Sweet Macaroni Salad Recipe
- Kim
- Aug 4
- 3 min read
This Sweet Macaroni Salad Recipe is a delicious and colorful addition to any meal! Loaded with red pepper, onion, and flavor in every bite, it is a delicious side dish that goes with anything! Perfect for everyday cooking, it comes together easily in one big bowl for a classic dish everyone loves.
This side dish is a creamy and nostalgic salad that brings the comforting flavors of grandma’s recipe right to your table. It’s one of those cold salad classics that shows up at summer cookouts, potlucks, and family gatherings and disappears before the meal’s over. Sweet, tangy, and colorful, this creamy pasta salad makes a perfect side dish for grilled meats, burgers, or anything from the smoker.Â
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This recipe comes from my sister-in-law on my husband’s side of the family, and it’s been a longtime favorite passed down through the years. Her cousin shared it with her decades ago, and it has been making an appearance at her yearly family gatherings ever since. I recently took this salad to a dinner at a friends house and it was a hit! This vintage recipe is made with simple, classic ingredients that never go out of style.Â
What You Need
Elbow Macaroni
Carrots
Green Bell or Red Bell Peppers
Red Onion
Mayonnaise
Sweetened Condensed Milk
Granulated Sugar
Cider Vinegar
Salt
Black Pepper
Tips for Making Sweet Macaroni Salad
Cook macaroni to al dente and follow the package directions closely and rinse with cold water right after draining; this keeps the pasta from getting mushy in the salad.
Chop vegetables in small, even pieces to make for better texture and more balanced flavor in every bite.
Use a large bowl to mix your macaroni salad before transferring to a large serving bowl; this helps get everything evenly coated.
Make this salad a day before you plan to serve it so the macaroni can soak up all of the delicious flavor from the dressing.
If you prefer a less sweet version, adjust the cup sugar down to 1/2 cup.Â
Other Delicious Side Dishes
How to Make Sweet Macaroni Salad
Step 1: In a large pan, cook the macaroni according to package directions. Immediately drain and rinse two times in cold water to stop the cooking. Move to a large bowl and set aside.
Step 2: While the macaroni is cooking, clean and shred 2 medium carrots, clean and chop the green pepper and chop the red onion. Â Add to the bowl with the cooked macaroni.
Step 3: In a separate large bowl, combine the 2 cups mayonnaise, 1-14 oz can sweetened condensed milk, 1 cup sugar, 1/4 cup cider vinegar, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Mix until all ingredients are fully combined. Pour over the cooked macaroni and vegetables and mix well. The macaroni salad will seem "soupy" and why it needs to be made a day ahead so the macaroni has time to soak up all of the delicious dressing flavors. Give the macaroni mixture a good mix before transferring it to your serving bowl.Â
Above Left: Mayonnaise, sweetened condensed milk, sugar, cider vinegar, salt and pepper ready to be mixed and added to cooked macaroni and vegetables. Above Right: All ingredients combined and ready to be refrigerated overnight.
How to Store Sweet Macaroni Salad
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for maximum freshness.
This sweet macaroni salad is the kind of dish that brings generations of home cooks together. It’s a taste of home and a reminder that everyday cooking fun often lies in the simple, satisfying recipes that show up again and again. This version is creamy, flavorful and, if you like sweet pasta salads, might just become your new favorite side dish. If you like vintage, generational recipes, this is one salad worth making again and again.
Click the below button to take you to the full recipe card (or for a printable recipe card) that includes nutritional information.Â
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