Best Macaroni Salad at the Grocery Store (Now with Publix Macaroni Salad, Too)

The best macaroni salad from the grocery store should taste just as special as it did the first time you tried macaroni salad as a kid—probably outside, at a barbecue, surrounded by loving family and friends. (And at least one crying baby. There’s always a crying baby.) It should carry a comforting sweetness and a lively tang. It should be refreshingly cold on a hot summer’s day and remind you of the holy trinity of all cookout flavors: mayo, mustard, pickle. 

I’ll be honest with you, reader. Despite that incredibly touching scenario I just laid out, I didn’t always love macaroni salad. Growing up, I couldn’t understand the appeal of something I loved (plain pasta) mixed with things that tasted so strong (like vinegar, mustard, and corn syrup). To me, it tasted backwards. Something cold that should be hot. Something overpowering that should be mild. My taste buds have thankfully evolved since then. Now I would go to war defending the best store bought macaroni salad—but still, I’m a harsh critic. My hope is that this ranking of the best macaroni salad will speak to all of you: mayo-lovers, vinegar-haters, and everyone in between. 

The following article contains affiliate links that may generate a small commission to us when you make a purchase through the link. Learn more about how we work with affiliates here.

Best Mustard Flavor

Freshness Guaranteed Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad

Walmart

Mustard kings and queens, allow me to bend the knee and humbly offer a gilded platter of Freshness Guaranteed Devilled Egg macaroni salad for your palace feast. Hailing from the kingdom of Walmart, this may not be the absolute best deviled egg macaroni salad we tried, but it is certainly the most mustard-forward. The sauce is creamy and tantalizingly tangy, mixed with classic elbow mac and bits of egg white and celery to keep the texture interesting. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

7.5/10

Sporks

Most Nostalgic

Freshness Guaranteed Original Macaroni Salad

Walmart

Still hailing from the Kingdom of Walmart, this classic version is exactly what you would expect from a grocery store macaroni salad. It has a strong sweetness, plenty of chopped veggies, and while it’s not as tangy as the deviled egg macaroni salad, it’s just as creamy. Out of all the mac salads we tried, this classic Walmart macaroni salad tastes closest to homemade. We’d recommend adding a sprinkle of salt to really bring out the flavors and balance the sweetness. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Balanced

Publix Deli Macaroni Salad

Publix

The key to Publix macaroni salad is freshness. The celery and carrots are crisp and crunchy. The pasta isn’t overcooked or too moist, like it’s been sitting in wet ingredients for too long. The dressing is definitely creamy, but still lighter on the mayo than most. Some people may find this deli side to be a bit too vinegary, but personally I prefer the tang over the cloying sweetness of other brands. It’s not the best macaroni salad we’ve tried, but definitely worthy of the list—and worth the six-hour flight I took to Florida to try it (along with a bunch of other Publix deli items). 

Credit: Liv Averett / Publix

Rating:

8/10

Sporks

Best Noodle

First Street Twirl Macaroni Pasta Salad

Smart & Final

We accidentally ordered two of First Street’s Twirl Macaroni Salad from Smart & Final, and as a result, lost an entire refrigerator shelf to a pair of giant pasta tubs. It costs twice as much as some of the other brands on this list, but you get four times as much macaroni salad., So, really, if you want bang for your buck, this is the best store bought macaroni salad you can buy. The sauce is very pickle- and sweet-relish forward, with a creamy consistency and minimal amount of chopped veggies. Normally, we’d be on the hunt for more veggies for added crunch, but First Street knows that the rotini pasta is the real MVP here. Don’t get me wrong, classic elbow mac has a special place in our hearts—but something about the shape of rotini makes every spoonful more addicting than the last. It brings a unique and interesting flair to an otherwise simple and budget-friendly macaroni salad.

Credit: Liv Averett / Smart & Final

Rating:

8.5/10

Sporks

Best Devilled Egg

Reser’s Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad

Ralphs

Reser’s delivers the best deviled egg macaroni salad on the market. This store bought mac salad tastes fresh, in large part because of the fresh dill in the mix, but also thanks to every other bold flavor component that went into the recipe. The mustard is kicky. The thick wedges of egg white taste like your grandma just hard-boiled and peeled them. It’s not just the best deviled egg macaroni salad, it’s the best macaroni salad with egg thanks to those wedges. It’s an egg lover’s dream. And maybe I’m too nice, giving 10/10 sporks to the two best macaroni salads on this fairly short list, but the entire Sporked taste-testing team raved about this deviled egg macaroni salad. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Ralphs

Rating:

9.5/10

Sporks

Best of the Best

Signature Select Classic Macaroni Salad

Albertsons

Signature Select’s Macaroni Salad is store bought macaroni salad trying and succeeding to be restaurant-quality macaroni salad. It’s simple and elegant, with a muted acidity and beautifully balanced sauce. Whereas our #2 has a bold flavor and heavier sauce consistency, Signature Select’s classic macaroni salad (a brand from Albertsons-owned grocery stores) is refreshingly light and bright. Boasting zero high fructose corn syrup and no artificial flavors, I’d chalk up the tastiness to its fresh ingredients and plentiful mix of chopped celery and red bell pepper. Hands down, this is the best macaroni salad ever for people who don’t tend to like macaroni salad—and for people who absolutely love it. 

Credit: Liv Averett / Albertsons

Rating:

10/10

Sporks

Other Macaroni Salad We Tried: Reser’s Fine Foods Macaroni Salad, Freshness Guaranteed Amish Macaroni Salad, First Street Macaroni Salad, Kroger Traditional Macaroni Salad