tranum-it's nothing special, just the pasta, lots of hard boiled eggs, mayo(not a lot, can't stand too much), mustard, lots of pickle relish and lots of onions, salt & pepper to taste, that's it.

My MIL made a shrimp and macaroni salad that people seem to love even if they don't eat shrimp. It's super simple,
salad macaroni cooked to package directions and cooled
2 can of canned shrimp (we tried fresh bay shrimp and it wasn't right)
1 c. of chopped celery
1/2 c. chopped radishes
1 c. chopped kosher dill pickles
1 c. chopped green onions
add mayonnaise to taste
garlic salt and pepper to taste (my family likes a lot of it)
Once it is all made and put into a serving bowl, top with sliced hard boiled eggs and then dust with paprika.

It's a staple for my husband's family gatherings - I made it for my side years ago and now they want it when we all get together. I have made it with the small shells and that is okay but it does not translate well using the larger pastas.

Thanks for your input. Have to make some for my quilt group(only 8 people)on Wed. Will let you know how it turns out. With all your suggestions should be a winner.

Mine is very much like Daisydawg...sometime bacon, sometimes not but definitely cheese (cubed) and peas. I think of macaroni as more like a summer dish.

my secret is to use ranch dressing instead of mayo, for pasta, potato or cole slaw salad.

Some recipes called for sweet pickle relish or hot dog relish.

I use mayonnaise and hot dog relish in my egg salad. The rest of the family could live without the hot dog relish, but - when I make one or two eggs for myself - it's included.

Good luck with the salad. We love our macaroni salad here in SE Missouri.

Here is my recipe that is often requested.

1/2-3/4 box Tri-color spiral pasta
4 oz hard Salami
4 oz Pepperoni
1/2 red onion chopped
1 chopped/sliced carrot
8 oz Pepper jack cheese cut into chunks
Grape tomatoes halved
1/2-1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
Black olives rings to taste(opt)
1-16 oz Zesty Italian Salad dressing

Make the day before to allow flavors to meld.
I also opt to use 8 oz of pepperoni and eliminate the hard salami.

1-Box Macaroni ( 1 pd.) Cooked 1 cucumber w/seeds removed cut into small pieces 2-3 medium ripe tomatoes cut into small pieces 3 stalks celery cut into small pieces 3 hard boiled eggs mashed w/a fork 1 small onion cut into small pieces Optional ( sweet relish ) (Shredded cheese ( sharp cheddar ) 1/2 Miracle Whip !/2 Mayonnaise to taste Mix all together , let set overnight , serve

Hmmm...don't have a recipe, per say, but I chop celery, red onion (fine) and sweet peppers then add mayo, a squirt of prepared mustard, a bit of white vinegar, salt and pepper, a dash of sugar and (the secret ingredient) a splash of bread and butter pickle juice. Stir all that up and add most of it to the cooked macaroni until coated. Let sit in the fridge, covered for a couple of hours and just before serving, add the rest and stir it up, because it will have dried out as the pasta sucked up the mayo mix. Check for seasonings and serve. Watson