My mother first carried this dish to a little church picnic back in the late 1960s, and it never once came home with more than a spoonful left in the pan. It’s a funny Midwestern mash-up: part potato salad, part macaroni salad, and all baked together so it turns warm, creamy, and just a little bit toasty around the edges. With only five main ingredients and a baking sheet lined in foil for easy cleanup, it’s the kind of practical, feed-a-crowd recipe that shows up at every neighborhood potluck around here. Folks scoop it up warm or at room temperature, and someone always asks for the recipe, just like they used to ask my mother.
This oven-baked potato salad pasta is hearty enough to be the star of the table, so I like to surround it with simple things: sliced garden tomatoes, corn on the cob, watermelon wedges, and maybe a tray of grilled brats or burgers. It sits happily on a picnic table and tastes just as good warm as it does after it’s cooled a bit. A jar of dill pickles, a bowl of potato chips, and a pitcher of iced tea or lemonade are all you really need to turn this into a full Midwestern summer spread.
Oven Baked 5-Ingredient Potato Salad PastaServings: 8-10
Ingredients
12 oz elbow macaroni (or other small pasta)
1 1/2 lb russet or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and chopped
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1 1/2 tsp kosher salt (plus more for pasta water)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup reserved starchy pasta cooking water (as needed, optional)
Nonstick cooking spray or a little oil for the foil
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, letting it come up the sides a bit, and lightly coat the foil with nonstick spray or a thin film of oil. This keeps the creamy pasta from sticking and makes cleanup easy.
Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the cubed potatoes and cook for 5–7 minutes, just until they are barely tender when pierced with a fork but not falling apart. Use a slotted spoon to lift the potatoes out into a large mixing bowl, leaving the water in the pot for the pasta.
Bring the potato water back to a boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to package directions until just al dente. Before draining, dip out about 1/4 cup of the starchy cooking water and set it aside. Drain the pasta well.
In the large bowl with the warm potatoes, add the drained macaroni and the chopped hard-boiled eggs. Gently toss to combine, taking care not to mash the potatoes too much.
In a separate medium bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, salt, and black pepper until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if you like a bit more mustard or salt.
Pour the mayonnaise-mustard dressing over the warm potato, pasta, and egg mixture. Fold everything together gently until all the pieces are well coated. If the mixture seems a little stiff or dry, stir in a tablespoon or two of the reserved pasta water to loosen it up. It should look creamy and spoonable.
Scrape the dressed mixture onto the prepared foil-lined baking sheet and spread it into an even layer, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick. Don’t worry if it looks a little rustic; the uneven spots get the best toasty bits.
Place the baking sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the salad is heated through and bubbling in a few spots. You’re not trying to brown it deeply, just warm and set it so it holds together in hearty scoops.
Carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the potato salad pasta rest for at least 10 minutes. It will firm up a bit as it cools, which makes it easier to serve those big, satisfying spoonfuls you see at potlucks.
Serve warm or at room temperature right from the foil-lined pan, using a big serving spoon to lift generous scoops. Any leftovers should be cooled, covered tightly, and refrigerated, then eaten within 3–4 days.
Variations & Tips
This old-fashioned dish is very forgiving, and that’s part of why it’s such a potluck favorite. If you like a tangier flavor, swap half of the mayonnaise for sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, or add a spoonful of apple cider vinegar to the dressing. A spoonful of sugar is a very Midwestern touch if you want a hint of sweetness with the mustard. You can also stir in chopped dill pickles or celery for crunch, sliced green onions for a little bite, or sprinkle the top with paprika before baking for a bit of color. If you need to stretch it for a bigger crowd, add another 4 oz of pasta and a bit more mayonnaise and mustard so it stays creamy. For a lighter version, use light mayonnaise and add more mustard to keep the flavor bold. Food safety notes: Because this dish contains eggs and mayonnaise, always keep leftovers refrigerated and avoid letting it sit out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (or 1 hour if it’s very hot outside at a picnic). Reheat leftovers gently in a low oven (covered) or enjoy them cold; avoid reheating more than once for best quality. Be sure hard-boiled eggs are cooled promptly after cooking and peeled with clean hands, and always start with a clean cutting board and knife when handling eggs and potatoes.
