The Exact Difference Between Pasta Salad And Macaroni Salad

The ultimate low-maintenance dish, pasta salad is the pride of the picnic. It's easy to assemble the day before, makes the perfect blank canvas for vinaigrettes and sauces, and tastes better when served at room temperature. But, what if you're tasked with bringing a macaroni salad to the cookout? Is it different from a pasta salad? While both these dishes contain cooked short noodles, a macaroni salad is a variety of pasta salad that's coated in a creamy dressing. 

Pasta salad recipes can be gussied up with whatever's in your fridge. All you need to do is cook your noodles of choice — opt for pretty penne, twirly fusilli, dense rotini, or even dainty orzo — and combine it with dressing and veggies. In most cases, a classic Italian-style pasta salad features a vinaigrette dressing that combines an acid (such as vinegar or lemon juice) with a glug of good olive oil, and aromatics like crushed garlic and dried herbs. It can also be decked out with chopped salami, baby mozzarella balls, or pickled and fermented ingredients like capers and olives. The key is to be flexible with your add-ins. 

In contrast, a macaroni salad is almost always made with elbow noodles. Moreover, the dressing is generally creamier and is made with mayo or a combination of crème fraîche, sour cream, or yogurt. Other common ingredients, like shredded carrot, chopped celery, or sweet bell peppers, provide crunch.

If you take a look at the history of macaroni salad, it's more of an American creation than an Italian one. Back in the early 1900s, American newspapers would frequently feature recipes for mac salads mixed with high protein ingredients like tuna, or shaped in jello molds for prettier presentation. This perhaps explains the presence of the mandatory mayo (or other creamy dairy alternative) as it helps the pasta shapes cling together more firmly and stay moist.

The mayo imbues American-style macaroni salad with a heavier, richer texture but a milder, more comforting flavor compared with pasta salad. This has made macaroni salad a firm favorite with kids, who often prefer softer foods with a mellow flavor. 

To guarantee that your pasta or macaroni salad is the talk of the cookout, always dress your pasta salad twice. Pasta absorbs sauce as it sits, so dressing it again just before serving replenishes some of that lost moisture and improves its texture. Other tips for making the ultimate pasta salad are to use veggies with some bite to provide textural interest, sprinkle in fresh herbs, and season heavily.