With the 4th of July just around the corner I was trying to think of what I could take to our family picnic that was tasty, economical and would feed a lot of people. That’s when I came across a deviled egg macaroni salad recipe. I love a good classic macaroni salad, but I also love deviled eggs. So adding just one extra step of mashing the yokes before making the dressing really kicks a simple macaroni salad up a notch.

I did some more searching and was surprised that a lot of the recipes for deviled egg macaroni salad weren’t much different than the way I make macaroni salad and chopped the eggs but didn’t mash the yokes. After all, it’s the mashed yokes mixed with the mayo and spices that make deviled eggs taste so good, so that is just what I did.

This is my own deviled egg macaroni salad but if you have your own way of making deviled eggs then you could easily adapt it and make it your own. I just mixed up the deviled egg mixture, increased the mayo and added some sweet pickle relish for a little kick.

Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad

• 1 pound macaroni or small pasta shells
• 8 hard boiled eggs (click here for a fail proof way to boil eggs)
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 small red onion, diced (optional)
• 1 cup mayonnaise plus extra if needed
• 1 tablespoon prepared yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
• Additional paprika for sprinkling on top (optional)

Directions:
Cook pasta according to package directions. Immediately rinse with cold water, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, peel hard boiled eggs and rinse well to remove shells. Slice eggs lengthwise, remove yolk and place in a medium bowl. Chop egg whites and add to macaroni along with the celery and onion.

Mash egg yokes with a fork then add the mayo, mustard, salt, pepper, paprika and relish. Stir well until combined and mixture is smooth.

Fold deviled egg mixture into macaroni mixture (add a little extra mayo if needed). Once combined sprinkle with paprika if desired. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours before serving.

Tip: This would be an easy recipe to experiment with and make your own. If you prefer using Miracle Whip salad dressing instead of mayo in your deviled eggs then I bet it would come out great in your macaroni salad as well. In fact, I might just make it that way next time. I also plan to experiment with a deviled egg potato salad.

If you are looking for a good oil and vinegar coleslaw recipe then this red wine vinegar coleslaw recipe is a great choice. The red wine vinegar paired with just a little sugar gives it that perfect combination of sweet and tart, making it a delicious side dish. Some even enjoy it as a topping for sandwiches such as pulled pork.
I usually make KFC Copycat Coleslaw but once in a while I want something a little lighter that doesn’t include mayonnaise. It is also a nice change from traditional cabbage salad that you take to picnics and potlucks. When I first started experimenting with the recipe I thought it needed more oil but as it turns out, just two tablespoons is all you need. Any more than that and it just seemed to overpower the recipe.

Red Wine Vinegar Coleslaw Recipe

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons sugar (see tip)
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1-16 ounce bag coleslaw mix (or use about 8 cups shredded cabbage plus one grated carrot)

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together the red wine vinegar, vegetable oil, sugar, celery seed, seasoned salt and black pepper.

Place coleslaw mix in a large bowl and pour oil and vinegar mixture over top. Toss to coat (tongs work well for this). Cover and refrigerate at least two hours and toss again before serving.

Makes approximately 6 servings

Meal ideas: This recipe is perfect for summer picnics and pairs well with any kind of meat and side dish. Try serving with hot dogs and hamburgers, chicken or pulled pork. Also tastes great along side other traditional picnic foods such as potato salad or macaroni salad.

Tip: You may like your coleslaw dressing a little more or a little less sweet. Just adjust the amount of sugar in the dressing to taste before mixing it in with the coleslaw.

Substitutions: For a nice colorful salad, substitute some of the green cabbage for red cabbage.

This red wine vinegar coleslaw is adapted from Rachael Ray’s Oil and Vinegar Coleslaw.

I may be a bit impartial, but I think this is the best macaroni salad recipe that happens to be easy and inexpensive to make. With just a few ingredients you can make a classic macaroni salad that is great to serve on a hot day or to take to your next picnic or family gathering.

What I like about macaroni salad is that it is so so versatile. It makes a great side dish but is also filling on it’s own. The eggs add a nice boost of protein and you also have the celery which adds a nice, healthy crunch. See the tips below the macaroni salad recipe for other stir in ideas.

Traditional macaroni salad is also super cheap make. I estimate that this cost me less than $3.00 to make and could easily feed about eight ore more people if serving as a side dish at a picnic or potluck (it’s also easy to double). The most expensive ingredient is the mayo. I am rather picky about mayo, preferring Hellmann’s brand so I do try to stock up when it’s on sale. But there are some store brands that are actually pretty good as well.

When figuring cost I am only estimating the amount actually used in recipes. For example, I can buy a club pack of eggs (3 dozen) at my local Wegmans for $1.89. Since I only need six eggs for the recipe the total cost of eggs for this recipe is just under 32 cents. Talk about a cheap source of protein!

