Description
Meredith’s Creamy Macaroni Salad is a delightful, tangy, and refreshing side dish featuring tender macaroni combined with crisp vegetables and dressed in a rich, creamy sauce made from sour cream, mayo, Dijon mustard, and aromatic herbs. Perfect for picnics, barbecues, or as a tasty accompaniment to your favorite mains.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Vegetables
- 1 (16 oz) box macaroni, cooked and drained
- 2 large cucumbers, diced
- 1 small white onion, finely diced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
Dressing
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon dried dill
- 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Cook the macaroni according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Dice the cucumbers, finely dice the small white onion, dice the green bell pepper, and chop the celery stalks.
- Combine Vegetables and Pasta: In a large bowl, add the cooked macaroni, diced cucumbers, onion, bell pepper, and chopped celery. Toss gently to combine all the ingredients evenly.
- Make the Dressing: In a smaller bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, white vinegar, grated Parmesan cheese, granulated sugar, dried dill, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Toss Salad with Dressing: Pour the dressing over the macaroni and vegetable mixture. Toss carefully until every piece is evenly coated with the creamy dressing.
- Chill and Serve: For best flavor, refrigerate the salad for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Serve chilled as a refreshing side dish.
Notes
- To reduce fat, substitute half of the sour cream and mayonnaise with plain Greek yogurt.
- For extra crunch, add chopped celery seeds or chopped fresh herbs like parsley or chives.
- Make the salad a day ahead to enhance the flavor absorption.
- Use gluten-free macaroni to make this dish gluten-free.
- Adjust the red pepper flakes according to your preferred spice level.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 290 kcal
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 320 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
