This summer I have been craving all the classics…
baked beans, cole slaw, corn-on-the-cob and of course macaroni salad! No summer is really complete without a taste of this cool, creamy, crunchy, tangy, touch-of-sweet pasta salad. Mine is filled with lots of finely chopped veggies and dressed with a light creamy dressing. I like to make this ahead, so it’s nice and chilled and the flavors have had a chance to get to know each other really well. While it’s chilling it tends to absorb the dressing which makes it very flavorful, but can leave it a little drier than I’d like, so I reserve some dressing to stir in right before serving – mmm perfect summer yumminess!
All-American Macaroni Salad:
Chop all the veggies and herbs
Whisk together your dressing
Cook your macaroni
Mix together
Reserve some dressing to add right before serving
Add some dressing – this will partially be absorbed adding lots of flavor
Add the reserved dressing right before serving
THANKS FOR SPENDING SOME TIME IN THE CLOUD WITH ME. I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE RECIPE!
TINA ( :
All-American Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni (I used Barilla, I like the ridges on the macaroni)
- 1/2 cup red onion finely chopped
- 4 ounce jar chopped pimientos drained
- 2.25 ounce can black olives drained and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup dill pickle finely chopped
- 3/4 cup celery finely chopped
- 1/4 cup chives snipped 1/4" pieces
- 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley finely chopped
Dressing
- 1 1/4 cup light mayonnaise (I used Hellmann's light)
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons juice from dill pickle jar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper (more to taste)
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions
- Cook macaroni in salted water (I use about 3 tablespoons kosher salt in a large pot of water). Cook a minute less than the package says, drain and rinse to cool.
- In a large bowl, stir together the veggies and macaroni.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the dressing, reserve 3/4 cup dressing and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir the dressing (not the 3/4 cup) into the macaroni mixture. Some of this will be absorbed.
- Cover and chill macaroni salad 2 hours or overnight.
- Stir in reserved 3/4 cup dressing when ready to serve.
I can’t wait to try this recipe! It looks very similar to mine with different veggies!!
Thanks Lynne – Hope you like it!! ( :
We just finished off the rest of ours for lunch today – need more!!