Loaded Macaroni Salad

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Once the summer is here I begin looking for side dishes that are cold.  We often make a cold plate for lunches so cold side dishes are a must.   A cold plate might consist of fruit salad, a pasta or macaroni salad, cheese and crackers, a tossed salad, or a sandwich.  Anything that we can make that’s cold and doesn’t require any heating.

One of my favorite side dishes is macaroni salad.  I’ve made several over the years and I definitely have my favorites.   Neither my husband nor I like macaroni salad that is sweet or loaded with mayonnaise.   We both prefer a more mustard based salad.

This loaded macaroni salad has both mayonnaise and brown mustard in it and just a small amount of sugar.  It’s loaded with bacon, celery, broccoli, peppers, onions, and cheddar cheese.  Most of the macaroni salads I make don’t have the bacon and cheese in it but it’s a great addition to this one.   We also really liked the crunch of the veggies in it.

As a side note, I’d recommend making the dressing for this and reserving about a quarter of a cup of it for the day after you make the macaroni salad.  The salad really soaks up the dressing the day it is made so I like to keep a little dressing to mix with it the next day.

The macaroni salad is absolutely delicious.   The dressing is creamy and has a hint of spice from the mustard as well as some tang from the mayonnaise.  The bacon adds a bit of saltiness while the cheese adds a sharpness.  All of the vegetables give the macaroni salad flavor and a crunchiness.  It’s a delicious loaded version of macaroni salad perfect for summer picnics.

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Loaded Macaroni Salad

Yield: serves 8

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

This loaded version on the classic macaroni salad tosses the pasta with bacon, cheddar cheese, and tons of crisp veggies.

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Ingredients

• 3/4 lb. macaroni noodles, cooked and drained
• 1/4 c. sour cream
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons brown mustard
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 c. sharp cheddar cheese, chopped
• 3 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 c. broccoli, chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 3 Tablespoons red onion, minced

Instructions

1. Place the cooked macaroni in a large bowl and set aside.
2. In a small bowl combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, brown mustard, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
3. Add the cheddar cheese, bacon, celery, broccoli, pepper, and onion to the bowl with the macaroni. Toss to combine.
4. Add the dressing to the bowl with the pasta and vegetables. Mix well until everything is coated with the dressing.
5. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Culinary Hill