Amish Macaroni Salad is a favorite cookout classic! The combination of creamy noodles and the sweet + tangy flavor will keep your friends asking for more.
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Inside: Amish Macaroni Salad – a picnic and cookout favorite!
As I walk past the fruit stand, I hear a strange voice ask my husband if he was born Amish. I pause and glance up in time to see Pete as he replies with a, yes, I was – quickly followed by an, I knew it from the stranger. And I stand there baffled once again.
I step up and take part in the introductions. The chitchat that pursues often reveals they each know the same people, or better yet, are distantly related. Puzzled, I stand there in awe, wondering how they recognize this about each other?
That has happened on several occasions as we’ve been out galavanting.
And guess what? Pete does it too. We will meet or observe someone, and he’ll whisper to me that they used to be Amish or Mennonite. Then he makes his move, asks, and they always reply, “I sure was!”.
What the heck? Seriously, it’s like some creepy telepathy vibes channeling through the atmosphere.
Moving on…
Summer is right around the corner. That means cookouts and picnics and this recipe. Due to this particular time in our world’s history, it could be a solo cookout if social distancing is still a thing come summer. I pray it’s not! I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to see my peeps!
Yes, this is a real bona fide Amish macaroni salad recipe.
Yep, those are spiral noodles you see.
Why?
Because that’s what the recipe calls for. So, we’re breaking the rules here.
And yes, it’s still called macaroni salad.
It’s the real deal and you will love it!
What is macaroni salad?
It is a type of pasta salad, served cold. It is made with cooked elbow macaroni noodles and usually prepared with mayonnaise. Macaroni salad is tasty served as a side to fried chicken, barbecue and hamburgers.
Since it’s a cold salad, it’s perfect for summer cookouts and picnics. Variations abound, but generally, it’s prepared with raw diced onions, celery, and sweet or dill pickles and seasoned with salt and pepper.
What makes Amish macaroni salad different?
This super yummy macaroni salad has a sweet + tangy mayonnaise dressing. The added sugar offsets the tangy vinegar. It’s an entirely different vibe than my southern macaroni salad, but it’s delicious just the same.
Many Amish macaroni salad recipes have elbow macaroni noodles in them, but this particular recipe does not. Rotini noodles are the main attraction in this dish. And those little crevices are perfect for collecting that creamy sauce and all the other little bits of goodness.
What is in this macaroni salad?
- Noodles
- Carrots
- Green pepper
- Onion
In the dressing:
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Mayonnaise
- White vinegar
- Sugar
Are you surprised to see sweetened condensed milk on that list? It plays an important role! I think the rich flavor of the milk makes the recipe. That, combined with the mayonnaise and other dressing ingredients give this macaroni salad its depth of flavor.
And whatever you do, do not use salad dressing. Don’t do it! This is a mayonnaise kind of recipe.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes! You should make this recipe the day before. It’s better that way. It needs to rest overnight to allow time for the dressing to soak into the noodles. It will soak up just enough to yield an incredibly creamy consistency.
It’s tough to wait, and though you can make the recipe quickly, you can’t eat it right away. Just don’t. It’ll be worth the wait.
This cold summer salad is always a big hit at summer potlucks and cookouts. It’s so easy to prepare the night before. Then all you have to do is grab it out of the fridge on your way out the door for potlucks. And it’s a favorite side dish to have at cookouts here at the house. Wherever you serve it, people will come back for more. And if you go somewhere where you’ll be feeding a large crowd, you can easily double the recipe.
What can I serve this with?
This macaroni salad is delicious with hotdogs and hamburgers. It’s also yummy with hot buffalo wings, slow cooker barbecue chicken sliders, and crockpot roasted chicken. But don’t stop there. You will love it with just about anything.
Now if I can get my telepathy groove on channeling between recipes, I’ll be on a roll. ;)
Amish Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 2 8 ounce twisted macaroni noodles cooked
- 2 carrots grated
- 1 green pepper diced
- 1 med red onion diced, I often use sweet onions
Dressing:
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 cups mayonnaise
Instructions
- Cook macaroni with 2 teaspoons of salt according to package direction. Mix dressing ingredients while noodles are cooking. When noodles are done, drain and toss with carrots, peppers, and onions. Pour dressing over mixture and stir until blended through. Chill! *This needs to be made the day before you plan to serve them.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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This sounds so good, Kim! I’m looking forward to trying your recipe.
It is crazy how your husband can identify a former Amish/Mennonite person. I also am intrigued that he was born Amish.
Thanks, Paula!
I hope you love it as much as we do!
Yep, it’s crazy, but they seem to have a way of knowing. Pete is from Ohio Amish. He is the 8th of 9 children.
I gave your recipe 5 stars even though I haven’t made it. Because I don’t want to discourage any one from trying it ,because it may be the best ever.
The ingredients I use are,
Elbow macaroni, a lot of eggs (I only use yolks, don’t like the whites) celery, diced green onions, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, sweet pickle relish (the big chunk varity) and I like tuna in mine.
.
Hi Linda!
Your variation sounds yummy too! Thanks for stopping by!