Name: Chef John's Classic Macaroni Salad
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 5 h
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup mayonnaise; 0.25 cup white vinegar; 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard; 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste; 0.5 teaspoon ground black pepper; 0.125 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1 tablespoon white sugar, or more to taste; 1 cup finely diced celery; 0.75 cup diced red bell pepper; 0.5 cup grated carrot; 0.5 cup chopped green onions, white and light parts; 0.25 cup diced jalapeno pepper; 0.25 cup diced poblano pepper; 1 (16 ounce) package uncooked elbow macaroni; 1 tablespoon water; 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Chef John's Classic Macaroni Salad

Chef John's classic macaroni salad recipe is less sweet than deli-style but this crowd-pleaser is full of colorful veggies and a perfect side for cookouts.

5 hr total 30 min prep 15 min cook 12 295 cal

Instructions

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1 Whisk 1 cup mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper together in a bowl until dressing is well blended; whisk in sugar.
2 Stir celery, bell pepper, carrot, green onions, jalapeño pepper, and poblano pepper into dressing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate until macaroni is ready.
3 Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain in a colander for about 5 minutes, shaking out the moisture from time to time, but do not rinse.
4 Transfer macaroni to a large bowl; toss to separate. Cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes. Macaroni should be sticky.
5 Add celery mixture to macaroni; stir until evenly distributed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; refrigerate until macaroni absorbs dressing, 4 hours to overnight.
6 Stir salad; stir water and remaining 1 tablespoon mayonnaise into salad to refresh before serving.