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Classic macaroni salad is a summer dish that everyone loves. The richness and tanginess from the mayo, the crunchiness from the vegetables and the tenderness of macaroni pasta makes this salad a summer favourite for your family.
Macaroni salad is also budget-friendly and the best of all is that you can make it ahead of time. Everyone loves this salad because you can adjust the ingredients to your liking and have even vegan versions of this fulfilling side dish.
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Our macaroni salad
Mi husband and I grew up in different continents, still, we both know macaroni salad since we were kids. His mom make a delicious Italian salad called insalata di pasta fredda which is pretty similar to this recipe, but have some ingredients that make it very Italian, like salumi (charcuterie) and mozzarella.
My mom, in the other hand, taught me to make pasta fría de codito (macaroni salad) with jalapeños en vinagre (pickled jalapeno) and peas.
Two versions of this salad that we enjoy every summer.
I like to make a mix of both and to be honest, I am pretty open to just change ingredients with whatever I have available in my fridge. So this recipe is all about fusion, to make it more to our taste and to also offer you a nice option for a pasta salad. Because my friend, what kind of summer this will be without a big bowl of macaroni salad on the table?
I always coat macaroni with a tablespoon of mayonnaise right after rinsed with cold water. That prevents it from sticking while a finish to prepare the rest of the ingredients. Sometimes I even prepare pasta the day before, then just add that little bit of mayonnaise, coat evenly, cover and put it in the fridge until the next day.
Other summer favourite’s you might enjoy
Strawberry frozen margarita | Mediterranean pasta salad | Classic guacamole | Strawberry horchata fresca
The ingredientes for a classic cold macaroni salad
MACARONI – Use a short pasta, like elbows, shells or ditalini.
VEGGIES – Celery, red and yellow bell peppers, carrots and red onions adds a nice crunchy touch. Dill pickles will give an extra flavour that everyone loves. Pickled jalapeno is “my secret” ingredient, adds that little spicy touch that I always need in my food.
PROTEINS – Boiled eggs are a classic. You can also make it richer by adding some ham (cubed), cheese or hotdog sausages.
CONDIMENTS – Mayonnaise, yellow mustard and sour cream. Vinegar, salt & pepper and bit of sugar to balance the flavours.
Ready for picnic?
Pack your macaroni salad and enjoy it at the beach, lake, park or anywhere you go. This salad can be made ahead of time and save you lots of time so you can enjoy more this summer. I like to pack them in those weck jars for the go.
Classic macaroni salad
Ingredients
- 300 gr Dry macaroni pasta
- 130 gr Red bell peppers / (1 cup) finely chopped
- 130 gr Yellow bell peppers / (1 cup) finely chopped
- 40 gr Red onions / (1/3 cup) finely chopped
- 60 gr Carrots / (1/2 cup) shredded
- 60 gr Celery / (1/2 cup) finely chopped
- 60 gr Dill pickles / (1/2 cup) finely chopped
- 25 gr Pickled jalapeno / (2 tbsp) finely chopped
- 2 eggs / boiled and finely chopped
Dressing
- 160 gr Mayonnaise
- 160 gr Sour cream
- 30 gr Yellow mustard 2 tbsp
- 30 ml White vinegar 3 tbsp
- 1 tbsp Parsley / finely chopped
- 1 tbsp Sugar (12 gr)
- Salt & pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni, and cook until tender Drain the pasta and rinse under cool running water.
- Put pasta onto a mixing bowl and add 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise. Coat evenly and set aside.
- Make the dressing: In a medium mixing bowl stir together mayonnaise, sour cream (or yogurt), vinegar, mustard, sugar, parsley, salt and pepper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl add pasta, then the vegetables and pour over the dressing. Mix to evenly coat and adjust of salt and pepper.
- Cover the bowl and put it in the fridge for at least 1 hour before serving.
I loved this salad .seems delicious, thanks for the recipe.