My Mac salad is the "famous one" amongst friends and family. We cannot have a bbq without "Lindas Mac salad". I cannot agree more that Hellmans is the only choice for mayo.

Heres' mine: Elbows, one onion diced, 1 large ripe tomato or two smaller ones diced, 2 cans albacore tuna in water for each pound of elbow, hellmans mayo, salt and pepper.

cooked elbow macroni, diced ham, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes, green pepper, celery, onion, cucumber, and mayo.

I haven't thought about tomato in Mac Salad!!! What a fabulous idea!

Deb

I just made this the other night for supper. It has been a family favorite for eons.

1 cup of Macaroni
1 Can of Red Salmon
1/3 cup chopped celery
1 heaping Tablespoon of Vidalia Onion, chopped fine.
About 1/2 cup Hellman's Mayo
Pepper to taste
A bit of chopped fresh parsley

Cook the Macaroni till nice and tender. Run cold water over it in a collander untile the Macaroni is cooled.

Drain the salmon and add to the macaroni along with the remaining items. (Give the salmon juice to the cats !)

Chill thoroughly for a couple of hours.

Serve on a bed of lettuce with wedges of tomato and cucumber.

Enjoy !!

Helen

oh a person after my own heart..the juice from tuna and salmon for the kitties, lol...

now i know what to make tomorrow for dinner!

I love salmon and macaroni with mayo!

A favourite of our family is a sort of Greek Pasta salad.

You chop up tomatoes and green peppers. I prefer using cherry tomatoes halved but my brother likes using regular tomatoes. Add sliced black olives or Greek olives. We normally use just the sliced black olives in the can because with the feta cheese and the Greek olives the dish tends to be salty but sometimes I like it that way. Mix EV olive oil and lemon juice together to your taste (I prefer mine more on the lemony side) Add feta cheese, pour on dressing and mix. You can add salt or not and oregano or not. You can also add cucumbers but we don't because when we make this salad we use an entire bag of macaroni and we find the cucumbers get soggy when there is left over salad.

We don't measure, we just throw everything in.

If I make macaroni salad with mayo I put in a tsp or so of horseradish. I use onions, celery if I have some on hand. red and green pepper, green olives, salt and pepper.

Now I have a craving for macaroni salad.

Anne

Mine is very popular, and simple. Elbo macaroni, green pepper, carrots, some onion celery seed and always use Hellman's. It is easy to make and everyone loves it. I never put tuna in it. I think tuna should be in tuna salad and that's it.

I make mine using the cooked elbows, hard boiled eggs (which I make into egg salad-using mayo & 1 Tbs wet mustard.. then gently with my hands,fold into the macaroni first), super thin slices of celery, chopped Vidalia onions, 1/2 of a diced green pepper, 3 diced roasted red peppers, and some crumbled crisp bacon and about 6 thinly sliced green olives. I finish it w/more mayo & salt & pepper.

Don't use a recipe--and rarely use 'macaroni'. I almost never buy elbows, so it's generally made with penne, or wagon wheels, or whatever I have on hand.

Generally, I use: pasta, celery, onion, pepper, Hellman's (definitely), a little sugar, ground celery seed, s & p, a touch of vinegar and mustard, a little pickle relish hardcooked egg, and usually some cubed sharp cheddar cheese. Maybe some bacon, if I have it on hand.

If I'm taking pasta salad to a function, where I'm not sure about the refrigeration, I do: cheese tortellini, fresh mozzarella, peppers, onion, halved grape tomatoes, shredded spinach, Parmeggiano Reggiano, and balsamic vinaigrette.

I never use the Hellman's, much prefer the vinegar dressing to anything mayo. (bonus: much healthier too!) My recipe is very much like Cherryfiz, Always use feta cheese and black olives in addition to any and all vegetables I have on hand. And I never purchase elbow noodles, my favorite would be the tri color spirals.

I think tuna should be in tuna salad and that's it.

I guess thats what makes some receipes better than others. If foods were only used for one thing, we would have a pretty boring variety of dishes.

Gee, thanks to all of the hints and recipes. It seems like when I try to make a mac salad it is just tasteless. Now i have some things to try to perk it up. As for the juice from salmon and tuna, I could always depend on my kitty, Baby, to show up for "her share". Dottie

Funny about the Hellman's mayo. I thought I was the only one who would rather do without than use another brand. We eat very little mayo, only when I make potato- or macaroni salad. And then, not the low or no fat kind either! It has to be the real deal. Good thing I guess that we don't eat it very often :)

Elisabeth

I use either Hellman's, Miracle Whip, or a vinegarette/red wine, depending on the day and time. lol. Everything goes in my mac salad. Any vegetable I happen to have around except onion. Bacon sometimes too. I can't stand onion in any kind of salad. Just ruins it for me.

Salad Macaroni
Real Mayonaise
Some of the pickle juice
A tablespoon or two of sugar
Sweet Onions, diced
Claussen Bread and Butter pickles, diced
Celery, diced
Red, Yellow and/or Orange Bell Pepper
Seasoned Salt and Pepper
On occasion...shrimp

I add the pickle juice and sugar to the mayo and stir till smooth before pouring over everything else. I keep some of this to the side, because after it sits for a bit in the fridge, it may get dry...so I add more of the mayo mixture to it.

I don't put eggs in mine. And never tuna or salmon. I am not a tuna or salmon person.

You guys are killing me here! I love the different suggestions - tuna, salmon, feta cheese, carrots, cherry tomatoes, etc. etc. I am so making a mac salad for my 4th of July barbecue this year!!

Thanks to all for their recipes!!

Susan

I like to use sometimes, cucumber, finely chopped instead of pickles and also small cubes or pieces of cheddar cheese and most of the other ingredients posted, no tuna or salmon for me though. I like them but not in my mac salad. I like Miracle Whip for my mac salad.

Sue

I like pasta salads but I like meat, egg and cheese in them. And I've tried Hellman's and don't understand the attraction. There's no flavor. I had to doctor it up so much when I tried it. I know a lot of people scream Hellman's but it was boring. At least some ranch dressing gave it some taste.

I grew up with a mayonaise (sp?) based mac salad but since have move to a vinegrette based for health reasons & a much loved DIL that does not like mayo.

I LOVE either tuna or little tiny (canned) shrimp in a mac salad. I use a variety of pasta shapes - whatever is in the cupboard. I add onion, carrots, eggs, pimento, celery, sometimes tomato, and I have recently added garlic powder - not garlic salt - to save on the sodium.

Two word recipe.

Suddenly Salad

Linda

LOL at Linda!
I never heard of putting tuna or salmon in mac salad! Sounds good though.
I just use cooked macaroni,Miracle Whip or mayo and it has to be Hellmans,a little vinegar,finely chopped celery,onion,bell pepper and sweet pickles,salt,pepper,and a little garlic powder.Sometimes little cubes of cheddar cheese.

I have never made or have had mac salad in my life. All these sound awesome, and I always have everything here to make it. Wow, can't wait to try it out!

Trin

Mac Salad

Add Frozen Peas, Bell Pepper, Green Onion, Shredded Cheese, Black Olives, Diced Boiled Egg and Mayo to Taste with S&P.