Jalapeno Pasta Salad

This jalapeno pasta salad is loaded with all classic flavors from your favorite macaroni salad but with a nice twist: Pickled jalapenos!

This is a summer salad that everyone loves. The richness and tanginess from the mayo, the crunchiness from the vegetables and the tenderness of macaroni pasta makes this dish a summer favourite for your family.

this recipe

This jalapeno pasta 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.

Mexican, Italian or what?

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.

The ingredients

MACARONI – Use a short pasta, like elbows, shells or ditalini. You can even make it the day before, place it on a bowl and coat it with a bit of mayo to keep it from drying, the make your salad next day.

PICKLED JALAPEÑO – You can find those at any latinoamerican store, they are sold in small cans or you can also find them in Amazon. But if you want to bring this jalapeno pasta salad to the next level, you can make pickled jalapenos at home! I promise, they’re so easy to make.

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.

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.

Make this jalapeno pasta salad your fav for picnics!

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.

DID YOU ENJOYED THIS JALAPENO PASTA SALAD? Please, don’t forget to rate it and leave us a comment below, we’d love to hear from you! Also, remember that you share it using the buttons below. If you’d like, you can follow us on PINTEREST, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK and YOUTUBE!