If you love an old fashioned, creamy macaroni salad, than this easy gluten-free recipe is ideal! Gluten-free macaroni salad has a classic tangy, delicious taste with a creamy mayo dressing and crisp bites of celery, red onion, and apple. This easy recipe comes together in less than 10 minutes and includes simple tips to prevent a mushy pasta!
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Gluten-free Macaroni Salad Better Than Mom’s!
A summer BBQ get together is just not complete without some classic recipes. American potluck favorites, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, and a good old fashioned macaroni salad are celebrated for their taste and easy preparation.
This gluten-free macaroni salad recipe is no exception with a super creamy (yet dairy-free) dressing and perfect balance of tangy and sweet. Just like when making gluten-free Italian-style pasta salad, you may be tempted to simply swap out GF pasta for a classic recipe, but there is an easy and better way to make it!
First of all, this recipe gets a creamy from the ratio of pasta to dressing. While most recipes call for 8 ounces dried elbow macaroni, I’ve found gluten-free pasta soaks up more of the dressing, leaving drier results.
Wheat flour pasta has more of a barrier to separate the pasta from absorbing the dressing, but GF macaroni is made of starches that readily soaks up moisture. Therefore, slightly decreasing the amount of pasta, but keeping the mayo dressing the same, maintains creamy results, even after sitting.
Another common issue with gluten-free cold macaroni salad comes from overcooked, mushy pasta. To prevent accidental overcooking and maintain a tender, but not mushy bite, boil gluten-free macaroni 1 minute less than al dente. Then, immediately rinse in cold water to stop cooking.
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Ingredient Tid Bits
Not only does this recipe come together in minutes, but it’s an affordable dish perfect for large gatherings, just like these famous gluten-free baked beans. The recipe makes enough for 6 one-cup portions, but I find it stretches further. Usually smaller servings are sampled when lots of potluck or cook-out dishes are offered.
- Gluten-free macaroni noodles – A small, short elbow pasta works well with the bite-sized veggies and diced apple. See Recommended Gluten-Free Macaroni section for my preferred brand and cooking tips.
- Vegetables – For a classic taste use celery and red onion, diced very fine. I prefer red onion because it has a mild flavor. See the More Add-Ins section for additional mix-in ideas.
- Apple – A red delicious apple, with its skin on, not only adds a bit of sweet flavor, but nice vibrant color.
- Lemon juice – Used to keep the apples from turning brown and also adds acidity to the dressing. Many recipes use vinegar, but I prefer the mild citrus taste.
- Mayo – Since this recipe uses only mayo, and no sour cream, not only is it gluten-free, but dairy-free as well. For a vegan adaptation, use vegan mayo in its place.
Let’s Make This Together!
(Below shows step-by-step photos and modified instructions. For the complete recipe, along with ingredient amounts, scroll down to the recipe card.)
The recipe comes together quickly because you prep most of it while the pasta is boiling. Cook the macaroni one minute less than al dente and then rinse with cold water.
Meanwhile, dice the apple and place in a small bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, to prevent the apples from turning brown as the salad is served and stored.
In a bowl large enough to combine everything, stir together the dressing ingredients. Now it’s time to combine everything together. Easy peasy! Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving, but be sure to let the chill come off when serving so the pasta is soft again.
Preventing Mushy Gluten-Free Macaroni!
Use these easy tips to make a gluten-free pasta salad taste just like the classic, old fashioned recipes you grew up on!
- Make sure the elbow pasta is well-drained before adding to the dressing.
- My preferred brand to use is Rummo gluten-free macaroni. It replicates wheat pasta’s taste, without any strong, off-putting flavors, and their brand holds up perfect when cooking. (So much so you’ll have to look at the box again and make sure it’s GF!) If would like to pick up at your local store, I recommend going with gluten-free Barilla elbow pasta as a runner up.
- When boiling GF pasta, do not salt the water. The starches will absorb too much of the seasoning, making for an overly salty dish.
- Boil for 1 minute less than al dente (according to package directions) and then rinse immediately in cold water to stop further cooking.
Jazz Up That Macaroni Salad!
Just like with my famous broccoli crunch salad, are many mix-in options to make it your own. Consider swapping out the celery, onion, or apple with any of these ideas. However, the total amount of mix-ins should be 2 cups to maintain the creamy balance of pasta, add-ins, and dressing.
- canned tiny shrimp – rinsed and well-drained
- red bell pepper, diced
- chopped hard-boiled eggs
- diced pickles
- grated carrots
- pimentos
- frozen peas, thawed
- fresh herbs, such as dill
- grated cheese (omit for dairy-free recipe)
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Creamy Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad (Not Mushy!)
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups gluten-free macaroni, (Rummo brand recommended)
- 1 red apple, cored and diced
- 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
- 1 cup mayonnaise, regular or light
- 1 celery stalk, finely diced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons sweet relish
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
Equipment
Instructions
- Begin by placing the gluten-free pasta in boiling unsalted water. Cook for 1 minute less than al dente. Once the cooking time has ended, drain the pasta and rinse with cold water until the pasta is room temperature. This helps prevent mushy gluten-free pasta.2 ¼ cups gluten-free macaroni
- While the pasta is cooking, dice the apple and place in a small bowl. Toss with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, reserving the remaining lemon juice. Set aside.1 red apple, 1 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- In a large bowl stir together the mayonnaise, remaining ½ tablespoon lemon juice, diced celery, red onion, relish, sugar, dijon mustard, and seasoned salt. Stir to combine. Add the well-drained pasta and apple with lemon juice. Gently fold until well combined.1 cup mayonnaise, 1 celery stalk, ¼ cup red onion, 2 tablespoons sweet relish, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon seasoned salt
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. When ready to serve, let sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes to take chill off of pasta, softening the bite, before enjoying.
Notes
Storing and Serving Tips
You may make the salad up to 24 hours before serving. When it’s time to serve, let it sit out for 30-45 minutes, stirring a couple times, so it comes to room temp. This softens the bite of the pasta.This post contains affiliate links. My opinions are always my own. If you purchase a product through an affiliate link, I make a small commission – at no cost to you. Read full disclosure policy here.
This pasta salad was excellent. I made it by the recipe except used a green apple and added thinly sliced carrots, and grated cheddar cheese. It was enjoyed by all & will definitely be in my summer meal rotation