Macaroni Salad
A classic, creamy macaroni salad recipe that is a must-have at any barbecue or picnic.
Macaroni salad lovers I have a treat for you. This is a wonderfully creamy and seriously flavourful salad that is sure to be a hit at your next picnic or barbecue. It might even convert a few potato salad lovers if they dare to dig in!
In a traditional macaroni salad celery is one of the typical ingredients. I find celery a little too overpowering in flavour so I prefer to add tomato and green peas instead. Finely diced carrot adds enough crunch and the tomato and peas add a lovely freshness.
I've used traditional elbow macaroni here, but almost any short pasta will work. Use gluten-free pasta if needed. While this isn't vegan, or dairy-free, it's fine for ovo-lacto vegetarians.
Ingredients
(Makes 12 servings)
2 cups dry macaroni, prepared as per package instructions
2 Roma tomatoes, deseeded and chopped
1/4 small sweet onion, finely diced
1/2 cup green peas, thawed if frozen
1 small carrot, peeled and finely diced
1/2 cup light mayonnaise (homemade mayonnaise recipe)
1/2 cup light sour cream (cashew sour cream recipe)
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon granulated sugar (or sweetener of choice)
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
fresh chives to garnish (optional)
Directions
In a medium pot, prepare the macaroni as per the package instructions, cooking until the pasta is al dente.
While you wait for the pasta to cook prepare the tomato, onion, peas, and carrot. Place the vegetables in a large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
When the macaroni is ready, drain and transfer it to a large bowl to cool it down. Ensure the macaroni is drained well. Do not rinse. Once cool, it should be sticky to the touch. Transfer the pasta into the bowl with the vegetables and mix well. Taste and make any adjustments to seasonings to match your palate.
Cover and allow the macaroni salad to sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before serving, or refrigerate until it's time to serve. If refrigerated, you may need an additional dollop of mayonnaise to refresh it's appearance as the macaroni will absorb additional liquid as it sits.
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 102 | total fat = 4.88g | saturated fat = 1.03g | cholesterol = 3.67mg | sodium = 303.89mg | net carbohydrates = 11.17g | dietary fibre = 1.15g | sugars = 4.35g | protein = 2.18g
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