KEWANEE WEATHER

In the kitchen with Kim: Amish Macaroni Salad


By Kim Gehling    August 8, 2026
Kim decided to try making a homemade macaroni salad instead of the box kind and she’s glad she did. [Photos by Kim Gehling]

For years, pasta salad at our house meant reaching for a box of Suddenly Salad. It’s quick, easy and everyone loves it, so I never really had a reason to try something new. But lately I’ve been trying more homemade versions of our favorite convenience foods, and I figured it was time to see if a from-scratch pasta salad could win us over.

This Amish Macaroni Salad was recommended to me, and I’m so glad I gave it a try. It’s creamy, sweet, tangy and loaded with little bites of celery, red bell pepper, chopped eggs and sweet pickle relish. It tastes so much fresher than the boxed versions, and all of those extra ingredients really make it something special.

This salad gets even better after it sits in the refrigerator for a few hours. By the next day, all of the flavors have blended together into an even creamier, more flavorful salad. It also makes a big batch, which was perfect for my family. It’s great for cookouts, family dinners, potlucks or just in the fridge for lunches throughout the week.

From our kitchen to yours — enjoy!

Amish Macaroni Salad

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. elbow macaroni, cooked and cooled
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
  • 3 celery stalks, finely diced
  • 1 small onion, finely diced
  • 1 red bell pepper, finely diced
  • ½ c. sweet pickle relish
  • 2 c. Mayonnaise
  • 3 T. yellow mustard
  • ¾ c. granulated sugar
  • 2 T. apple cider vinegar
  • ½ t. celery seed
  • ½ t. salt
  • ¼ t. black pepper
  • Paprika, for garnish (optional)

Directions

— Add the cooled macaroni, chopped eggs, celery, onion, red bell pepper, sweet pickle relish, mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, apple cider vinegar, celery seed, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Stir everything together until the macaroni is evenly coated and all of the ingredients are well combined.

–Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours but overnight is even better. Give it a good stir before serving. If it has thickened in the refrigerator, stir in 1 to 2 T. milk or a little extra mayonnaise to loosen it. Sprinkle it with paprika, if desired, and serve cold.

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