Gordon Ramsay’s macaroni salad is sharp and light, nothing like the heavy mayo versions at most barbecues. Elbow macaroni, celery, red onion, cornichons and fresh herbs in a Dijon and cider vinegar dressing. Serves 6 in about 20 minutes.
Ramsay’s pasta technique from UCC and Make It Easy is what makes this work. He rinses cooked macaroni under cold water to stop cooking and remove surface starch, which is what stops cold pasta clumping into a sticky mess.
The trick is the pasta water. In UCC he says to “always stir in a little of the pasta water to make the sauce silky smooth,” and that works for cold salads too. A splash loosens the dressing so it coats every tube instead of pooling at the bottom.
Gordon Ramsay Macaroni Salad
Course: SaladCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes10
minutes310
kcal20
minutesEasy
Built from Gordon’s pasta and mayonnaise techniques across Ultimate Cookery Course, Make It Easy and Bread Street Kitchen. A lighter, sharper macaroni salad with Dijon and fresh herbs. About £7 to make from Tesco.
Ingredients
- For the Salad:
250g (9 oz) dried elbow macaroni
2 celery sticks, finely diced
½ red onion, peeled and finely diced
4 cornichons, finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Dressing:
4 tbsp good-quality mayonnaise (Hellmann’s works well)
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 to 2 tbsp reserved pasta water
Directions
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pan of well-salted water to the boil. Ramsay says to use 10g of salt per litre, which sounds like a lot but is what seasons the pasta from the inside. Cook the macaroni until al dente according to the packet, then reserve 2 tablespoons of the cooking water before draining.
- Rinse and cool: Drain the pasta and rinse under cold running water until completely cool. This stops the cooking and washes off the excess surface starch that makes cold pasta stick together. Ramsay uses this technique across both his mac and cheese recipes.
- Make the dressing: Whisk the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and cider vinegar together in a large bowl. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the reserved pasta water and mix until the dressing is smooth and pourable. The starchy water makes it silky instead of thick.
- Combine and season: Tip the cooled pasta into the dressing with the celery, red onion, cornichons, parsley and chives. Fold everything together, taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve straight away or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
FAQs
Why does Ramsay rinse pasta under cold water?
In both Ultimate Cookery Course and Make It Easy, he rinses macaroni under cold running water after cooking. For hot dishes this would be wrong because you want the starch for the sauce to cling to, but for cold salads it’s the opposite. The rinse stops the pasta cooking further and removes the surface starch that glues everything into a sticky lump. Without it, your macaroni salad turns into a solid block within an hour.
How much salt should I use in the pasta water?
Ramsay is specific about this in UCC: “The Italians always use 10g (2 teaspoons) salt for every litre of water.” Most home cooks drastically undersalt their pasta water, then wonder why cold pasta salad tastes flat. The salt seasons the macaroni from the inside while it cooks, so you need less dressing and less salt later.
How much does this recipe cost to make?
About £7 from Tesco. The mayo and cornichons are the priciest bits, but they both live in the fridge for weeks. The pasta, veg and herbs are pennies. Prices checked on Trolley.co.uk, May 2026.
What is the difference between Ramsay’s approach and Ina Garten’s?
They do the opposite thing. Ina Garten dresses her macaroni while it’s still warm so the pasta absorbs the dressing, which makes it richer and creamier. Ramsay rinses his cold first, which gives a lighter, cleaner result where the dressing sits on top rather than soaking in. Both are valid, but Ramsay’s version holds up better over a couple of days in the fridge because the pasta doesn’t get soggy.
What goes well alongside this macaroni salad?
It’s built as a barbecue or picnic side, so it pairs naturally with grilled meat. Try it next to sticky pork ribs or griddled chicken where the sharp dressing cuts through the smoky richness. For a lighter spread, it sits well alongside a coleslaw as part of a summer table. For more crowd-friendly salads from Ramsay, see the comparison guide.
