My homemade deli-style gluten free macaroni salad is tangy, flavorful, and always a hit at barbecues, potlucks, and parties. The best part is that this isn’t ordinary pasta! It’s made with gluten free elbows. I share all of my tips and tricks for al dente pasta.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
The Quick Bite: This gluten-free deli-style macaroni salad has the creamy, tangy flavor you remember from the deli counter and is made with ingredients you can trust are celiac-safe. The biggest challenge with gluten-free pasta salad is keeping the pasta from turning mushy. I share my exact steps I use to keep it al dente, even after a day in the refrigerator. Make it ahead, and it only gets better.
The best macaroni salad I have ever made. My husband took it to work every day and left me some. So delicious!”
Cindy, blog comment
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this yummy macaroni salad. The Dijon mustard added to the dressing is what sets this recipe apart in flavor! It is a delicious combination of fresh veggies and gluten-free pasta noodles.
If you are gluten-free, you know how hard it can be to prevent gluten free pasta from getting mushy. The first time I tested this recipe, I had this problem, and that batch ended up in the trash. Gluten free pasta salad is definitely tricky.
I then recalled that many years ago, when I interviewed an Italian chef, he shared his best secret with me. He is the one who told me that when you pour pasta into a colander to drain the hot water, that hot pasta keeps cooking. It cooks the pasta way past its recommended cooking time. The secret is to either rinse the pasta in the colander with very cold water or put the hot pasta into an ice bath. He shared his technique in my article, “How To Cook Gluten Free Pasta,” to avoid it getting mushy. I will walk you through this method in the steps below.
If you are getting ready for a picnic, you will want to make this delicious loaded baked potato salad, too! This recipe can easily be made vegan by using vegan mayo! Summer salads are always appreciated, and you will want to check out my delicious gluten free salad recipes!
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Macaroni – I had the best luck using Tinkyada and Jovial brands of gluten free macaroni. These brands tend to hold up better to sitting in sauce over time. (Note: I am pretty sure that Tinkyada makes their macaroni under the Trader Joe’s label in their stores. This brand also works well in this recipe.) I tested Barilla gluten free macaroni as well, but that brand was more difficult to keep al dente.
- Onion – I recommend red onion.
- Mayonnaise – I used 365 Whole Foods Organic Mayonnaise to test this recipe. Use dairy-free/egg-free mayo if you are vegan.
- Dijon Mustard – You can use other flavors of mustard, but Dijon will give the best results.
- Vinegar – Not all vinegar is gluten free. Avoid distilled vinegar. I used white vinegar.
- Optional – I love adding sweet relish, but it is not required.
How to Make Gluten-Free Macaroni Salad (Step-By-Step)
Step 1: Boil your macaroni according to the package instructions. Boil the pasta for 1 minute less than what the package says.
Step 2: When the pasta is done, drain it into a colander. Once all the hot water is drained, you have two ways to quickly cool the pasta. Either run very cold water over the pasta, mixing it with the cold water so the pasta cools down quickly, or dump the pasta into a large bowl filled with ice water. Both will cool the pasta down to halt the cooking process. If you used the bowl of ice water, just dump it back into the colander to drain the water.
Step 3: Grab a cutting board and a sharp knife. Wash the vegetables and parsley and remove any stems. Chop the vegetables into bite-sized pieces and add them to a large
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Step 4: Add the pasta, mayonnaise, vinegar, Dijon, and seasoning to the bowl.
Step 5: Mix well so the creamy sauce covers all the pasta. Pour the macaroni salad into a large bowl or container, cover with plastic wrap or a lid, and store in the refrigerator until you are ready to eat it.
Mix-in Ideas:
If you want to add a few extra ingredients to the macaroni salad, feel free! Or eat it the way the recipe is written. Here are some fun ideas to try out:
- Green Onions
- Crumbled Bacon Pieces
- Parmesan Cheese (If you tolerate dairy)
- Chicken Breast – Add some chopped cooked chicken breast for some protein.
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
Frequently Asked Questions:
I prefer using the Tinkyada and Jovial brands of macaroni in this recipe. They seem heartier and don’t get mushy as easily as other brands.
Store leftover macaroni salad in the refrigerator in an airtight container. It will last 2-3 days in the fridge.
Do not freeze the gluten free salad because the pasta and mayonnaise will not do well. If you notice that the macaroni salad has become mushy, watery, or dried out, it’s probably old and should be thrown out.
No, you should not freeze this pasta salad. It will not thaw out and is the same as freshly made macaroni salad.
