from Sunday Cooking

I love macaroni salad. Like "sneaking huge spoonfuls out of the fridge at midnight" love macaroni salad. It's my favorite part of any hawaiian plate lunch, and it's totally easy to make at home. Start with the base, add in whatever you like, and enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

BASE

1 lb. macaroni elbows
1/2 sweet onion, grated (can use yellow or white onion)
1 1/2 cup of mayonnaise (Vegenaise for me)
2 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt

OPTIONAL

2 1/2 tsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup grated carrot
3/4 cup peas
3/4 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced pickles

PREPARATION

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add macaroni elbows, stirring immediately to prevent clumping, and cook until done, 8-12 minutes. Traditionally, the macaroni is overcooked, giving it a soft texture. Personally, I don't like it too soft, but al dente is a little too hard, so I split the difference.

When the pasta is done, drain and rinse until cooled.

Combine grated onion (juice and all), mayonnaise, sugar, salt, and any of the optional items in a large bowl (at the very least, I add vinegar for a little zing) and mix until smooth. Combine with pasta and mix well.

Dig in! The onion might be a little strong right away, but it will mellow once it's had a couple hours to mellow out. Store tightly covered in the fridge for 2-3 days.

* This is a super easy recipe to tweak and make vegan and/or gluten-free friendly. For vegans, switch from mayo to Vegenaise; for gluten-free, find macaroni elbows made with corn, brown rice, or quinoa flour, and cook according to the directions.