by: Miss Sampieri (1st grade teacher)
Every year growing up, my family would have a backyard party at the end of summer. This macaroni salad was always a staple and the first food to go. This recipe was written down for me once I was old enough to make it on my own, which is why the seasonings don’t have exact measurements. It’s a fun way to learn what a dish needs in order to taste amazing!
Source: Family recipe
Ingredients
1 box (lb) elbow pasta (or similar)
1 carrot, peeled and grated
1/2 small white onion, diced
1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
1 can pitted and sliced black olives
1 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons sugar
garlic powder (to taste)
onion powder (to taste)
black pepper (to taste)
salt (to taste)
Recipe Steps
- Cook pasta al dente according to box instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Return to the pot and fill with COLD water; add salt and stir. Cover loosely and let sit 30-45 minutes. (This will keep the salad from drying out.)
- Into a large bowl, add grated carrot and diced onion.
- Add white vinegar and lemon juice. Stir, then let sit for 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in sugar and mayonnaise, then add 3-4 shakes of garlic powder, 2-3 shakes of onion powder, and 4-5 cracks of black pepper.
- Drain pasta and add to the bowl, mixing well. Adjust seasonings to taste (At this point, I usually add more garlic powder and black pepper.)
- Sprinkle chopped cucumber to the top of the bowl and salt; let sit for 2 minutes before mixing in.
- Drain and add sliced olives, mixing well.
- Taste and adjust seasonings if needed (again, I usually am adding more garlic powder and black pepper).
- Cover and refrigerate 2+ hours before serving (or overnight). This truly gets better as it marinates!
- Stir well before serving and enjoy!!