Jalapeno Popper Macaroni Salad

In the summer we eat a lot of cold side dishes.   It's nice to spend a day making side dishes and then to enjoy them all week long for lunch or dinner.  These cold side dishes are also perfect for taking on a picnic.  This week the Sunday Supper Movement is sharing favorite picnic recipes!

I have so many favorite recipes that are perfect for a picnic that it was hard to decide which one to share.   A lot of my picnic recipes are either variations of cole slaw, potato salad, or macaroni salad.  I also like to take no bake desserts with me when I go to a cookout or a picnic.

This week I'm sharing a recipe for Jalapeno Popper Macaroni Salad.   This is a cold salad that takes all the best flavors from jalapeno poppers and mixes them together with classic macaroni salad. It has jalapenos, bacon, cheese, and macaroni noodles all combined with a mayonnaise and sour cream dressing.

The resulting macaroni salad is awesome.   It starts out tasting like regular pasta salad but then it heats up in your mouth.  The jalapenos definitely add a spicy kick to this dish.   Then the cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, or cheddar cheese cool it down and add a lot of flavor.  The bacon simply adds flavor and salt.  It's a great side dish that's perfect for a picnic.

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Jalapeno Popper Macaroni Salad #SundaySupper

Yield: serves 10-12

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Spice up your classic macaroni salad with jalapenos, bacon, and cheddar cheese!

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Ingredients

• 1 lb. macaroni noodles
• 1 c. canned or jarred jalapenos, chopped
• 1 c. sharp cheddar cheese, chopped
• 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• ¾ c. mayonnaise
• ¾ c. light sour cream
• 4 Tablespoons cream cheese, softened
• 1 Tablespoon brown mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

1. Cook the macaroni noodles according to the package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
2. In a large bowl combine the macaroni noodles, jalapenos, cheddar cheese, and bacon. Toss to combine then set aside.
3. In a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix well to combine.
4. Add the dressing to the macaroni salad and mix until combined.
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Notes

Recipe adapted from The Chunky Chef

More Picnic Recipes:

• Buffalo Chicken Dip Recipe by That Skinny Chick Can Bake
• Cream Cheese Slider Sandwiches by Bottom Left of the Mitten
• Patatas Brava Chorizo Sausage Rolls by Food Lust People Love

• Avocado Bacon Loaded Pasta Salad by Daily Dish Recipes
• BBQ Ranch Pasta Salad by Cooking With Carlee
• Broccoli Slaw by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings