Old Fashioned Lancaster County Amish Macaroni Salad

Lancaster County Pennsylvania Dutch Macaroni Salad. An authentic Amish pasta salad recipe that's bold in flavor and creamy in texture

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 10

Cover and rest in refrigerator 2

Servings

Calories 331kcal

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. Drain pasta and let cool for a few minutes.
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. Stir in celery, carrot and onion. Add a couple tablespoons of hot pasta water. 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.

Tips For Success:

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.