Can macaroni salad be frozen?

Macaroni salad is one of the most iconic meals of summer. It represents the family barbecue, camping and picnics on the beach.

Because it is so popular, it is often made in large batches and one day you may find yourself with more macaroni salad than you can reasonably eat in a day or two.

Can macaroni salad be frozen? Yes, you can freeze macaroni salad for up to 2 weeks, but it won’t be as good thawed as it was when you first made it. If you want to make the macaroni salad ahead of time, it’s best to freeze all the ingredients separately.

If you are freezing leftovers, try freezing them in small, tight portions. In either case, just freeze the macaroni salad for up to 1-2 weeks.

In this article, we explain why macaroni salad doesn’t freeze perfectly and how you can navigate the pitfalls of each of the different ingredients.

We share the best way to freeze macaroni salad, as well as how to properly store it if you think freezing is too risky.

Freeze Macaroni Salad

Macaroni salad can be frozen, but it will never have the same flavor or texture once thawed.

Later in this article, we’ll explain the best way to freeze ready-made macaroni salad, but it’s really the individual ingredients that make the biggest difference.

By understanding how each of the key ingredients withstands the freezing process, you’ll be better able to make a macaroni salad that freezes well.

If you know you’re bringing a large batch of macaroni salad to an event and won’t have time on the day of the event to prepare it, you might consider making the salad ahead of time and freezing it to keep it fresh.

If this is your goal, the best process will be to prepare and freeze each of the ingredients separately.

What’s in the macaroni salad?

To help you understand why macaroni salad is such a complex meal to freeze, you first need to realize that most of the signature ingredients in macaroni salad are not necessarily ideal for freezing.

Some of the more common macaroni salad ingredients that may not freeze well are

• The macaroni noodles themselves
• The Mayo
• Eggs

Most macaroni salads also include some variety of fresh vegetables and possibly a few other ingredients in the dressing, such as mustard or dill. These don’t pose too much risk to the freezing process, so we won’t cover them separately.

Can macaroni be frozen?

Cooked macaroni, and pasta in general, doesn’t freeze perfectly, but it can be frozen if you’re willing to accept a different texture once thawed.

If you know you’re going to freeze macaroni or macaroni salad, it’s best if the pasta is cooked al dente, meaning it’s still slightly firm.

If the macaroni is cooked al dente, once it comes out of the freezer it will be soft. Even pasta thawed al dente will probably be softer than you’re used to.

The type of pasta you have will also make a difference.

Gluten-free pasta and pasta made with rice or lentil flour won’t hold up very well in the freezer because they’re already much softer noodles to begin with. Whole wheat flour, bean flour, and regular white flour will hold up better.

Lastly, anytime you freeze cooked macaroni or pasta, you run the risk of it freezing in one big lump.

When you bake frozen pasta, such as lasagna or macaroni and cheese, this doesn’t matter too much because it’s cooked and sliced.

If you are going to eat your macaroni cold, in the form of a salad, it can make a world of difference. We have briefly touched on the idea of freezing the macaroni salad ingredients separately.

If possible, when you freeze the macaroni, you should mix it with a little olive oil before freezing. This will help prevent lumps. It is not a guaranteed and 100% effective solution, but it can be a significant improvement.

Can mayonnaise be frozen?

The question of whether you can freeze salads with mayonnaise or the mayonnaise itself is very common.

It’s an egg-based dressing, so it has a shorter shelf life than most salad dressings, even when stored in the fridge, and it can go bad more quickly if left unrefrigerated.

Mayonnaise is an emulsion , meaning that it contains two or more liquid ingredients that do not mix well with each other, but rather are mixed with an emulsifier so that they blend together smoothly.

When mayonnaise is kept cold in the fridge, it stays smooth and creamy. However, when it is frozen, each of the ingredients that do not mix well with each other separates.

When you thaw the mayonnaise, it will be “broken”, meaning a very strange mixture of lumps and liquid, probably with a gritty texture.

