Ramsay Macaroni Salad
This Ramsay Macaroni Salad is a refreshing and tangy side dish featuring tender macaroni noodles combined with crunchy vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, and a creamy, flavorful dressing. Perfectly chilled and well-balanced with sweet, savory, and slightly spicy notes, it’s an ideal accompaniment for picnics, barbecues, or casual meals.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 24 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 8 oz dry macaroni noodles
Vegetables & Eggs
- ½ cup finely diced sweet gherkins
- ¾ cup finely diced red bell pepper
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced celery
- ⅓ cup finely diced red onion
- 2 large hard-boiled eggs, finely diced
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 Tbsp sweet pickle juice
- 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- ⅛ tsp garlic powder
- ⅛ tsp crushed red pepper
Additional
- Olive oil for tossing the cooked pasta
Instructions
- Cook Macaroni: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, then add the macaroni noodles. Cook until al dente, about 7-9 minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process. Toss the macaroni with a drizzle of olive oil to prevent sticking.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled macaroni noodles with the finely diced sweet gherkins, red bell pepper, sliced celery, diced red onion, and chopped hard-boiled eggs.
- Prepare Dressing: In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, sweet pickle juice, red wine vinegar, sugar, Dijon mustard, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and crushed red pepper until the dressing is smooth and well combined.
- Toss Salad: Pour the prepared dressing over the macaroni mixture and gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly without breaking the eggs.
- Chill and Serve: Cover the macaroni salad and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld. Before serving, stir the salad gently and adjust seasoning or dressing as needed.
Notes
- This salad is best served chilled, so plan ahead to allow for adequate refrigeration time.
- Use sweet gherkins to add a subtle sweet and tangy crunch; if unavailable, substitute with sweet pickles finely chopped.
- For a lighter version, substitute mayonnaise with low-fat Greek yogurt and reduce sour cream.
- Add fresh herbs like dill or parsley for additional freshness if desired.
- Ensure macaroni is well rinsed and cooled thoroughly to prevent the salad from becoming mushy.
Keywords: macaroni salad, pasta salad, Ramsay recipe, picnic salad, creamy macaroni salad, easy side dish
Find it online: https://cookwithlea.com/ramsay-macaroni-salad/
