This recipe for authentic Amish Macaroni Salad is everything you’d expect from a Pennsylvania Dutch macaroni salad recipe. Bold in flavor, it’s a sweet macaroni salad, and tangy and creamy in texture. Using cooked egg yolks for the pasta dressing makes this a unique rich treat. A perfect make-ahead side dish for any main course.
Growing in the middle of Kansas, horse-drawn carriages, Amish straw hats and girls in full length dresses wearing kapps were very common site in our community. Yoder, a nearby town is the hub of the largest Amish Community in Kansas and just a few miles from our farm.
With that said, I’m no stranger to Amish cuisine. Amish restaurants were our preferred choice when dining out.
This recipe however, comes from the Lancaster County Cookbook. The book is a compilation of recipes submitted by residents of Lancaster County, many of whom are famous for their Pennsylvania Dutch Amish cooking traditions.
Being a lover of Macaroni Salad Recipes, it’s no surprise I chose this Dutch Amish Macaroni Salad for the first recipe to try from the book. It’s very reminiscent of the macaroni salads I enjoyed at our community Amish restaurants.
What Makes This Recipe Amish, And Different From Other Macaroni Salads?
Amish Macaroni Salad is sweeter, tangier, and creamier than traditional macaroni salad. Pennsylvania Dutch recipes often use Miracle Whip, sugar, mustard, vinegar, and eggs to create a rich dressing with a distinctive sweet-and-sour flavor. This version also uses cooked egg yolks and evaporated milk for extra richness and a silky texture.
- Sweeter: Adding a good amount of sugar makes this a sweet macaroni salad.
- Miracle Whip: Pennsylvania Dutch recipes often use Miracle Whip for it’s signature sweet and tangy base. “Dressing” was used in the list of ingredients in this recipe for describing it’s mayonnaise base. Growing up in Kansas the word dressing always meant Miracle Whip, as opposed to salad dressing. As I’m assuming was the case for this recipe. I actually grew up calling Miracle Whip “dressing”. We used it in Ham Salad Sandwiches, in Classic potato salad and cole slaw. Miracle whip has a sweeter flavor than mayonnaise and using it was the norm to make many dishes. Another recipe similar in culture to this, is this recipe for old fashioned Pea Salad with Eggs.
- Evaporated Milk: A pasta salad recipe that will always catch my attention is a macaroni salad with evaporated milk. Using evaporated milk, (unsweetened condensed milk). It adds a very creamy texture to macaroni salads. Evaporated milk tastes like milk with a slightly sweeter flavor due to the process in which it’s made. It’s also slightly thicker and creamier making it a popular addition to any pasta salad. It’s a key ingredient to making a traditional Amish Macaroni Salad
Why This Recipe Works So Well:
- Authentic Pennsylvania Dutch flavor.
- Sweet and tangy dressing.
- Perfect make-ahead side dish Ideal for picnics, BBQs, and potlucks.
- Family-friendly comfort food.
- Great for left-overs … it’s better the next day.
- This macaroni salad is a bit overdressed to keep it nice and creamy overnight.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Hard Boiled Eggs, whites and yolks separated.
- Evaporated Milk, brings a creamier texture than using regular milk.
- Sugar: Makes this a sweet macaroni Salad,
- Macaroni noodles: Elbow Macaroni is traditional for this recipe.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Miracle Whip: This Amish macaroni salad is made with Miracle Whip, which has a slightly sweeter flavor profile than mayonnaise.
- Vegetables: Carrot, celery and onion.
- Yellow Mustard
Ingredient Substitutions
- Evaporated Milk: If you simply don’t have, or don’t want to use evaporated milk, you can substitute whole milk, half and half or cream. Avoid low fat milk as the sauce won’t be as creamy and rich.
- Macaroni Noodles: Elbow macaroni is traditional for Amish Macaroni Salads, but play around and use any curved shaped noodle. Pasta shells or curly cavatappi are good choices here.
- Vinegar: Use Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar for this recipe. Avoid red wine vinegar or other seasoned vinegars.
- Miracle Whip: You can substitute mayonnaise, but you’ll lose some of the signature flavor.
- Onion: I always prefer sweet onions, yellow onions, or white onions. Avoid using red onions, as their flavor profile will overwhelm the salad.
- Mustard: No substitutions here please. Dijon or whole grain mustards will change the flavor profile. Stick with yellow prepared mustard.
- Sweet Pickle Relish: I’ve never had an Amish Macaroni Salad that contained pickle relish. It would just add another layer of sweetness which would alter the perfect balance of sweet and tangy. I say skip it.
Step by Step Instructions, It’s Easy
- Step 1: Make The Dressing. Start by separating the yolks from the egg whites. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks with the mustard. Use the back of a fork to mash the ingredients together until well blended.
- Step 2: Add in the Miracle Whip, sugar, condensed milk, vinegar and salt.
- Step 3: Use a whisk to blend the salad dressing until smooth.
