Homemade Macaroni Salad with Shrimp

This recipe is: dairy freenut free

This easy macaroni salad recipe has a secret ingredient that gives it the best flavor. Plus, this classic recipe is a great addition to any summer gathering and its crowd friendly. Makes 12 servings.

5 from 1 vote
Close up of homemade shrimp macaroni salad in a bowl, showing the bell pepper, celery, carrots and texture of the salad.

Why I love this homemade macaroni salad

This easy macaroni salad – complete with its secret ingredient – has been floating around my family for a while now. My mom originally got it from a lady she worked with, long before I was born.

Although I’m not really sure why, I hated it when I was growing up, but now it’s one of my favorite summer side dishes. Marc and I have even fought over who gets the leftovers.

The secret ingredient I mentioned is in the macaroni salad dressing, and it’s pickle juice – preferably dill. You add it when you add the mayonnaise, and it gives the salad a little flavor punch.

There’s also baby shrimp in this salad, but if you’re not a fan of shrimp, you could easily replace it with chicken, or whatever protein you prefer. I’ve had it with chicken at least a few times, and it’s still great, but I prefer shrimp the most.

If you like this recipe, you have to try this Mexican street corn salad, and this farro salad recipe and this spicy cucumber salad.

Searching for more salad recipes? BLT pasta salad / Tomato salad recipe / Grilled peach salad / Italian chopped salad with pasta

Close up of shrimp in a creamy dairy free pasta salad.

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Ideas

Ingredients:

Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions listed below are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.

  • Dill pickle juice – This secret ingredient adds so much flavor to the salad without overpowering it. You can adjust it to your taste—add more if you love pickles and want to amp it up, or stick to the suggested amount.
  • Elbow macaroni – You don’t have to use elbow macaroni; you can substitute any type of pasta, though I’d definitely suggest sticking to something bite-sized, like small shells, pipette, radiatore, orecchiette, or rotelle.
  • Canned shrimp – Using canned shrimp makes this super convenient, and they’re extra tiny, making them the perfect bite-size match for the elbow pasta.
A serving bowl of macaroni salad made with shrimp.

The following is a detailed overview of the recipe steps with added tips and tricks for recipe success. For a simplified and printable version, including ingredient amounts and more formal instructions, see the recipe card below.

How to make macaroni salad with shrimp

Cook the macaroni. Prepare the elbow macaroni according to package directions for al dente. When cooked, drain the pasta and rinse with cold water until cool to the touch. If you need extra time before mixing the salad, stir in a drizzle of olive oil to prevent the macaroni from sticking. You could also stir in a bit of mayonnaise if you don’t have oil on hand.

Prepare the remaining ingredients. While the pasta is cooking, chop and grate your vegetables. Strain the shrimp. If you want to, you can even measure the mayonnaise and pickle juice, but I usually do this as I’m adding it to the salad.

Combine your salad. In a large mixing bowl, mix your ingredients together. Adjust the seasoning with salt & pepper, to taste. Cover the macaroni salad and refrigerate it until you’re ready to serve.

If the salad seems dry when I’m ready to serve, I usually stir in a big spoonful of mayonnaise and an extra splash of pickle juice to bring it back to life. This is especially important if you’re preparing the salad ahead of time.

More shrimp recipes. shrimp po boys / cilantro lime shrimp / shrimp toast / shrimp fettuccine / shrimp salad

close up of a cold pasta dish dressing in a mayonnaise based dressing, showing the ingredients covered in dressing.

Frequently asked questions

  • Can I make this recipe healthier? To make this a little lighter, I always use canola oil mayonnaise*. It has way less calories than traditional mayonnaise, but it doesn’t have the added sugar of light mayo. You do not want to use Miracle Whip here. I mean, you can, but it just won’t taste right.
  • What can I serve with macaroni salad? We love this macaroni salad recipe with everything in the summer. It would be the perfect side dish for your favorite burgers or even grilled meatloaf. You could even try pairing it with grilled pork ribs or beer brined chicken.
  • How do you keep macaroni salad from absorbing mayonnaise? I find this pretty much impossible, but I’ve read that if you coat the macaroni with oil before adding your mayonnaise or dressing, it will help a bit. Normally, I add a bit more mayonnaise before serving to liven up the salad, and this always seems to work well.
  • How long can you keep macaroni salad in the fridge? This macaroni salad recipe doesn’t last long in our house, but I would recommend only storing this salad in the fridge for a maximum of 5 days.
  • Can homemade macaroni salad be frozen? You should definitely not freeze this recipe. Mayonnaise does not typically freeze well, and the texture of the salad will be unpleasant if you freeze it.
A serving bowl of macaroni salad.

Homemade Macaroni Salad with Shrimp

5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 12
This easy macaroni salad recipe has a secret ingredient that gives it the best flavor. Plus, this classic recipe is a great addition to any summer gathering and it’s crowd friendly. Makes 12 servings.

Ingredients

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni (cooked and cooled)
  • 2 cups mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice (or more to taste)
  • 2 6- ounce can medium deveined shrimp (drained)
  • 1/2 bell pepper (chopped)
  • 1 carrot (shredded)
  • 2 stalks celery (diced)
  • 1 green onion (green only, sliced)
  • 1 teaspoon coarse salt
  • ½ – 1 teaspoon black pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Boil macaroni according to package directions.
  • When straining rinse with cold water until cool and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • In a large bowl stir the macaroni with the remaining ingredients.
  • Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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26 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    This macaroni salad is so good that I find myself looking forward to certain events just because I know this dish will be served. The problem is trying to not eat too much because I’m always going for seconds and possibly thirds! Highly recommend this recipe.

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