1970s Macaroni Salad Tasted Different Because Of This Ingredient

Mayo has a rightful place in many delicious foods — it's the magic ingredient in Southern fruit salad, after all. On the subject of salads, it's true that most folks bind their macaroni salad with creamy mayo to hold the noodles together and provide a smooth, unctuous canvas for building flavor with their choice of add-ins. We're here to tell you, however, that boomers might have got something right when it came to mac salad: the addition of Miracle Whip. Several old-school recipes, some of which allege Amish origins, star Miracle Whip in their passed-down family macaroni salads. Lest you think that this is a simple 1:1 swap, think again. Miracle Whip, created in 1933 and beloved by our parents and grandparents, adds something special that mayo lacks, namely extra flavor.

There's a difference between aioli and commonplace mayo, and, likewise, Miracle Whip is its own distinct item as well. First, regardless of what you might think, it's not mayo. Per United States law, mayonnaise has to contain a certain percentage of vegetable oil by weight to be classified as such, and Miracle Whip doesn't meet that criteria. Instead, it contains seasonings and sugar on top of the standard mayo base of eggs, oil, and lemon juice. These extras make it both sweeter and tangier than mayo. 

When you see old recipes calling for "salad dressing," they're likely referring to Miracle Whip generically, as it was commonly used to bring together creamy salads of all sorts. It may not be right for every mayo-based application, but we'd argue that it's still ideal for gussying up your next picnic or potluck special.

Classic macaroni salad transforms into Hawaiian-style mac salad based on its mix-ins, but the beauty of a 1970s Miracle Whip-based bowl is that you can really put anything in it that you normally like in a creamy salad. If you like a plain Jane side with some diced celery and pepper, that's just fine. Want to be a bit extra with green onions, egg, and grated onion? Go for it! If you already have a macaroni salad recipe that you enjoy, you just might like it the retro way with Miracle Whip instead of mayo.

The standard for Miracle Whip macaroni salad is that it's generally quite sweet — in fact, many recipes add sugar on top of the dressing — but you can temper that with the addition of acidic mustard or pickle relish. Alternatively (hear us out), you could incorporate ingredients that really play into the sweetness of the Miracle Whip, like juicy peas, chunks of honeyed ham, or slivers of pineapple. 

Regardless of your recipe, keep one thing in mind: if you prepare your macaroni salad ahead of time, consider reviving it right before serving by stirring in a little extra Miracle Whip to combat any drying that might have taken place in the fridge. Vintage recipes get a lot of heat for wacky ingredients that don't make sense to modern palates, but Miracle Whip is one example of our boomer foodie forebears arguably got right.