- Step 4: In the meantime, cook elbow macaroni noodles according to package instructions for “tender stage”. Before draining, scoop out some of that starchy pasta water. Then transfer to a large bowl. Add chopped celery, chopped onions and shredded carrots.
Pro Tip: Why is pasta water good for pasta sauce? Don’t throw all of that pasta cooking liquid down the drain, It's liquid gold. It's a must to add to any sauce for any pasta dish. It's high in starch and this salty starchy water helps the sauce cling to the pasta while helping to thicken the sauce. It turns any pasta dish into a luxurious pasta dish.
- Step 5: Add chopped egg whites.
- Step 6: Pour the dressing over the macaroni noodles.
Tip: The easiest way to dice those soft egg whites is to use a large chef knife. Place egg whites on a cutting board. Use your free hand to place on the top of the knife blade to guide the knife as you chop. Use a rocking motion to start chopping the egg whites, rotating the cutting board after a few chops as you go.
- Step 7: Use a large spoon to gently blend the ingredients. The mixture will seem a little soupy, but you’ll allow the macaroni salad to rest in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for a couple hours to “set up”. Or even better, overnight.
FAQ’s
A trick I learned from Culinary School, don't rinse cooked pasta because it washes away the natural starches from the pasta. Those starches help the sauce cling to the pasta which is also a key to keep the pasta from drying out. The only reason you see instructions to do so is to help stop the macaroni from cooking while it's draining in the colander.
Cook the pasta according to package instructions for “tender”. Pasta that’s cooked to the “tender stage”, rather than al dente, won’t continue to absorb the dressing quite as much. If the pasta absorbs too much, it will dry out. Also, adding that starchy pasta water will help the sauce cling to the pasta and keep it moist and creamy. This Amish macaroni salad is a bit over-dressed, which will help keep that creamy texture.
Shredding carrots can be a tedious task. Using the large holes of a good old fashioned box grater is the easiest and most efficient way to shred carrots.
You can. But I don’t suggest doing so. Freezing a creamy macaroni salad will cause the ingredients to separate, compromising the texture and dull the flavors. It more than likely will become watery and the onion, celery and carrots will lose their crunch. If you are going to try and freeze it, use zip-lock style freezer bags, squeeze as much air out. Label and date and use within 3 months.
Pro Tip Knife Skills: Always keep the hand that’s gripping the knife clean and dry. A wet hand could cause slips resulting in nicks or worse a nasty slice on your hand.
Tips For Success
- Make Ahead. The beauty of this macaroni salad is its make ahead factor. If possible let the salad sit, covered, in the refrigerator overnight. It just keeps getting better the longer you can let it rest. The macaroni absorbs the flavor so every bite is a perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
- Don’t over cook the pasta. Doing so will yield a “mushy” macaroni salad.
- After cooking, let the macaroni cool slightly before continuing with the recipe. You want the macaroni just hot enough for the vegetables to release their flavors and hold their crunch, rather than wilt from too much heat.
- Make sure you grab a can of regular evaporated milk rather than a can of sweetened condensed milk. They are two different products, and using the latter will make the salad too sweet.
- This is a mayonnaise based macaroni salad. If taking this to a pot luck or picnic, make sure it doesn’t sit without refrigeration for more than two hours.
Storage
Amish Macaroni Salad benefits from a chill in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving, and better yet, overnight. So feel free to make it the night before you plan on serving.
- Store macaroni salad, covered in a large bowl covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
What To Serve It With
This Amish Macaroni Salad with its bold flavor and sweet profile is a great partner for spicy barbecue sauced chicken or my recipe for Grilled Country Style Pork Ribs. And a perfect side dish for any grilled entree. I especially like to serve this with Black and Blue Burgers. The sweet flavor of the macaroni pairs so well with the bold flavors of this burger.
As far as macaroni salads go, this is a quick and easy recipe that will find your whole family digging in and asking for seconds.
I’ve never had the Walmart Macaroni Salad, but I’ve been told this recipe is spot on. If you’re looking to replicate their version, I hope you give it a try.
Explore More Macaroni Salad Recipes
And if you’re looking for more comfort food side dish recipes, don’t miss my category for Side Dishes. And the most popular macaroni salad recipe for Chicken Macaroni Salad . It’s potluck perfect.
And if you’re looking for even more side dishes for picnic style gatherings, don’t miss this line-up of Summer cook-out sides. I’m positive you’ll find something you love.
If you liked this recipe, please leave a star ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card below and leave a comment. I always appreciate your feedback and hearing how everything went.
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Lancaster County Amish Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni cooked according to package directions
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 carrot grated
- ½ cup sweet onion diced
- 4 hard boiled eggs divided, egg yolks and whites separated
- For the dressing
- 4 egg yolks hard boiled
- 4 tablespoons yellow mustard
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 cup Miracle Whip or mayonnaise
- ½ cup Evaporated milk canned
- ⅓ cup vinegar white or cider
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- reserved hot pasta water
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to package directions for "tender stage". Right before draining, take a measuring cup and scoop out about a ¼ cup of that hot starchy pasta water.