Best Macaroni Salad Recipe

• 2 cups (about 8 ounces) dry elbow macaroni
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 1/2 small red onion, diced (optional)
• 5 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Paprika (optional)

Directions:
Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Place macaroni in a large bowl and add the celery, onion and hard boiled eggs. Set aside (if not making dressing right away, cover and refrigerate).

For the Dressing:

In a small bowl combine the remaining ingredients except for the paprika.  Whisk until smooth and toss with macaroni mixture. Sprinkle with paprika if desired. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled (about 2 hours).

Macaroni Salad Add in ideas:

Add a heaping tablespoon of sweet pickle relish to give this basic macaroni salad a nice and tangy taste. To make this more of a main dish instead of a side dish you could add a can of drained tuna and and about a cup of frozen peas (thaw peas under cold water before adding). Just fold the tuna and peas into the macaroni mixture before adding the dressing.

Helpful tip:
If your macaroni salad seems a little dry just add a a little more mayo until it is at the consistency that you like. Start with about a tablespoon and add more as needed.

Serving suggestion: This simple homemade macaroni salad recipe goes well with delicious Cornell Chicken

Do you ever have that one dish that everyone asks you to bring to a picnic or potluck? For me, it’s this easy KFC coleslaw dressing recipe. If you like the orignal kfc coleslaw recipe then you have most likely seen plenty of the copycat recipes for it as well.

It only takes a few ingredients to make this version of KFC Coleslaw dressing recipe but the that  ones I come across all call for buttermilk, which is an ingredient that I never have on hand. Luckily, I found a great substitution for buttermilk and you can’t even tell the difference. I now substitute sour cream for the buttermilk and my copycat KFC coleslaw comes out perfect every time!

Difference Between Coleslaw and Cabbage Salad

I always thought that coleslaw and cabbage salad were pretty much the same thing but it depends on who you ask. Coleslaw is typically shredded cabbage with a mayo or oil and vinegar based dressing while cabbage salad often has other ingredients added such as pineapple, apple, grated cheese, etc. There are also different variations from other countries with additions such as dried fruits, nuts, and even meat. Wikipedia shares different variations that I am anxious to try!

Back to my copycat KFC coleslaw recipe, I promise that if you make this and take to a picnic or potluck you will be asked for the recipe every time! It is also quick and easy to make, you just need to add a few hours chilling time.

I have one confession to make. I know it is more economical to grate the cabbage and carrot but the bags of coleslaw in the produce section of the grocery store tend to be pretty cheap.

One day I may invest in a food processor so the job of grating cabbage is easier but for now I will gladly take convenience over grating all that cabbage by hand.

Pyrex Smart Essentials 8-Piece Mixing Bowl Set

One 16 ounce bag of coleslaw mix can be replaced for about eight cups of grated cabbage and one carrot. If you use two bags double it, three bags triple it and so on.

For parties I always take everything in my large Pyrex glass bowl. The largest size holds 4 quarts so I can easily triple my coleslaw recipe for potlucks.

These come with PBA free lids as well to make them easy to transport.

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KFC Coleslaw Dressing Recipe

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 2-1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1-1/2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried minced onion (optional, see helpful tips on the bottom of this page)
• Paprika for sprinkling on top (optional)
• 1-16 ounce bag coleslaw mix (you can substitute about 8 cups grated green cabbage and one grated carrot for the coleslaw mix)

Directions:
For the dressing: In a medium bowl, whisk together everything except the paprika, carrot and cabbage. You can use either fresh squeezed lemon juice or bottled lemon juice but if using bottled be sure to shake well.

Place shredded coleslaw mix in a large bowl. Pour dressing over mixture and stir to combine (tongs work great for this). Refrigerate at least three hours before serving. Stir and if desired, sprinkle paprika on top before serving.

Helpful Tips:

If you have never made coleslaw before you might think this looks too dry but it wont be. After a few hours in the refrigerator the cabbage will shrivel so it will have more than enough dressing.

A 16 ounce bags says it serves about five but keep in mind when you go to a picnic or potluck with a large variety of food, most people take smaller servings. I find that if I double this recipe it feeds about 15 people.

I use the dried minced onion found in the spice section at the grocery store but if you don’t have any hand just use a little onion powder (reduce to about 1/4 teaspoon) or fresh minced onion. You can also leave out the onion if desired.

This KFC cole slaw goes great with this easy Cornell Chicken recipe

Broccoli and cauliflower always pair well together, and this quick and easy broccoli and cauliflower salad is no exception. You can leave out the hard cooked eggs but I think it’s an economical way to get in some protein. If you do leave out the eggs then go ahead and add extra veggies.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Salad

• 1 cup raw broccoli florets, washed and drained
• 1 cup raw cauliflower florets, washed and drained
• 6 hard boiled eggs, chopped (optional)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

In a large bowl, combine the broccoli and cauliflower florets, chopped eggs, cheddar cheese and bacon. Set aside.

In a small bowl  whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper.

Pour dressing mixture over broccoli and cauliflower mixture and combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate before serving.

Makes a great side dish for your next potluck or barbecue.