Amish Macaroni Salad with Eggs and Sweet Mustard Dressing

Tender elbow macaroni, chopped hard-boiled eggs, and crisp vegetables come together in a creamy, sweet-and-tangy mustard dressing. This classic chilled potluck side is easy to make ahead and tastes even better after a little time in the refrigerator.

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 10 side-dish servings
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Chill Time: 2 hours
• Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes, including chilling

Quick Ingredients

• 1 pound (454 g) dry elbow macaroni
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (120 g) finely diced celery
• 1 cup (150 g) diced red bell pepper
• 1/3 cup (50 g) finely chopped sweet onion
• 1 cup (224 g) regular mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup (60 g) prepared yellow mustard
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus 1 tablespoon for the pasta water
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Do This

• 1. Cover the eggs with cold water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat, cover for 12 minutes, then cool in ice water for 5 minutes.
• 2. Cook the macaroni in 4 quarts of boiling water with 1 tablespoon salt for about 10 minutes, until tender. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain thoroughly.
• 3. Peel and chop the eggs. Dice the celery and bell pepper, and finely chop the onion.
• 4. Whisk the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and celery seed until smooth. Refrigerate 1/4 cup of the dressing separately.
• 5. Gently combine the cooled macaroni, vegetables, eggs, and remaining dressing.
• 6. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Fold in the reserved dressing, garnish with a little reserved chopped egg and pepper, and serve cold.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic sweet-and-tangy flavor: Yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, and a modest amount of sugar balance the creamy mayonnaise.
• A satisfying mix of textures: Tender pasta and eggs meet crisp celery, sweet pepper, and finely chopped onion.
• Perfect for making ahead: Chilling gives the flavors time to mingle, making this a dependable picnic or potluck side.
• Simple ingredients: Everything is easy to find, and there are no special tools or complicated techniques.

Grocery List

• Produce: Celery, 1 large red bell pepper, and 1 small sweet onion.
• Dairy: None needed.
• Eggs: 4 large eggs.
• Pantry: Elbow macaroni, regular mayonnaise, prepared yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, fine salt, ground black pepper, and celery seed.

Full Ingredients

For the Macaroni Salad

• 1 pound (454 g) dry elbow macaroni
• 4 large eggs
• 1 cup (120 g) finely diced celery, cut into approximately 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 cup (150 g) diced red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, cut into approximately 1/4-inch pieces
• 1/3 cup (50 g) finely chopped sweet onion
• 1 tablespoon fine salt, for cooking the pasta

For the Sweet Mustard Dressing

• 1 cup (224 g) regular mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup (60 g) prepared yellow mustard
• 3 tablespoons (45 ml) apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon celery seed

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Hard-boil and cool the eggs

Place the eggs in a saucepan in a single layer and add enough cold water to cover them by 1 inch. Bring to a full boil over medium-high heat, about 8 minutes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat, cover, and let the eggs stand for 12 minutes.

Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water and cool for 5 minutes. This stops the cooking and helps keep the yolks tender. Peel once cool enough to handle.

Step 2: Cook and cool the macaroni

Bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon fine salt and the macaroni. Cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully tender but not mushy. Check the package directions, as cooking times vary by brand.

Drain in a colander and rinse under cold running water until the pasta is cool to the touch, about 1 minute. Shake the colander well, then let the macaroni drain for 5 minutes. Excess water will thin the dressing, so do not skip this draining time.

Step 3: Chop the eggs and vegetables

Chop the peeled eggs into approximately 1/2-inch pieces. Dice the celery and red bell pepper into approximately 1/4-inch pieces, and finely chop the onion so its flavor blends evenly into the salad.

Set aside 1 tablespoon of the chopped egg and 1 tablespoon of the diced red pepper for a simple garnish. These amounts come from the measured ingredients, so nothing extra is needed.

Step 4: Whisk the sweet mustard dressing

In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, sugar, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, black pepper, and celery seed. Whisk for 1 minute, until smooth, then let stand for 5 minutes and whisk again to help dissolve the sugar.

Transfer 1/4 cup of the dressing to a small covered container and refrigerate. You will stir this in after chilling to refresh the salad’s creamy texture.

Step 5: Gently combine the salad

Place the cooled, well-drained macaroni in a large mixing bowl. Add the celery, onion, remaining red pepper, and the dressing left in the mixing bowl. Fold together until the pasta is evenly coated.

Add the remaining chopped eggs and fold gently with a flexible spatula. A few yolk crumbs will blend into the dressing naturally, but avoid vigorous stirring so some distinct pieces of egg remain.

Step 6: Chill, refresh, and serve

Cover the salad and refrigerate at 40°F (4°C) or below for 2 hours. Keep the reserved garnish covered and refrigerated as well. The pasta will absorb some dressing as it chills, and the sweet-and-tangy flavors will become more rounded.

Just before serving, gently fold in the reserved 1/4 cup dressing. Transfer to a serving bowl, scatter the reserved chopped egg and red pepper over the top, and serve cold.

Pro Tips

• Choose tender pasta, not firm pasta: Macaroni firms up as it chills, so cook it just beyond al dente without letting it become soft or split.
• Cool before dressing: Warm macaroni can absorb the dressing too quickly and soften the vegetables. Make sure it is cool and well drained first.
• Keep the onion fine: Small pieces add gentle flavor without overpowering each bite. For an even milder taste, rinse the chopped onion under cold water and pat it dry before adding.
• Reserve some dressing: Adding that last 1/4 cup after chilling keeps the salad creamy without making it soupy.
• Use regular mayonnaise: It gives the smoothest, richest texture. Reduced-fat mayonnaise may make the dressing thinner or noticeably sweeter.

Variations

• Less sweet: Reduce the granulated sugar from 1/4 cup to 2 tablespoons, keeping the remaining dressing ingredients unchanged.
• Sweet pickle twist: Add 1/4 cup well-drained sweet pickle relish and reduce the sugar to 2 tablespoons.
• Extra egg: Use 6 large eggs instead of 4 for a heartier salad with more tender egg pieces.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the salad in a covered container in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below for up to 4 days from preparation. For the best make-ahead texture, prepare it 1 day in advance, refrigerate the reserved dressing separately, and fold that dressing in just before serving. Freezing is not recommended because the mayonnaise dressing can separate and the vegetables can lose their crunch.

For potlucks, keep the serving bowl nestled in ice so the salad stays at 40°F (4°C) or below. Discard salad left above refrigerator temperature for more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when the surrounding temperature is above 90°F (32°C).

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 380 kcal | Carbs: 41g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 3.5g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Sodium: 390mg | Cholesterol: 84mg

Nutrition is estimated for one-tenth of the base recipe. Values vary by ingredient brand and exclude optional variations and salt absorbed from the pasta cooking water.