• Home
    • Recipes
      • Recipe Index
      • VIDEO SERIES: Learn to Cook on a Budget
      • How-To & Cooking Tutorials
      • Popular Recipes
    • Meal Plans
      • Weekly Meal Plans
      • Freezer Meal Plans
      • The ORIGINAL 20 Meals for $150 Plans
    • Classes
      • Grocery Savings 101 Workshop
      • Freezer Cooking 101 Workshop
      • Meal Planning 101 Workshop
      • Whis-Kid Cooking Lessons
      • Instant Pot Cooking 101 Course
      • My Efficient Kitchen Course
    • Store
    • Blog
    • Contact
      • About
      • Press
    • Login

    $5 Dinners | Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals

    Budget Recipes, Meal Plans, Freezer Meals and Cooking Tutorials for the Busy Home Chef

    Join Erin's 5-Ingredient Challenge in 2023

    Macaroni Salad for a Crowd

    July 14, 2009 by Erin, The $5 Dinner Mom 12 Comments

    52 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Sign up to receive FREE weekly emails with recipes, coupons and other money saving tips right into your inbox. Become a friend on Facebook too AND/OR join the $5 Meal Plan Family and get meal plans delivered to you each week!

    macaroni salad for a crowd

    We had a small gathering tonight for Bubby’s birthday…10 adults and 10 kids.  As I said earlier, I was bound and determined to keep it simple.  Keep it real.

    I was bound and determined to provide a meal that was scrumptious using what I had on hand!

    The party was perfect!  And so was this salad!

    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Recipe Saved!

    Macaroni Salad for a Crowd

    The best Macaroni Salad for a crowd! Simple, fresh, and perfect for your next party, potluck, or family dinner!
    Prep Time15 minutes
    Cook Time10 minutes
    Servings - 24 servings

    Ingredients 

    • 2 16 oz. boxes of elbow macaroni noodles ($1.94)
    • 2 carrots ($.20)
    • 2 green peppers ($.75 each)
    • 1/2 large red onion ($.30)
    • 1 cup light mayonnaise ($.50)
    • 4 Tbsp lemon juice ($.20)
    • 4 Tbsp vinegar ($.20)
    • 4 Tbsp sugar ($.10)
    • Salt and cracked pepper, to taste

    Instructions

    • In a LARGE saucepan, bring water to boil and cook both boxes of pasta noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cool water. Add to large serving bowl.
    • Peel and chop carrots. Seed and dice green peppers. Chop red onion.
    • Toss pasta noodles with vegetables.
    • Whisk mayonnaise, lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper. Pour over pasta and vegetables. Mix well.
    • Refrigerate at least 2 hours, or until completely chilled.
    • Serve chilled Macaroni Salad to a Crowd.

    macaroni-salad-for-a-crowd

    52 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Filed Under: Budget Friendly Recipes, One Dish Dinners Recipes, Pasta Recipes, Salad Recipes, Side Dish Recipes Tagged With: carrots, green pepper

    Comments

    1. Miriam says

      July 14, 2009 at 10:52 pm

      THIS is the ONLY macaroni salad I like! I could eat bowl-full after bowl-full of it. I’ll have to remember to make it once my peppers are ready. I don’t think my recipe calls for the lemon juice, and I like to use red wine vinegar, but I’m sure yours tastes almost the same enough to call it so 🙂

      Reply
    2. Mary W says

      July 15, 2009 at 12:04 pm

      Seems like a great recipe. Most macaroni salads have too much mayo for me. The lemon juice and vinegar solve that problem. Would be very flexible depending on what’s ripe in your garden…Cherry tomatoes, chives, peas, etc. With the addition of tuna or chicken could be an easy main dish for a crowd on a hot day.

      Reply
    3. dawn says

      July 15, 2009 at 7:27 pm

      sounds good! i am curious, though – is that ALL you served? just the macaroni salad and the cake? nothing else? and if so, folks were happy? i really would like to know – i have a tendency to over supply the food tables at parties. . . chips, salsas, dips, side dishes, several main dish choices, etc. . . .

