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Classic Pasta Salad

Classic pasta salad with a traditional creamy mayonnaise-based dressing and diced vegetables. Elbow macaroni is cooked, rinsed cold, then tossed until evenly coated for a picnic-ready, potluck favorite 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: 540
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

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

Method
 

Cook and chill the pasta
  1. Cook elbow macaroni according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until cooled to stop further cooking.
Make the creamy dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, white vinegar, sugar, and Dijon mustard in a bowl until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste and whisk again to combine.
Assemble the salad
  1. Combine pasta, celery, red bell pepper, red onion, and peas in a large bowl. Toss gently to distribute the vegetables evenly.
Dress and refrigerate
  1. Pour the mayonnaise dressing over the salad and toss until everything is coated. Scrape the bottom of the bowl once to make sure no pasta is dry.
Chill and finish
  1. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 3 hours or overnight for best flavor. Cover for neat storage and allow the dressing to cling.
Serve
  1. Stir the salad before serving and adjust seasoning as needed. Add a small taste of salt and pepper only if the flavor needs a boost.

Notes

For the classic creamy texture, rinse the pasta thoroughly with cold water and let it drain well before mixing so the dressing doesn’t get watery. Refrigerate leftovers covered for 3–4 days; freezing is not recommended because mayonnaise-based salads can break and turn grainy. For a lighter option, use light mayonnaise (or a half-and-half blend) while keeping the vinegar and mustard unchanged for the same tangy flavor.