- While macaroni is cooking, Separate the eggs whites from the egg yolks. Set the yolks aside. Using a cutting board and a chef knife, dice whites of eggs.
- Prepare dressing: In a medium bowl, using the back of a fork mash hard boiled egg yolks with mustard and blend well. Add sugar, mayonnaise, milk, vinegar and salt to egg and mustard mixture.
- Drain pasta and let cool for a few minutes. Place macaroni in a large bowl and add the pasta water. Stir in celery, carrot and onion. Stir in the dressing until well blended. Mixture will appear soupy but will set up during the rest period.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for a couple of hours and preferably overnight before serving.
Notes
- Make Ahead. The beauty of the macaroni salad is its make ahead factor. If possible let the salad sit, covered, in the refrigerator overnight. It just keeps getting better the longer you can let it rest. The macaroni absorbs the flavor of the dressing so every bite is a perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
- Don’t over cook the pasta. Doing so will yield a “mushy” macaroni salad.
- After cooking, let the macaroni cool slightly before continuing with the recipe. You want the macaroni just hot enough for the vegetables to release their flavors and hold their crunch, rather than wilt them.
- Make sure you grab a can of regular evaporated milk rather than a can of sweetened condensed milk. They are two different products, and using the latter will make the salad too sweet.
- This is a mayonnaise based macaroni salad. If taking this to a pot luck or picnic, make sure it doesn’t sit without refrigeration for more than two hours.
Nutrition
Pennsylvania Dutch, Amish Macaroni Salad …It’s What’s for a Summer Side Dish.
Why Trust My Recipes? I am a Culinary School Graduate and a lifelong student of home cooking. I hope to inspire you try to cook as often as you can. I’ve been cooking for 50 years, and my recipes are tried and true tested and tested and then tested again before published. To read more take a look at my About Page.
This, by far, the best tasting Amish macaroni salad. Better than what you can buy in any store.It’s a favorite in my household and at family gatherings. I wouldn’t change a thing.
I will be serving this Amish Salad as a side dish in July at our Senior Center Luncheon. The main course is Sloppy Joe’s; I wanted something different and delicious and this is it! Cooked a test batch and everyone loved it. Husband said it tasted better on the second day, so perfect for our Senior Meal—cook Monday, serve Tuesday. The sweetness is what sets it apart and it has a good tang, too. Thank you for this nice recipe. Did not change a thing.
Not the Same Old Pasta Salad
This is my go to Mac Salad recipe. It is definitely as close as it gets to all the Amish Macaroni Salad I’ve ever bought at markets here in PA.
Good Morning Destiny. Wonderful! So glad to hear it measures up to the official real deal. And thanks so much for taking the time to write a review and give the recipe a star rating. I appreciate that!
I’ve been searching for a recipie I love and this it it! Tastes great! Thank you so much.😋
I live in Southern Chester County PA and we have many Amish among us. Most of the packaged macaroni salad sold in our grocery delis is Amish style and my husband loves it (too sweet for me). I’ve tried to duplicate it at home but was never able to get it just right. This is soooo close, so thanks for the recipe. I might cut down the vinegar just a bit the next time.
It’s really good except way to much vinegar. How do I tame that acidic taste? I added -/3 cup. Next time barely add it
Yes, if you think the vinegar is too much, obviously reduce the amount next time. For now you can add more mayo and a little more sugar. Thanks for your note and let me know if you have any other questions.
Hi Laura and thanks for your note. Add a little more sugar and mayo.
It looks and sounds very good but I think i would have to sub mayo for the Miracle Whip
Lea Ann, I cannot remember the last time I enjoyed macaroni salad. This looks so good. I am a big fan of Amish cooking-so comforting are most of their dishes. Talk about homestyle cooking! I would never have thought to use an unsweetened condensed milk to add richness and/or creaminess . I am going to remember that-
Hope you are enjoying your summer.
Velva
This is the closest you will get to. Amish Macaroni Salad. I lived in Amish County in Pennsylvania for 6 years and it tastes just like the containers I bought directly from them!
Wow!!!! Hands down the best macaroni salad since my momma’s!! The only “changes” I added some chopped bread and butter and dill pickles, with a little juice from each. I grew up in western Pennsylvania and this took me home. 💖
Hi Lee Ann! I just finished making this Macaroni Salad, as it was handed down to me from my Mother-In-Law several years ago. Since she passed away three years ago, I can not ask her my question. I started googling for a recipe similar to hers because I have different amounts of the evaporated milk,, 1/2 cup and 1 can on two different sheets of paper I wrote the recipe on. I thought a whole can of milk seemed like way too much, so I used the 1/2 cup, and it tastes great! I found your page with the same recipe, and it says 5 oz, so that is close enough. But the odd thing is that I have that recipe book and did not even think to look there!! I am from Lebanon County, PA, which is the next county North of Lancaster County, and we are just a much Pennsylvania Dutch as Lancaster. We also have many Amish living in our area. Anyway, it was great reading your story, and thank you for answering my question!