad for. It's pretty much the perfect side dish for all your family gatherings and is one of my favorite recipes.


Sweet and Tangy Amish Macaroni Salad Recipe (3)

What makes this recipe the best Amish Macaroni Salad?

This recipe for Amish Macaroni Salad might be a tad different from other macaroni salad recipes you've made. Sure, it has all the usual ingredients you'd find in regular macaroni salad: celery salt, vinegar, mustard, and mayonnaise.

However, this recipe is special because there is a secret ingredient in the sweet dressing. The brine liquid from Bread and Butter Pickle Chips is ued in the dressing. Pickle juice from sweet and tangy Bread and Butter pickles gives the dressing delicious flavor boost and helps to loosen up the dressing so it coats every single piece of elbow macaroni. Seriously, it's a game changer. You must give it a try.

Pickle juice is not a typical ingredient in macaroni salad, and I have no idea if traditional Amish use it, but I love adding it! It adds so much flavor and helps to loosen up the dressing quite well.

Amish Country Recipes

Here in Ohio, I live a stone's throw, so to speak, from Amish country. They are a simple people with lots of great recipes that have been passed down through the years.

I have many Amish Cookbooks I've picked up over the years. I am a huge fan of the "Amish way of Cooking." Simple, hearty, and delicious homemade fare. (If you like Amish recipes, you might also enjoy my recipe for Amish Ham Loaf.)

Salads are an important part of the Amish tradition. This macaroni salad recipe is my version of the many Amish recipes I've tried in those cookbooks.

Homemade Macaroni Salad vs. Store Bought Macaroni Salad

Yes, you can purchase premade Amish macaroni salad in your local deli. And I'm not saying it's bad, but this homemade macaroni salad is SO MUCH BETTER!

It's easy to make and it doesn't involve ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, sodium benzoate, citric acid, guar gum, ascorbic acid, artificial colors, or modified corn starch that you find in Walmart's amish macaroni salad. That's right, all those processed Amish macaroni salad products contain ingredients that Amish cooks wouldn't think of using in their recipes!

This recipe does involve a bit of planning if you are adding hard-boiled eggs. However, you can skip that step and make it without hard boiled eggs and it will still be delish! I've made it both with and without eggs and I like it both ways.

Sweet and Tangy Amish Macaroni Salad Recipe (4)


Tips for making the best Macaroni Salad

  • Follow the directions on the box of elbow macaroni to cook the pasta to al dente. Make sure you season the water well with salt. It's the only time you will have a chance to get salt into the pasta itself!
  • Rinse the pasta well with cold water. This will not only cool the pasta off, but will also help keep the pasta from sticking together while you are whipping up the dressing.
  • Do give the macaroni salad time to chill (at least 2 to 3 hours).
  • Do stir the macaroni salad before serving to redistribute the dressing.
  • This is one of those recipes that actually tastes better the next day, so give it time to let the flavors meld.
  • Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Can I use Miracle Whip in place of the Mayonnaise in this sweet macaroni salad?

I'm a huge real mayonnaise fan. I will almost alwasy choose real mayonnaise when a recipe calls for mayo. This macaroni salad is no exception.. With that said, for best results, I recommend real mayonnaise for this recipe. If you swap it for Miracle Whip, the taste and texture will be off.

Can I freeze macaroni salad?

It's not recommended to freeze any sort of creamy macaroni salad, such as this Amish macaroni salad.

Sweet and Tangy Amish Macaroni Salad Recipe (5)

Macaroni Salad, Amish Macaroni Salad

Salad

American

Yield: 20 servings

Author: Renee Paj

Sweet and Tangy Amish Macaroni Salad Recipe (6)

Amish Macaroni Salad

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 15 M

A warm weather staple, this delicious Amish Macaroni Salad recipe will become your go to recipe for macaroni salad! Sweet and tangy, with just the right amount of crunch. It makes a great side dish to just about anything and it makes a wonderful pot luck dish too!

Ingredients

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked al dente, according to package directions
  • 2 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 2 TBSP granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup liquid brine from the jar of bread and butter style pickles
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp. celery salt
  • kosher salt, to taste
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 TBSP yellow mustard
  • 1 cup chopped bread and butter pickles
  • 3 ribs of celery, thinly sliced (about a cup)
  • 1 cup diced onion
  • 1 large raw carrot, peeled and grated
  • 2 - 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
  • 1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper (optional)

Instructions

  1. Once cooked according to package directions, drain elbow macaroni and rinse with cold water to cool. Drain.
  2. In large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sugar, pickle brine, apple cider vinegar, celery salt, and yellow mustard until combined. Taste for salt and pepper, and season as desired. The dressing should be thin and pourable. You can adjust the thickness with a TBSP or so more of cider vinegar, if needed. it may seem like a lot of dressing, but the pasta does absorb some of it and you don't want dry macaroni salad. (At least I don't like dry macaroni salad!)
  3. Stir cooked macaroni, chopped pickles, celery, onion, carrot, hard boiled eggs, and red pepper (if using) into tangy dressing.
  4. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours, to let flavors blend. Stir before serving.

Notes

I like macaroni salad to have plenty of dressing. so this recipe provides enough for it to be absorbed into the pasta and still be a loose salad. Feel free to adjust the amounts of mayo, pickle juice, and vinegar to your liking. Pickle juice is not a typical ingredient in macaroni salad, and I have no idea if traditional Amish use it, but I love adding it! It adds so much flavor and helps to loosen up the dressing quite well.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

321.42

Fat (grams)

26.79 g

Sat. Fat (grams)

6.13 g

Carbs (grams)

15.60 g

Fiber (grams)

1.08 g

Net carbs

14.52 g

Sugar (grams)

4.31 g

Protein (grams)

4.49 g

Sodium (milligrams)

410.13 mg

Cholesterol (grams)

49.20 mg

Nutritional Information is an estimate.

https://www.reneeskitchenadventures.com/2019/09/amish-macaroni-salad.html

Copyright © 2019 Renee's Kitchen Adventures

More Macaroni Salads to love!

  • Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad
  • Easy Broccoli Pasta Salad
  • Creamy Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad

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Sweet and Tangy Amish Macaroni Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between Amish and regular macaroni salad? ›

Amish macaroni salad includes many of the same ingredients as its regular counterparts, including mayo and mustard. However, the secret to Amish macaroni salad is a specific dressing that gives the dish a tangier flavor. Some recipes also call for pickle relish to offer extra tanginess and paprika for a smoky flare.

What brand is Amish macaroni salad? ›

A regional favorite, Reser's Amish Style Macaroni Salad highlights classic flavors of the Northeast with supple elbow macaroni, hard-cooked egg, and crunchy pieces of carrot in a sweet and creamy dressing.

Why is my macaroni salad not creamy? ›

The key to keeping macaroni salad from drying out is the pasta. If you don't cook it enough, the pasta won't grab on to the dressing and will dry out. If you overcook the pasta, it will be completely soggy and gross. Cook the pasta just right, and your macaroni salad will stay perfectly creamy.

How do you reduce the sweetness in macaroni salad? ›

Add acid: Squeeze some lemon juice or add a splash of vinegar to the salad. The acid will help balance the sweetness. Add salt: If your macaroni salad is too sweet, it may also be too bland. Adding a pinch of salt can help bring out the flavors.

Are Amish foods healthy? ›

With their focus on sustainable living and traditional farming methods, you can be assured their foods are wholesome, healthy, and delicious.

What is the aftertaste in macaroni salad? ›

Vinegar and other acidic ingredients do strange things to the flavor of pasta when used in salad-level amounts. Ever notice an irritating acerbic aftertaste just about every time you've eaten pasta salad? That's the vinegar announcing itself, and it's not pleasant.

How much sugar is in Amish macaroni salad? ›

Amish macaroni salad, amish nutrition facts and analysis per 3/4 cup (140.0 g)
Carbohydrates
NutrientAmount
Sugars17.00 g
Sugars, added16.94 g
Net carbs33.03 g
2 more rows

Who made the first macaroni salad? ›

Origins. Whilst there is no clear origin for the salad, there are various theories that claim different origins for the salad. Some historians and chefs such as Claudia Roden trace back the origin of pasta salad to Italian Jews in the Roman Empire, who reused cold pasta as Jewish Law prohibited cooking on sabbath.

Should you rinse macaroni when making macaroni salad? ›

Pasta should never, ever be rinsed for a warm dish. The starch in the water is what helps the sauce adhere to your pasta. The only time you should ever rinse your pasta is when you are going to use it in a cold dish like a pasta salad or when you are not going to use it immediately.

How do you make macaroni taste better? ›

Here are five tips to elevate your next dinner to include extra flavor and texture.
  1. Add extra cheese to your dish.
  2. Mix in some hot sauce and chicken to make buffalo chicken mac n' cheese.
  3. Add in vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and spinach.
  4. Sprinkle some bacon bits or breadcrumbs on the top of your dish.
May 21, 2022

How do you keep macaroni salad from absorbing mayonnaise? ›

Pasta absorbs liquids, because it is made of starch, and starch absorbs water. Tossing the pasta with oil will reduce the absorption, by coating them in a water-repellent layer. Beyond this, the solution is simple: don't drain as much water from the cooked pasta, and add more dressing.

Why does my macaroni salad taste sour? ›

If your macaroni salad has too much vinegar and you want to balance the flavors, here are a few ways to fix it: Add More Ingredients: Increase the quantity of other ingredients in the macaroni salad to dilute the vinegar flavor.

What seasoning cancels out sweetness? ›

How to Make Food Less Sweet. Add an acid or seasonings such as vinegar or citrus juice; chopped fresh herbs; a dash of cayenne pepper; or, for sweet dishes, a bit of liqueur or espresso powder.

Why do people put vinegar in macaroni salad? ›

The acid in the vinegar and the residual heat from the cooking pasta make the noodles more absorbent so they'll really soak up the flavor from your dressing, whether you use a mayonnaise-based one or a vinaigrette. Plus, the vinegar adds a nice tang that balances out the richness of said dressing.

What makes Amish food different? ›

The beauty of Amish dishes lies in their simplicity. There are no long lists of exotic ingredients and no intricate culinary techniques. Instead, there's a focus on freshness and quality. Butter is churned at home, bread is baked fresh every morning, and vegetables are plucked straight from the garden.

What makes a dish Amish? ›

Popular Amish Foods

Many traditional Amish meals are crafted with seasonings like thyme leaves, cloves, bay leaves as well as baking ingredients like sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk. The community is no stranger to unhealthy food as most of the dishes are made to be filling and include a lot of fat.

What is Amish style cooking? ›

Traditional Amish food includes dishes like tasty roasted chicken, creamy mashed potatoes & gravy, seasoned vegetables, fresh bread, and homemade jam. The Amish are also known for excellent baked goods, especially pies, cookies, breads, cakes, and fry pies.

What is the difference between Hawaiian mac salad and regular mac salad? ›

Unlike its Anglo counterpart, Hawaiian mac salad tends to shun vinegar and mustard; it eschews sugar and MSG (which some vintage recipes include), favoring Best Foods (also known as Hellmann's) mayonnaise instead.

References

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