Best Martha Gooch Macaroni Salad Recipes

CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add salt. Add macaroni; cook until al dente. Drain. Rinse with cold water, and drain. Transfer to a large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until cool.
• Thaw peas under cold running water. Drain. Toss with celery, scallions, and ham in a bowl. Add to macaroni; toss.
• Whisk mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, sugar, nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; fold into macaroni mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Salad can be refrigerated in an airtight container, up to 3 hours.

MAC SALAD

Steps:

• If using taro, put on kitchen gloves and wash the taro. Bring 1 to 2 inches of water to a boil in a pot with a steamer insert, then put the taro in the insert and cover tightly with a lid. Steam until tender, about 3 hours. Transfer to a plate and let cool. Use a paring knife to remove the skin, then cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Fill a large saucepan with water and add a generous pinch of salt, so the water tastes like the ocean. Scrub the potatoes, then add to the saucepan - there should be just enough water to cover - and bring up to a simmer over medium-high heat. (Don't go for a roiling boil because you want to keep the potatoes intact.) Simmer until a paring knife inserted in the center goes in and out smoothly, 20 to 40 minutes. The potatoes should look barely translucent and have small cracks and a slightly crumbly texture on the surface. Drain carefully and turn out onto a sheet pan. When cool, peel and cut into 1-inch cubes.
• Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the eggs and cook for 10 minutes. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice and water. Replenish the boiling water, if needed, and add the macaroni. Cook until softened all the way through, at least 2 minutes past al dente. Drain well and immediately run under cold water to stop the cooking.
• When the noodles are cool, drain well and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Peel the eggs and grate them on the large holes of a box grater. Add them to the bowl, along with the potatoes, taro (if using), carrot, mayonnaise, garlic salt, sugar, black pepper, apple cider vinegar and hot sauce. Mix well with a spoon and adjust the seasonings to taste. Eat immediately or refrigerate for up to 2 days.

MACARONI SALAD

Steps:

• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook elbow macaroni according to package instructions. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, cucumber, celery, dill, and lemon juice. Drain pasta, and rinse with cold water; add to bowl with mayonnaise mixture. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine. Serve.

MACARONI BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Drain macaroni and rinse in cold water. Add to bean mixture and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Serve with a slotted spoon.

ELBOW MACARONI AND KIDNEY BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but firm to the bite, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
• Combine cooked macaroni, kidney beans, celery, light mayonnaise, onion, red wine vinegar, salt, and black pepper in a bowl until well mixed. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.