Instant Pot Macaroni salad made with chopped red onion, red pepper, and cubed sharp cheddar cheese.
Dressing this macaroni salad is a Greek yogurt blend with sweet pickle relish, vinegar, and Dijon mustard. Perfect for gatherings and tastes delicious whether warm or cold.
Instant Pot Pasta
Pressure cooking pasta can be intimidating for those not too familiar with their pressure cooker.
It's really quite simple:
For every 4 ounces of pasta, add 1 ½ cups of water.
To determine the pressure cooking time for making pasta in the Instant Pot, simply divide the time on the box in half and then subtract 1 extra minute.
Releasing pressure from the Instant Pot can be intimidating as well, but doing it slowly and intermittently can reduce splatter and spurts. If it begins to bubble, stop releasing pressure, wait a few seconds, and begin again.
Pressure Cooking Eggs
My favorite way to boil eggs is to pressure cook them. After they are done cooking and they have been given an ice bath, they peel so wonderfully and easy.
When making macaroni salad I add the eggs into the pot with the pasta and cook them at the same time. It saves time and it definitely keeps the heat out of the kitchen!
Macaroni Salad Dressing
Macaroni salad traditionally is made with mayonnaise but I like to add Greek yogurt to mine and reduce the mayonnaise just a bit. There's not argument that Greek yogurt is healthier than mayonnaise but hey, I'm not a nutritionist!
Adding sweet pickle relish gives this macaroni salad a nice texture and sweet and tangy flavors.
I add salt and pepper, white vinegar, granulated sugar, Dijon mustard, and paprika.
Instant Pot Macaroni Salad
I prefer to make my macaroni salad in the Instant Pot because I cook the pasta and the eggs at the same time. Some may make it this way on the stove top but I enjoy not having all the extra heat in the kitchen!
Making Instant Pot Macaroni Salad is almost much quicker and a lot less hot than making it on the stovetop!
RELATED: Southern Potato Salad
Stove Top Macaroni Salad
The recipe also includes directions to make this salad on the stove top.
To make this salad on the stovetop, cook the pasta according to the box directions.
Boil water for the eggs and cook them for 8-10 minutes depending on preference. Once the eggs are done, place them in an ice bath before peeling.
The remainder of the directions stay the same.
Either way you make this, chilling this pasta salad for at least 2 hours is best. It helps marry the flavors but it is still tasty warm!
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Lemon Chicken Zucchini Pasta Skillet
📖 Recipe
Macaroni Salad (Instant Pot & Stove Top)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz macaroni pasta
- 1 ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese - cubed
- 3 eggs
- ½ cup diced celery
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup diced sweet red pepper
Dressing
- 1 ½ cup light mayonnaise
- 8 oz plain greek yogurt
- ½ cup sweet pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 6 cups water
Instructions
INSTANT POT DIRECTIONS
- Add the uncooked macaroni pasta to the Instant Pot.
- Pour the 6 cups of water onto the pasta.
- Gently place the 3 uncooked eggs on top of the pasta.
- Close the lid and set the Instant Pot to MANUAL/PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine the light mayonnaise, greek yogurt, sweet pickle relish, vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, pepper, and paprika together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Dice the celery stalks, sweet red pepper, and red onion. Set aside.
- Cube the sharp cheddar cheese.
- After the 4 minutes of pressure cooking time, carefully and intermittently release the pressure from inside the pot. If it begins to foam, stop releasing pressure, and then begin again slowly.
- Place the boiled eggs into ice water.
- Drain and rinse the macaroni pasta to cool it.
- Add the diced vegetables to the macaroni and stir.
- Pour in the dressing and combine well.
- Peel the eggs and chop into small pieces.
- Toss the macaroni salad with the chopped eggs.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
- STOVE TOP DIRECTIONS
- Boil the macaroni pasta according to directions.
- Boil the eggs for 10 minutes.
- In the meantime, combine the light mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, sweet pickle relish, vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, salt, pepper, and paprika together in a bowl. Set aside.
- Once the eggs are done, place them in an ice bath.
- Drain and pasta and rinse to cool.
- Dice the celery stalks, sweet red pepper, and red onion. Set aside.
- Cube the sharp cheddar cheese.
- Add the diced vegetables to the macaroni and stir.
- Pour in the dressing and combine well.
- Peel the eggs and chop into small pieces.
- Toss the macaroni salad with the chopped eggs.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate based on third-party calculations. Actual values may vary due to ingredients, measurements, and serving sizes.
© Mama Needs Cake
Dana is an experienced recipe creator who crafts easy and delicious recipes for all levels of home cooks.
Her recipes range from classic comfort foods to healthy and nutritious meals, and she is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to bring flavor and variety to the table.
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