Chef John's Classic Macaroni Salad

Recipe View In a mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, white vinegar, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper until smoothly blended. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Whisk in the sugar until dissolved. (1 minute)

Recipe View Stir in the finely diced celery, diced red bell pepper, grated carrot, chopped green onions, diced jalapeño pepper, and diced poblano pepper. (3 minutes)

Recipe View Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dressing until the macaroni is cooked and cooled. (minimum 30 minutes)

Recipe View Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. (10 minutes)

Recipe View Add the elbow macaroni to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the macaroni is tender but still firm to the bite (al dente), about 8 minutes. (8 minutes)

Recipe View Drain the cooked macaroni in a colander. Do not rinse. (2 minutes)

Recipe View Let the drained macaroni sit in the colander for about 5 minutes, shaking it occasionally to remove excess moisture. This step is crucial for the dressing to adhere properly. (5 minutes)

Recipe View Transfer the macaroni to a large bowl and toss gently to separate the noodles. Allow the macaroni to cool to room temperature; it should feel slightly sticky. (15 minutes)

Recipe View Pour the chilled dressing over the cooled macaroni and stir gently but thoroughly to coat every piece evenly. (3 minutes)

Recipe View Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or transfer the macaroni salad to an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the macaroni to absorb the dressing fully. (4 hours or overnight)

Recipe View Before serving, stir the macaroni salad gently. If the salad seems a bit dry, mix 1 tablespoon of water with the remaining 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise and stir it into the salad to restore a fresh, creamy appearance. (2 minutes)