This Pressure Cooker Best Macaroni Salad Recipe is perfect for picnics. It’s flavorful, easy to make and ready for the fridge in under 15 minutes!
Pressure Cooker Best Macaroni Salad Recipe
The Summer is here and everyone is always scrambling to find a really good Macaroni Salad recipe that they can bring to picnic.
This Pressure Cooker Best Macaroni Salad Recipe fits the bill.
It’s quick because it cooks in the Pressure Cooker and is best when made the day before your event.
It’ the Best, because it is filled with yummy ingredients and CHEESE!!!
Cast of Ingredients for Pressure Cooker Best Macaroni Salad Recipe
I like a creamy Macaroni Salad, but not bogged down with mayonnaise.
I like the Macaroni Salad best, with just Mayonnaise.
However, because I know so many people love my Instant Pot Homemade Yogurt Recipe, I have incorporated Homemade Greek Yogurt into the Dressing, as an option.
It adds a nice amount of zing and freshness.
Pressure Cook the Macaroni
If you can get De Cecco Elbow Macaroni, I suggest using it, as in this case, brand does made a difference.
The cook time in my recipe is for the De Cecco brand, so if you use a different brand, remember to check the package directions and cook your Macaroni, according to the formula in the recipe below.
Salt the water well, as it’s the only change to nicely season the Macaroni.
Pressure Cooker Hard Boiled Egg Loaf
Some people like Hard Boiled Eggs in their Macaroni Salad.
If you like Eggs in your Macaroni Salad, use a Tall Trivet and see my Pressure Cooker Egg Salad recipe, for details about prepping the Loaf Pan.
My Pressure Cooker Summer Picnic Potato Salad is another great side dish for picnics and parties.
Use a Food Processor to Grate Carrots
If you have a Food Processor with a Shredder Attachment, you can easily make your own Shredded Carrots.
It’s so much cheaper too.
Three to Five Carrots.
Zip Zip, Done!
Use as much or as little carrots as you like.
The Shredded Carrots will soften overnight in the Dressing.
You could even chop up your Sweet N Spicy Pickles in the Food Processor.
Perfectly Shredded Carrots!
They are both sweet Pickles.
Use a sprinkle of Garlic Powder and a little extra True Lemon or Red Wine Vinegar if you use Sweet Pickles instead of the Sweet N Spicy Pickles.
I used my Mini Food Processor to chop up the Sweet N Spicy Pickles.
I should have just used my large Food Processor and dirtied both of them unnecessarily.
Mix Together Sauce Ingredients
In a Medium Mixing Bowl, mix together the Sauce ingredients.
I don’t use eggs!
The Scallions and Shredded Carrots will soften as they marinate in the Sauce.
Run the Macaroni Under the Water
Add some cool water to the Pressure Cooker cooking pot.
Pour the Macaroni into a Strainer Basket and drain out the water, to stop the cooking process.
Shake the basket, to make sure all water has been drained.
Combine Macaroni and Sauce
Dump the Macaroni into a Large Mixing Bowl.
Pour in the Sauce ingredients and mix together.
Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Add more Salt and Pepper if needed.
Let the warm Macaroni absorb the flavors in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before adding the Cheese and Olives.
Mix in the Cheese and Olives
Before serving, add in the Cheddar Cheese and the Black Olives.
Swiss Cheese is good in this Macaroni Salad too!
So, is Colby Jack!
If you like Ham, grab a Ham Steak and Cube it.
Squeeze out the Water from the Ham Steak Cubes.
Many people love Ham in their Macaroni Salad.
I prefer it without.
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Best Macaroni Salad Recipe
This Pressure Cooker Best Macaroni Salad Recipe is a great side dish to my Pressure Cooker Carolina BBQ Spare Ribs. Don’t forget the Pressure Cooker Summer Picnic Potato Salad.
Macaroni Salad goes great with Air Fryer Chick-fil-A Chicken Sandwiches and my Air Fryer Crispy Honey Garlic Chicken Wings!
Do you like that big Glass Bowl I used to serve this Salad? It’s a Bormioli Rocco Viva Salad Bowl and it’s a bargain.
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Instant Pot DUO Plus 60
- J.A. Henckels Classic 7-inch Hollow Edge Santoku Knife
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Culina Stackable (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- di Oro Living Silicone Spatulas Set
- Alpha Armour Salt Box with Spoon
- Electric Pepper Mill
- 6 oz Porcelain Ramekins
- John Boos Maple Cutting Board with Groove
- RSVP Stainless Steel Strainer Basket
- 3.5 Quart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl
- Small 1.5 Quart “Pot in Pot” Mixing Bowl
- Chef Pro Mini Food Chopper
- 11 Cup Food Processor
- Bormioli Rocco Viva Salad Bowl
Caring is sharing! If you would like to support This Old Gal, please share this recipe on Social Media, so that I can continue to bring you more wonderful recipes!
Here is the handy printable recipe:
This Pressure Cooker Best Macaroni Salad Recipe is perfect for picnics. It's flavorful, easy to make and ready for the fridge in under 15 minutes!
- 1 lb Elbow Macaroni
- 4 cups Fresh Water salted
- 2 tsp Kosher Salt
- 8-10 oz Cheddar Cheese cubed
- 6 oz Black Olives sliced
- 10 oz Sweet 'N Spicy Pickles diced
- 6 oz Carrots shredded
- 3/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt (or mayonnaise to taste)
- 2-3 Scallions chopped
- 1/8 cup Sweet 'N Spicy Pickles Juice
- 1/4 tsp True Lemon (or 1 TBL Red Wine Vinegar)
- 1 TBL Sugar
- 1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce optional
- 1 tsp Kosher Salt to taste
- 1/4 tsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
- 8 oz Ham Steak cubed
Add Elbow Macaroni, Kosher Salt and Fresh Water to Pressure Cooker cooking pot.
Lock on Lid and close Pressure Valve. Cook on High Pressure for 2 minutes. When Beep is heard, wait 5 minutes, then release all pressure. Add cool water to Pressure Cooker and then pour Macaroni through Strainer basket to drain. Place in large bowl
Mix together Sauce ingredients. Pour over Macaroni and combine. Allow to chill in refrigerator for a few hours.
Mix in Cheese and Olives. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.
Cook time for Macaroni and Pasta is always 2 minutes less than the smaller cook time number on the package. Wait 5 minutes and then release all the pressure.
If using Sweet Pickles, add a tiny pinch of Garlic Powder.
If using all Mayonnaise, add a drop more True Lemon or Red Wine Vinegar to taste.
Don’t forget to Pin this Pressure Cooker Best Macaroni Salad Recipe.
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The salad is very tasty! Does the cast pic show green onions? They aren’t in printed recipe…
Makes a lot, great for a party!
Hi Lori~
I am so glad you liked the salad. The bowl in the front of the pic has the scallions. Jill
How does cooking time for the pasta change if I use 1/2 lb of pasta instead of a full pound? My family just can’t eat pasta salad fast enough to make a full batch at once!!