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Classic Pasta Salad

Classic pasta salad with a mayonnaise-based dressing and crisp diced vegetables. Cooked elbow macaroni is rinsed cold, tossed until evenly coated, then chilled for a creamy, picnic-ready texture.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
chilling 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

elbow macaroni
  • 1 lb elbow macaroni
mayonnaise
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
white vinegar
  • 2 tbsp white vinegar
sugar
  • 1 tbsp sugar
Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
celery, diced
  • 1 cup celery, diced
red bell pepper, diced
  • 0.5 cup red bell pepper, diced
red onion, finely diced
  • 0.5 cup red onion, finely diced
frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
salt and pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste

Method
 

Cook and cool the pasta
  1. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions, then drain. Rinse under cold water until fully cooled so the pasta doesn’t keep steaming.
Mix the creamy dressing
  1. Whisk together mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Whisk just until smooth and evenly combined.
Combine and coat
  1. Combine elbow macaroni, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and frozen peas in a large bowl. Toss lightly to distribute the vegetables.
  2. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to coat evenly. Keep tossing until glossy and consistently creamy throughout.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate the salad for at least 3 hours or overnight for best flavor. Cover and chill until cold and set.
  2. Stir before serving and adjust seasoning as needed. If it seems thick, loosen with a small splash of mayonnaise or vinegar and toss again.

Notes

For the best texture, rinse the pasta until cool so it stays firm in the mayonnaise dressing. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; it’s not recommended to freeze. For a lighter option, swap half the mayonnaise for plain Greek yogurt while keeping the vinegar, mustard, and sugar the same.