      Reply
      • Erin says

        July 15, 2009 at 7:31 pm

        LOL! No Dawn! I served grilled pork chops, honey mustard chicken wings and some sausage. Along with chips and salsa, baked beans, watermelon, the macaroni salad…cake and ice cream! It was the perfect amount of food…not overdone and a variety enough for everyone!

        Reply
    4. Denette says

      July 15, 2009 at 9:17 pm

      I’m always on the look out for new pasta salads. I can’t wait to try this one.

      Reply
    5. Becky Lowmaster says

      July 15, 2009 at 11:57 pm

      Erin, thanks for posting this macaroni salad for a crowd. I have eaten other people’s macaroni salad but I can never make my taste good. I guess maybe I’ll stick with my potato salad making, which everyone likes. I’m making one that will serve 35 people for a friend’s daughter’s wedding buffet reception. I’ll post photos, if I can, on my new site. I’ll try this recipe of yours out soon. I’m sure it’s good. I remember making my kids birthday cakes. I got creative. I remember one I made to take to school when Megan was 9 and we were moving, also in Dec, close to Christmas. I frosted the cake with chocolate icing, that I probably made myself from scratch, and then wrote 9 in MnMs. I remember that one. Since we have MnMs around, we use them frequently for decorating. I’m an MnMaholic! 🙂 Take care and stop by my blog as I’ll have new blog soon.

      Reply
    6. Tinalou says

      April 1, 2011 at 2:12 pm

      I can’t wait to try this!!! I have never made macaroni salad (but I recently tried to to make mac N cheese which was a flop…) Anyway I digress, I have been using Mueller’s coupons in conjunction with my stores’s buy one get one free Meuller’s pasta sales and now have bunches of free elbow noodles (which as I stated earlier I am unable to use for mac N cheese – since I am obviously no good at making mac N cheese). I am hoping that my skills at making macaroni salad are way better than my mac N cheese skills – wish me luck!!!

      Reply
    7. Amanda says

      April 2, 2011 at 6:56 am

      Erin CONGRATS on the newbi site! This macaroni salad looks delish! I am going to make this on Friday for a birthday we are celebrating.

      Reply
    8. Patty Lady says

      April 3, 2011 at 4:33 am

      Erin. this is just what I need for a dinner for church. I will need to prepare it ahead of time and I think that this is just perfect. Something a little different for the same “old” stuff furnished for a funeral dinner, yet still in the comfort/familiar food group. 🙂 Thanks!

      Reply
    9. Patty Lady says

      April 3, 2011 at 4:35 am

      This is perfect! Thanks. I am needing a salad for a small dinner at church this next Tuesday and I am going to give this a try. Still in the comfort food/familiar food catagory, yet a little different. I was wondering why I’d bought elbow mac. on sale. Now I know!

      Reply
    10. Sherry says

      September 22, 2014 at 5:19 pm

      I have heard that the Macaroni Salad for a Crowd is a big hit. Will try it on my church group!

      Reply
    11. Elizabeth Belden Handler says

      May 25, 2018 at 7:14 am

      Thank you. This looks great. I will be making this for my niece’s baby shower on Sunday. I’ll do two things differently, though. I’ll mix up the lemon juice, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper, then toss the hot, drained elbows with the dressing. I’ll put that in the fridge to cool, letting the flavors infuse the nacaroni. I’ll also add celery when I add the carrots and pepper, as I love it. Thanks for the recipe!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    I’m Erin Chase…

    Also known as the
    $5 Dinner Mom.

    I have a little problem. I cannot make a meal that costs more than $5.
    It’s a fun challenge,
    and my pocketbook
    thanks me.
    Want to join me?

    Learn more here!

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Search $5 Dinners

    Favorite Meal Planning & Cooking Resources

    Whis-Kid Cooking Lessons Grocery Budget Makeover My Freezeasy Erin Chase Store 5DD Freebie Library 20 Meals for $150 Plans

    © 2023 5 Dollar Dinners | Disclosure Policy | Copyright Information | Terms of Service/Privacy Policy | Accessibility | Design & Tech Support by Klong Designs



    Copyright © 2023 · 5 Dollar Dinners Genesis Child Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in