So many new gluten-free dieters fail at making macaroni salad in advance. However, if you use the proper macaroni, it is easy to do. Check out the recipe and the chart of which gluten free pasta came out shining in a make-ahead macaroni salad test. My recipe testers love the flavor and textures in this recipe, too!
Make-Ahead Macaroni Salad Pasta Test
One of my cookbook recipe testers, Monika Bradley, tested several brands of gluten free macaroni for this recipe. She and her mother both have celiac disease.
Per Monika, the different varieties of pasta were cooked following the directions on each box, on the soft side. Then the pasta was cooled to room temperature before combining with the macaroni salad dressing. Then they were all refrigerated for 24 hours before sampling.
Monika added, “Strangely, the two pasta brands that scored the highest and lowest both listed exactly the same ingredients on the box.”
| Brand | Ingredients | Score (10 = excellent) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mueller's GF Elbows | Corn Flour, Rice Flour | 10 | Stayed soft, best texture |
| Tinkyada GF Penne | Brown Rice, Rice Bran | 7 | Al Dente but ok, good texture |
| Ancient Harvest GF Quinoa Penne | Corn Flour, Quinoa Flour | 6 | Firmer but still ok, a bit gritty |
| Ronzoni GF Penne | White Rice Flour, Brown Rice Flour, Corn Flour, Quinoa Flour | 3 | Too hard when cold |
| Barilla GF Penne | Corn Flour, Rice Flour | 1 | Way too hard, tossed it out! |
Note: This is another recipe from my upcoming cookbook, Carla’s Best 125 Gluten-Free Recipes.
Update July 21, 2020:
PLEASE NOTE THAT MANY OF THE BELOW BRANDS MAKE GLUTEN AND GLUTEN FREE PASTA. READ PACKAGES AND INGREDIENT LISTS CAREFULLY.
Mueller’s GF Elbow: Corn flour, rice flour, mono and diglycerides
Tinkyada Elbow: Stone-ground brown rice, rice bran, water
Ancient Harvest Elbows: Organic corn flour, organic quinoa flour
Ronzoni Elbow: white rice, brown rice, corn, quinoa
Barilla Elbow: Corn flour, rice flour, mono and diglycerides
A gluten free macaroni salad recipe that you can make in advance and avoid that chewy, hard texture. Learn the brand that stood out in one recipe tester's test.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups dry gluten-free pasta (not rice-based*) (spiral, penne, elbow), cooked, rinsed, and drained
- 1/3 cup diced celery
- 1/4 cup chopped or minced red onion, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, drained
- 1 tablespoon minced flat-leaf parsley
- 2 hard-boiled eggs, finely chopped (optional)
- 1/4 cup diced green or red bell pepper (optional) (red is sweeter)
- 1/2 cup gluten-free mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons gluten-free sour cream
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar, or to taste
- 2 teaspoons prepared mustard
- 1-1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions:
- Combine the pasta, celery, onion, and parsley, as well as egg and bell pepper, if using, in a large bowl.
- In a separate, small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients: mayonnaise, sour cream, vinegar, mustard, and Pour the dressing over the salad and stir to combine.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately, at room temperature, or store covered in the refrigerator.
Tips
*Rice-based gluten-free pasta hardens when refrigerated. Instead, use pasta made from corn and other gluten-free grains to make macaroni salad in advance. Another brand to consider is Heartland, which is made of Corn Flour, Rice Flour, Mono and Diglycerides. However, if you are highly sensitive to gluten, avoid this brand as they process wheat products in their facility.
I use a fork to mash the hard boiled eggs. Kids usually prefer it this way, as most do not enjoy the texture of the egg whites.