Macaroni Salad with Shredded Carrots
This easy Macaroni Salad with Shredded Carrots is a simple, creamy summer pasta salad dressed with a paprika, lemon, and mayonnaise sauce. It's a family favorite filled with all the flavors of summer at grandma's house, and it's perfect for making ahead for potlucks, barbecues, cookouts, and family gatherings.
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What Is Macaroni Salad with Shredded Carrots?
Macaroni salad with shredded carrots is a creamy, make-ahead pasta salad made with small pasta, finely shredded carrots, mayonnaise, lemon juice, paprika, and simple seasonings. The carrots add a little sweetness, color, and texture, making this an easy summer side dish for picnics, barbecues, and family meals.
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Why I Love This Recipe
You might not think this recipe is up to much. It's a simple and easy pasta salad, made with macaroni or another small pasta shape, mayonnaise, shredded carrots, and a few seasonings.
Something to suit almost everyone.
And you would be right. It is.
But to me, every bite is so much more.
A mere taste transports me back to those endless, sunburnt childhood days of summer.
At grandma's house.
Everything was exciting and new and different… at grandma's house.
There was always a scorching summer sun… on that side of the mountains.
The gravel lanes were dusty and intriguing… to a child of suburbia.
Trees reached to the sky in endless orchard groves… and forever grassy meadows.
Skippers were unheard-of, somewhat scary insects that hopped across irrigation ditches along the rocky roads in Grandma's town.
And if we were lucky, we could catch them in our hands for a few seconds before they skipped away.
Cousins became everyday playmates and complicit adventurers in the childhood games of summer: hopscotch, tree climbing, grasshopper catching, mudpie making, and fellow actors in our endless summer plays.
And picnics. It wouldn't be summer without picnics… at grandma's house.
In my memory, there were always two kinds of salads: potato salad and pasta salad. Perhaps they were the only ones I liked.
Through the years, the pasta salad of my memory has morphed, adapted, and changed. I think it may have been my mom who added the carrots.
While I've never had a written recipe for that summer pasta salad, I begin craving it in early June.
This one is close.
So close that with every delicious, perfect bite, I travel back in time to those glorious days of summer… at grandma's house.
Best Pasta Shape for Macaroni Salad
Small pasta shapes work best in this macaroni salad because they hold the dressing well and make the salad easy to serve. I often use ditalini, but elbow macaroni, small shells, or another short pasta shape will also work.
Larger pasta shapes can be used, but the recipe may not stretch quite as far and the texture will be a little different.
Make-Ahead Tips
This macaroni salad can be made ahead and refrigerated until you're ready to serve. It's also one of those rare pasta salads that tastes delicious right away, so you don't have to wait for it to chill if you're serving it soon after making it.
If making it several hours ahead, give it a quick stir before serving. If the pasta has absorbed some of the dressing, you can freshen it with a small spoonful of mayonnaise or a squeeze of lemon juice.
Macaroni Salad FAQs
Yes. This macaroni salad can be made ahead and refrigerated until serving. It is also delicious served immediately, which makes it especially useful for last-minute summer meals.
Yes. This is an easy recipe to customize. Chopped bell peppers, celery, peas, or green onions would all be delicious additions. For more ideas, see my simple macaroni salad recipe.
Yes. Ditalini, elbow macaroni, small shells, or any small pasta shape will work well. Smaller pasta shapes help the salad go farther and make it easier to scoop and serve.
Macaroni Salad with Shredded Carrots Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb pasta small-tube shaped pasta
- 2 medium carrots shredded
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Garnish
- chopped fresh parsley
- paprika
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add the pasta and cook according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, shred the carrots.
- In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar, and salt until creamy and thoroughly mixed.
- When the pasta is cooked, rinse with cold water to stop the cooking, and drain. Add the shredded carrots and combine. Fold in the mayonnaise dressing, transfer to a serving bowl, and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and, like Grandma always did, sprinkle with paprika. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Pasta: Small pasta shapes work best in this salad. Ditalini, elbow macaroni, or small shells are all good options.
- Make Ahead: This macaroni salad can be made ahead and refrigerated until serving, but it is also delicious served immediately.
- Texture: If the salad has been chilled for several hours and the pasta has absorbed some of the dressing, stir in a small spoonful of mayonnaise or a squeeze of lemon juice before serving.
- Variations: For extra crunch or color, you can add finely chopped celery, bell pepper, green onions, or peas.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
More Summer Salad Recipes
- Mediterranean Pasta Salad with Salami and Feta
- Best Greek Orzo Salad with Feta
- Cold Italian Tortellini Salad Recipe with Spinach
- Simple Potato Salad Recipe with Eggs and Mayonnaise
- Hot German Potato Salad with Cider Vinegar
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Loved using carrots! Delicious! thankYou!
Hi Marianne! My mom started adding shredded carrots to our macaroni salad (probably to sneak more veggies) and now it's become a tradition. So glad you enjoyed it!
Love this app. ThNkz for helping me with suggestions for pasta salad.