When I think about Labor Day weekend I think about grilling.  Cheeseburgers, hot dogs, you name it.  And what goes better with all that grilled meat?  Salads, cold salads.  There’s nothing better than a heaping scoop of homemade creamy macaroni salad to round out your plate and few things are this easy to make.  Sure, you could pick up a container of it at the store on your way to someone’s barbeque.  But if you can boil water, cut veggies, and stir, why wouldn’t you want to make your own?  It’s so much more impressive showing up to the party (or hosting for that matter).  Start with your favorite short pasta.  I love ditalini but I usually go with whatever gluten-free pasta is on the shelf.  I used Ronzoni gluten-free in this pic.  Follow up with the basics:  onion, bell pepper, celery, and carrots.  I happen to prefer both red onion and red bell pepper but whatever speaks to your palate, use that.  The real secret to this recipe is mincing your veggies.  Most recipes call for you to chop them but if you’re willing to take an extra couple of minutes to mince them it makes a big difference in the texture.  Taste is one thing; texture’s another.  And mincing the veggies in this salad is what elevates it from every other macaroni salad.  Another tip, try not to skimp on your mayo and don’t use low fat.  Some things just can’t be substituted.  I’d rather eat less full-fat anything than double low-fat substitutes.  Does that make sense?  Eat real (with moderation and some discipline) but eat real.  If you like a sweet and creamy macaroni salad this recipe’s for you.  Then you can always build upon it if you’d like and toss in all kinds of mix-ins:  chopped up hard-boiled eggs, peas, small cubed ham, small cubed cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, capers, minced fresh parsley, or paprika.  All I know is I’m psyched for another holiday, another long weekend, and some good eats!  

Recipe for Macaroni Salad:

Ingredients

Dressing:

• 1 cup Hellman’s mayonnaise (full fat, no low fat)

• ¼ cup distilled white vinegar 

• ⅔ cup white sugar 

• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard 

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt 

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

Macaroni Salad:

• 1 12-ounce box short pasta, such as elbow macaroni, ditalini, tubetti, or small shells  

• ½ small red onion, minced 

• 2 celery stalks, minced

• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and minced

• ¼ cup carrots, minced  

Optional mix-ins:  chopped up hard boiled egg, peas, small cubed ham, small cubed cheddar cheese, crumbled bacon, capers, minced fresh parsley, or paprika

Directions:

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add the pasta and cook until al dente, about 7 minutes.  Rinse under cold water until completely cool.  Drain well.

In a large bowl make your dressing.  Mix together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper.  

Stir in the onion, celery, red bell pepper, carrots, and pasta.  If using any optional mix-ins, stir them in now.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.  Tastes even better if refrigerated overnight.

To make gluten-free use a gluten-free pasta.  I like Ronzoni gluten-free.