Serve With:
This pasta salad is super versatile and goes with all kinds of foods. Here are some of my favorite recipes to pair it with:
Reader Raves:
Literally EVERYTHING I wanted it to be! No kidding when they say it’s the best! Soooooo delicious!!”
Kati C., Pinterest comment
More Delicious Salad Recipes:
If you are looking for more summer salad inspiration, here are a few of my favorites:
- Gluten Free Curry Chicken Salad
- Easy Tuna Salad with Swiss Chard Stems
- Kale and Apple Salad
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Deli Style Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 12- ounce gluten free elbow macaroni
- ½ cup finely diced celery
- ½ cup diced red bell pepper
- ½ cup grated carrot
- ½ cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup distilled white vinegar
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp honey
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Optional: 3 tablespoons sweet relish
Method
- Follow the directions of the packet for cooking your 12- ounce gluten free elbow macaroniin salted water, then drain well and allow it to cool.
- Mix together 1 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar, 2 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 2 tsp kosher salt, 2 tsp honey, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper while the pasta is cooking.
- Chop the vegetables as directed and add to a large bowl with the cooled cooked macaroni.
- Add the salad dressing and mix well to combine, chill salad before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
-
- Boil your pasta for 1-2 minutes less than the package instructions. (Use 2 minutes if the pasta will sit for over two hours before eating it.)
- Rinse your pasta in cold water immediately. Stir the pasta and continue the cold water rinse to cool the pasta. This will stop the cooking process and help prevent mushy pasta.
- Store the pasta in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. It will keep fresh for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
This recipe was updated from an old July 2020 post with more recipe details.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
5 out of 5 stars! This was so refreshing and easy to make. Definitely a keeper!!
I am so glad you loved this pasta salad, Shelley. Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review.
this is not a gluten free recipe since the dressing is white vinegar. It should be white wine vinegar, aple cider vinegar etc. since white vinegar is made from wheat . So for those intolerant or with Coeliac disease should be aware.
Thank you for your note. I will add the word distilled in, but from all reading I have done, the majority of vinegar is made with spirits, grapes, corn, and rice. https://www.glutenfreedietitian.com/vinegar/ All Malt vinegars should 100% be avoided with Celiac.
Just a little too vinegar for my liking . Had to add some sugar to cut the tartness . Otherwise it was good 😊
Absolutely no issues with cooking my noodles they were perfect .
I am glad you liked the recipe, Deb. I would definitely agree to decrease the vinegar amount to make it more to your taste.
I have the same problem as Linda stated below. My pasta salads always turn hard the next day. I can only use them right after making them or they will be inedible. I use mostly Tinyada and Jovial
That is so interesting that it gets hard, did you change the quantities of the ingredients at all?
The best macaroni salad I have ever made. My husband took it to work every day and left me some. So delicious!
You and your husband made my day. I am so glad you both loved it!! Thank you.
Perfect side for BBQ. Lots of flavour and the kids even ate it. I’ll be making it again.
I am so glad everyone liked it!
This tastes JUST like the macaroni salad from my favorite deli. Love it!
I am so glad you enjoyed it Allison. Thank you!
Sandi, I have the oposite problem when making gluten free salads. Instead of turning mushy my pasta turns rock hard when stored over night! I’ve tried many methods but it always happens, any suggestions from you or other viewers? Thanks, Linda
Hi Linda, that is interesting. What brand of gluten free pasta do you use? I am not sure which recipe(s) you have tried, I would be curious how wet the salad was, quantities of wet ingredients. Also, how do you store it in the refrigerator?
Follow up about hard pasta. I have used several brands, tinkyada, barilla and others. I have made pasta salad with italian dressing with extra added, maccarone salad with mayo and eggs and others. Even my daughter who loves pasta salad said hers turns hard as well. I make mac and cheese, pasta with sauce, goulash with no problem, just the cold salads give me grief. I’ve tried making it extra wet, dressing it warm, hot cold, still same results. Maybe I should stick to hot foods, Thanks for your reply and any advice you might have, Linda
i read that if your gluten free pasta is made from rice, it will be come hard no matter what you do. if you think of cold rice, it becomes the same way. maybe try a pasta made of a blend or other ingredients. hope it works out for you!
I have found Jovial and Tinkyada don’t get hard, and they are both rice based.
Hello! You post says egg-free and the recipe includes mayonnaise- which traditionally has eggs. Do you use a homemade recipe for mayo to make it egg-free? I have been making/experimenting with egg-free mayo’s and have not found one I love yet. Would love a suggestion! Thank you!
I use Veganese brand mayo. Any mayo will work but if you need egg-free, definitely use Veganese or another brand you like.