Macaroni Salad

also called elbow macaroni salad · deli macaroni salad · creamy pasta salad · mac salad

The table

1 1/4 cups(300 mL)mayonnaisewhisk the dressingfold in the crunchchill 2 hr, loosen with milk
3 Tbscider vinegar
1 Tbs(12 g)granulated sugar
1 Tbsyellow mustard
1 1/2 tspkosher salt
1/2 tspblack pepper
1 lb(450 g)elbow macaroniboil the macaroni 8 min, rinse cold
4 qt(3.8 L)water
1 Tbskosher salt
2 ribs(diced small)celery
1/2(diced small)red bell pepper
1 small(grated)carrot
1/4 small(grated)yellow onion
2 Tbswhole milk
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.14 things to get out.

1whisk the dressing

2boil the macaroni 8 min, rinse cold

3fold in the crunch

goes in with what steps 1 and 2 made

4chill 2 hr, loosen with milk

goes in with what step 3 made

Cooking it

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 2 hr 8 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
none givenof the steps that give a time

2 of the 4 steps never say how long they take, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 2 hr 30 min.

  1. boil the macaroni 8 min, rinse cold

    8 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. whisk the dressing

    not timedfrom the start

  3. fold in the crunch

    not timed8 min in

  4. chill 2 hr, loosen with milk

    2 hrwalk away8 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them.

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Macaroni Salad
>> category: Salads
>> tags: pasta, mayonnaise, side, no-cook dressing, make-ahead
>> counters: Deli
>> aka: elbow macaroni salad, deli macaroni salad, creamy pasta salad, mac salad
>> pairs-with: mayonnaise, potato-salad, coleslaw
>> servings: 8
>> time: 2 hr 30 min
>> step.1: boil the macaroni 8 min, rinse cold
>> step.2: whisk the dressing
>> step.3: fold in the crunch
>> step.4: chill 2 hr, loosen with milk

Boil @elbow macaroni{1%lb}(450 g) in @water{4%qt}(3.8 L) with @kosher salt{1%Tbs} and ~boil{8%min}, a minute past al dente, then rinse it cold. This is the one pasta dish where soft is right and rinsing is right: cold dressing seizes on hot pasta, and starch left on the surface glues the whole tub together.

Whisk @mayonnaise{1 1/4%cup}(300 mL), @cider vinegar{3%Tbs}, @granulated sugar{1%Tbs}(12 g), @yellow mustard{1%Tbs}, @kosher salt{1 1/2%tsp} and @black pepper{1/2%tsp} until it is looser than you think it should be. It tightens overnight as the macaroni drinks it, which is why the deli version is sweet-sharp and slack in the bowl.

Fold @&(~1)dressing{} through @&(~2)cooled macaroni{} with @celery{2%ribs}(diced small), @red bell pepper{1/2}(diced small), @carrot{1%small}(grated) and @yellow onion{1/4%small}(grated).

Chill @&(~1)macaroni salad{} ~chill{2%hr}, then loosen it with @whole milk{2%Tbs} and taste for salt and vinegar before it goes out. It keeps four days and wants a splash of milk each time it comes back out of the fridge.