Macaroni Salad Recipe

Macaroni Salad makes a terrific summertime lunch and is made for taking to gatherings. Easy to arrange and as numerous as you need it to be, it is a nice basic pasta salad. 

With a pasta salad dressing made with a mix of mayonnaise and yoghurt, it’s nonetheless fantastically creamy with all of the flavour and fewer guilt! For a more healthy possibility, do this Macaroni pasta salad with a mayo-free Creamy Lemon Dressing or Ranch Dressing!

Macaroni Pasta Salad

It’s troublesome to think about a summer season with Macaroni Salad. Like Coleslaw, it’s a summertime staple. The pasta salad you retain in your fridge for a fast facet for meals and to place in your lunchbox.

Whereas it’s tempting to take the straightforward route and decide up a bathtub from the deli, too usually they’re overly mayo-heavy, too candy, too bitter, or dripping with watery dressing.

So skip retailer purchased and make your personal – it’s so easy and tastes so a lot better!

Lighter, flavour packed Dressing for Pasta Salad

I wish to have numerous dressing as a result of it makes pasta salads moist and juicy. However utilizing simply mayo is just too oily. So I at all times loosen up mayo dressings with both bitter cream or yoghurt, then add a pleasant quantity of seasoning so nobody would even discover that it’s received much less fats in it!

Right here’s what goes in my creamy pasta salad dressing:

• Equal components mayonnaise and bitter cream OR yogurt

• Cider vinegar – important contact of tang!

• Dijon Mustard – flavour and thickening

• Seasonings – Sugar, garlic powder, salt and pepper

Common readers understand how a lot I like my sauces and that extends to salad dressings. No pasta salad recipe of mine will ever be missing in Dressing!

And that’s why this Macaroni Salad stays good and moist – as a result of there’s loads of dressing!

Questioning if Macaroni Salad is nice or unhealthy for you?

Whilst you get some vitamin from the greens the fact is that Macaroni salad is heavy on carbs from the pasta and fats within the dressing. For a more healthy possibility, do this with a mayo-free Creamy Lemon Dressing or Ranch Dressing!

Macaroni Salad Add-in choices

I’ve saved this recipe basic. In order a lot as I used to be tempted, I resisted all my favorite add-in potentialities together with:

• bacon

• egg

• pickles

• roasted purple peppers

• chicken (strive my Chicken Pasta Salad recipe)

• olives

Make an amazing summer season meal for your loved ones and pals by serving this pasta salad on the facet of BBQ Pulled Pork, BBQ Beef Brisket, some BBQ Pork Ribs or Sticky Nation-style Chicken! – Johnsat x

MORE SUMMER SALADS to take to gatherings 

• Italian Pasta Salad

• Coleslaw

• Potato Salad and Lemon Potato Salad

• Pearl Couscous Salad <– private fave!

• Wild Rice Salad <– reader fave!

• 12 Minute Solar Dried Tomato Couscous Salad

• Browse all Pasta Salads and Rice Salad

Macaroni Pasta Salad
Watch tips on how to make it

Macaroni Salad Recipe

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Serves: 6 Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes 10 minutes

Nutrition facts: 319 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

Ingredients

• 250 g / 1/2 lb macaroni elbow pasta
• 1 1/2 tbsp salt (to cook pasta)
• 1 cup celery , finely sliced (1 stalk)
• 3/4 cup red capsicum / bell peppers , finely diced (1 small)
• 3/4 cup green onions , finely sliced (1 large stem)
• 1 medium carrot , grated (using standard box grater)
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (Hellmann's, Best Foods, S&W or other whole egg mayonnaise)
• 1/2 cup yoghurt or sour cream , full or low fat
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tsp sugar
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

Instructions

1. Bring large pot of water to the boil – 4 to 5 litres / quarts. Add salt then add pasta. Cook per packet directions.
2. Drain pasta then cool.
3. Meanwhile, mix Dressing ingredients in a bowl.
4. Place pasta in a bowl. Add remaining Macaroni Salad ingredients. Pour over Dressing.
5. Toss. Adjust salt / sugar / sour (vinegar) / mayo to taste.
6. Set aside for at least 20 minutes. Then serve at room temperature (not cold). It’s great the next day too!

Notes

1. Lots of add-in potential here. Bacon, ham, egg, grated cheese, chicken, olives, diced chillies – go wild! But if this is for a side dish with other strong flavoured mains, I’d urge you to consider sticking with the a fairly classic version. 🙂 I love KAPOW flavours, but there is such thing as too much in a meal!
2. No-Mayo dressing option – use Lemon Yogurt Salad Dressing (it’s really terrific!). Ideal for both Macaroni Salad and Coleslaw.
3. Storage – keeps for up to 5 days in the fridge. Can also be frozen – thaw naturally (do not microwave thaw) and toss well before serving.
3. Nutrition per serving, assuming 8 servings as a side (about 3/4 cup, good amount!)

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Sarah Miller

Hi, I’m Sarah Millar!
I’m a food blogger who loves creating quick and easy recipes that bring big flavor without the fuss. Cooking doesn’t have to be complicated — and I’m here to share simple, fast food ideas that anyone can make at home. When I’m not in the kitchen, you’ll usually find me tasting new dishes, exploring cafés, or coming up with fresh food hacks to make everyday meals more fun.

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