If you freeze the mayonnaise separately from the salad, you can blend it or bring it back to its almost normal smooth texture.

If you freeze your macaroni salad already made, you won’t be able to remix the mayonnaise effectively.

Your salad will likely have a lot more liquid when thawed than fresh. You can simply drain this liquid off and the flavor shouldn’t be affected too much, but the overall texture of your salad will be compromised.

If you freeze each of the ingredients separately, you may consider not freezing the mayonnaise and just add it cold from the fridge when you’re ready to mix the salad.

Can the egg be frozen?

Not all macaroni salads have eggs as an ingredient, but many include small pieces of hard-boiled or pounded egg mixed into the dressing, similar to an egg salad.

Hard-boiled eggs can be frozen, but the white will become quite rubbery. If you like to use eggs in your salad, the best solution would be to use only the yolk, which freezes well.

At the very least, freeze the egg in small bite-sized pieces or even crumbles, so the texture isn’t as noticeable in each bite.

How to freeze macaroni salad

If you’re freezing your leftover macaroni salad and freezing each of the ingredients separately isn’t an option, there are a few steps you should take to get the best possible result.

1. Freeze in small quantities. Smaller portions of macaroni will freeze faster, causing less damage to the pasta and less impact on the dressing.
2. Pack the salad well . After transferring the salad to a freezer-safe Ziploc bag or Tupperware container, wrap it as tightly as possible. Don’t worry about crushing the pasta, it’s more important to remove as much air as possible, including the air that is hiding inside the macaroni itself.
3. If you are using a Tupperware container, cover the surface with plastic wrap before closing the lid. This will add an extra layer of protection from exposure to air, while also giving your pasta salad room to expand as it freezes.
4. Label your bag or container. Even frozen, macaroni salad won’t last long in your freezer. It is important to label your package(s) with the date so that you remember to eat the salad within 1-2 weeks of freezing it.

Although the texture and flavor will alter after the macaroni salad is thawed, it’s still better than leaving it in the fridge for more than a few days.

Here’s the best method for thawing macaroni salad once you’re ready to enjoy it.

How to thaw macaroni salad

First of all, you want to eat the frozen macaroni salad within 2 weeks of freezing, at the latest. How you thaw it and prepare it to eat can make a big difference in safety and enjoyment.

How to thaw macaroni salad

1. Thaw the salad in the fridge. Let the macaroni salad thaw in the cool environment of the fridge, rather than on the counter or in a bowl of hot water. Although it may take longer, it will better protect the quality. Rapid changes in temperature will compromise the quality of your dressing just as much as freezing, making your salad even more soggy. It is also important to always keep the salad refrigerated to prevent any bacterial growth or spoilage.
2. Stir the salad well once thawed.
3. Drain excess liquid before serving.

Since the flavor can be slightly altered, you may consider adding new or flavor-boosting ingredients. This will refresh your salad and help restore its former quality.

Important note: Once the macaroni salad is thawed, do not return it to the freezer. Refreezing most foods will not only break their flavor and texture, but can also lead to bacterial growth, freezer burn, or spoilage.

How to preserve macaroni salad

If freezing macaroni salad seems too risky for you, you can store the salad in the fridge with much less stress.

Simply transfer it to a resealable Tupperware container and store near the back of your fridge, as far away from the door as possible.

How long does macaroni salad last?

How long macaroni salad lasts in the fridge depends slightly on the ingredients. If you used hard-boiled eggs, it won’t last as long. With eggs, you should eat it within 3 days.

If you haven’t put eggs on the salad, it should stay fresh for another day or two, but you’ll probably notice the salad dressing starting to break down after 2-3 days.

You can drain off the excess water or try to blend it into the salad as much as possible.

If you notice any strong or unpleasant odors, or if you see mold growing on your salad, discard the entire batch immediately. Macaroni salad that has gone bad can make you sick.

What is the best way to make macaroni salad?

While the best way to make macaroni salad certainly depends on your personal tastes, preferences, and dietary restrictions, there are certain ingredients and methods that have stood the test of time.