Macaroni Salad with Peas and Carrots Recipe
This creamy macaroni salad recipe with peas and carrots recipe is a fresh, tasty, and easy side dish that is ready in 30 minutes. Loaded with fresh chopped vegetables, a creamy dressing, and of course tons of green peas for a great side dish.
This pasta salad has a wonderfully creamy dressing and is a great crowd pleaser for summer potlucks, backyard BBQs, or parties! Make this recipe along with us today.
Want more tasty macaroni salad recipes? Try our Greek yogurt macaroni salad, cucumber dill macaroni salad, and our favorite vegan Hawaiian mac salad recipe too!
Kelly’s Note: This recipe was edited on 8/10/2026. I added new ingredient additions and substitutions, recipe FAQs, and new serving suggestions to be more helpful.
What’s better than a sweet and tangy salad that goes great with anything off the BBQ? This macaroni salad with carrots and peas is a fun take on the classic summer side dish.
This easy pea pasta salad has a tangy and creamy dressing, perfectly paired with the sweet peas.
This Macaroni and pea salad is a super vibrant and fresh take on the classic macaroni salad. The crunchy veggies and sweet peas pair really well with the creamy ranch dressing. This simmer side dish pasta salad goes great with burgers, dogs, or anything off the BBQ.
Notes From Our Kitchen
- This peas and carrots macaroni salad is creamy, tangy, delicious, and crunchy!
- It’s loaded with flavor from the fresh veggies and easy-to-make dressing.
- Ready in about 30 minutes, this is one side dish you can get on the table fast.
- A great make-ahead side for entertaining!
- A fun summer side dish, the perfect crowd pleasing dish for your summer BBQ, potluck, or cookout.
Ingredients You’ll Need
We use classic elbow macaroni noodles in our pasta salad! You can use a gluten free version if desired.
This pasta salad is packed with veggies like carrots, peas (you can use fresh or frozen), chopped onion, celery, and bell pepper.
And the creamy dressing is made with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sweet relish, and sugar. Don’t forget the salt and pepper for taste!
For added color and texture, I like to add in a bit of cheddar cheese. It really adds a nice flavor which I find takes mac salad to the next level!
Additions and Substitutions
This delicious macaroni salad recipe is a great base recipe to add your favorite chopped veggies to. Customize this classic pasta salad with some variations below:
- You can make this macaroni salad with other types of small pasta – ditalini or orzo would work great!
- Instead of the sweet relish, you can use chopped dill pickles or dill relish for a more savory flavor.
- Add in 1/2 cup sour cream for an even creamier version.
How To Make This Macaroni Salad
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook to package directions. Drain the macaroni and put it back into the cooking pot. Add 2 tablespoons of the apple cider vinegar, and allow the pasta to cool. The noodles will absorb the vinegar, so give them a good stir.
- In a large bowl, add the cooled macaroni and the chopped vegetables: celery, bell pepper, and onion. Thaw and mix in the frozen peas and carrots.
- To a smaller bowl, add in the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, the remaining 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, sweet relish, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Add the cooled macaroni to the bowl with the vegetables. Pour the dressing over everything and toss well to combine. Sprinkle in the cheddar cheese. Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more salt or pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate in an airtight container. When ready to serve, remove from fridge, and stir right before serving.
Dietary Modifications
This recipe is vegetarian, because it contains no meat. You can make it vegan by using vegan mayonnaise, but you can absolutely make this with real mayo if you aren’t vegan or eating dairy free.
For a gluten free version, use certified gluten free pasta (and make sure all other ingredients are verified gluten free).
Recipe FAQs
Yes! This macaroni salad is a great way to use frozen peas and carrots. Just thaw them out under warm water before adding to the pasta salad.
This mac salad actually tastes better when made the day before. It sits in the fridge overnight so the pasta can soak up the dressing. Just give it a good stir before serving!
Store any leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is great for summer entertaining, especially anything coming off the grill! We love it as a side dish for our chickpea veggie burgers, canned lentil sloppy Joe’s, ricotta hot honey pizza, and our favorite feta grilled cheese.
It’s also great served alongside more summer side dishes like white bean and olive salad, Thai mango salad with cashews, and our favorite potato salad with avocado dressing.
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Macaroni Salad with Peas and Carrots
Ingredients
- 16 ounces macaroni noodles
- 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar divided
- 1/4 cup sweet onion diced
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1/2 bell pepper chopped
- 2 cups frozen peas and carrots thawed
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sweet relish
- 2 tablespoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon each sea salt and black pepper
- 1 cup cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook to package directions. Drain the macaroni and put it back into the cooking pot. Add 2 tablespoons of the apple cider vinegar, and allow the pasta to cool. The noodles will absorb the vinegar, so give them a good stir.
- In a large bowl, add the cooled macaroni and the chopped vegetables: celery, bell pepper, and onion. Thaw and mix in the frozen peas and carrots.
- To a smaller bowl, add in the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, the remaining 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, sweet relish, sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir well to combine.
- Add the cooled macaroni to the bowl with the vegetables. Pour the dressing over everything and toss well to combine. Sprinkle in the cheddar cheese. Taste, and adjust seasoning as needed, adding more salt or pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate overnight in an airtight container. Remove from fridge, and stir right before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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Hello Gayle, I find that chickpea pastas work better for cold dishes rather than rice or corn based pastas. Have you tried Banza chickpea pasta yet?
Recipe looks great. I have celiac disease and must eat gluten free. I struggle with finding a good pasta for a cold salad. Initially they taste good but the following day they are always hard with a very unusual texture. What brand of pasta do you find to be successful the following day? Thanks!
Hello Gayle, I find that chickpea pastas work better for cold dishes rather than rice or corn based pastas. Have you tried Banza chickpea pasta yet?