Survey, Classic Macaroni Salad

senior chef

senior chef

Senior Member
I am interested in how recipes differ. Today, please tell what YOU put in CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD.
My ingredients
elbow macaroni
Miracle Whip
apple cider vinegar
sweet pickle relish
finely chopped celery
extra finely chopped green onion
chopped hard boiled eggs
ground dry mustard
prepared yellow mustard
paprika
tad of sugar
salt/ pepper
 

Elbow macaroni
Olive-oil mayonnaise
A half-shot of red wine vinegar
Chopped gherkins
Chopped celery, including the leaves
A few finely chopped pimentos
Rough-cut hard boiled eggs
A little hot-dog mustard (about a teaspoon)
Salt/ pepper
A sprinkling of paprika
 
Huh ...never had it, never even heard of pasta salad that wasn't Mediterranean. When making a salad with similar ingredients to the ones listed above, it's potatoes instead of macaroni in this neck of the woods.
 

AnnieA said:
Huh ...never had it, never even heard of pasta salad that wasn't Mediterranean. When making a salad with similar ingredients to the ones listed above, it's potatoes instead of macaroni in this neck of the woods.
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Wow. I thought macaroni salad made with mayo was ubiquitous in North America. It was in every salad bar that I used to go to.

My recipe would be closer to senior chef’s. DH doesn’t like it so I rarely make it. Always Hellman’s though.

Every now and then I break down and buy a pre-made version at the grocery store. That’s always a mistake.
 
AnnieA said:
Huh ...never had it, never even heard of pasta salad that wasn't Mediterranean. When making a salad with similar ingredients to the ones listed above, it's potatoes instead of macaroni in this neck of the woods.
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Hmm. Where are you from ? Certainly not the USA.
 
senior chef said:
Yes. Exactly ! As far as I know, classic macaroni salad is found EVERYWHERE in the USA. I all my life, I don't think I've ever run across anyone who never heard of macaroni salad.
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I truly haven't with those ingredients and I mostly cook from scratch and have attended a lot of family reunions through the years with all sorts of salads. Said above I'd only had Mediterranean based pasta salads, but did forget the one with ham, grated cheese and green peas ...still not the OP type though.
 
Lewkat said:
Mine always has sliced green olives in it.
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Yes, sliced olives is a good addition. The only reason I don't put them in my macaroni salad is because I use them in my potato salad and I don't want those 2 cold salads to be too similar.
 
My ingredients:

elbow macaroni
mayo
sweet pickle relish
finely chopped celery
finely chopped green onion
ground dry mustard
yellow mustard
paprika
salt/ pepper
 
Shero said:
sorry chef, in my opinion, there is no such thing as a "classic" anything. I have travelled the world and can vouch for that :)
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I strongly disagree. The world is overflowing with myriad classical recipes. A few examples of thousands: Shrimp Creole, Flan caramel, marina sauce, beef stroganoff, crepe suzette, Chicken Coq Au Vin, even the all-American French Fries, not to mention alcohol drinks such as a martini, etc, etc. I could literally go on forever.
Of course, if you travel "down-under", those Aussies actually put sliced beets on their hamburgers . OMG Yuck ! BUT that is hardly a "classic burger"
 
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senior chef said:
I am interested in how recipes differ. Today, please tell what YOU put in CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD.
My ingredients
elbow macaroni
Miracle Whip
apple cider vinegar
sweet pickle relish
finely chopped celery
extra finely chopped green onion
chopped hard boiled eggs
ground dry mustard
prepared yellow mustard
paprika
tad of sugar
salt/ pepper
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Same as mine! Wow!
 
Shell macaroni
Miracle Whip
hard cooked eggs
diced up cucumbers.

Same way my mother made it. Fun fact..mom ALWAYS used shells. So, me too. Some how it tastes best with shells. Not sure why.

As for "no such thing as classic" I, also disagree. In this case, I interpret "classic" to simply mean "the way you've always made it" Or how your mom made it or something
 
Marie5656 said:
Shell macaroni
Miracle Whip
hard cooked eggs
diced up cucumbers.

Same way my mother made it. Fun fact..mom ALWAYS used shells. So, me too. Some how it tastes best with shells. Not sure why.

As for "no such thing as classic" I, also disagree. In this case, I interpret "classic" to simply mean "the way you've always made it" Or how your mom made it or something
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Huh. Cucumber instead of celery and pickle....that sounds really good. I like squash with macaroni so I make a squash-mac salad a lot, usually served very warm.
 
I have no idea how to make it but any I've had has been made with those spiral macaroni (not that it really matters) but has also had sockeye salmon mixed in (never pink salmon). Personally, I like the flavor twist that adds to it. Overall, I love a mac salad when the weathers warm as I do a good potato salad too (y)
 
Marie5656 said:
Shell macaroni
Miracle Whip
hard cooked eggs
diced up cucumbers.

Same way my mother made it. Fun fact..mom ALWAYS used shells. So, me too. Some how it tastes best with shells. Not sure why.

As for "no such thing as classic" I, also disagree. In this case, I interpret "classic" to simply mean "the way you've always made it" Or how your mom made it or something
Click to expand...
Personally, I think "classic" means the way most people expect it to be. God knows what somebodies mother might have put in a certain dish.
 
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senior chef said:
I strongly disagree. The world is overflowing with myriad classical recipes. A few examples of thousands: Shrimp Creole, Flan caramel, marina sauce, beef stroganoff, crepe suzette, Chicken Coq Au Vin, even the all-American French Fries, not to mention alcohol drinks such as a martini, etc, etc. I could literally go on forever.
Of course, if you travel "down-under", those Aussies actually put sliced beets on their hamburgers . OMG Yuck ! BUT that is hardly a "classic burger"
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You cannot “disagree” with me because I said it was ”in my opinion”. You can state your opinion politely of course. Any restaurant worth its salt lists the ingredients in their “classic” salads and the patron can decide what they want included, no hard and fast rule. A tip:I realise Miracle Whip is used as an alternative to mayonnaise. However, it contains some refined ingredients, such as high-fructose corn syrup and soybean oil, which have been linked to several health issues. I would not recommend it and I am not even a professional chef. I am not going to fall out with you over a bowl of pasta! Try the Aussie burger with beetroot, you will be hooked as I was when I tasted one!
 

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