Creamy, Lighter Macaroni Salad
I think I have shared before how much I have traditionally despised all kinds of summer salads. From pasta salad to potato and macaroni, I always turned my nose up at them. Until I started making my own. And proving that less is more when it comes to mayonnaise and salads. I gave pasta salad an Italian spin, whipped up my friend’s grandmother’s best ever potato salad, and now I’ve conquered macaroni salad. It’s been an exciting summer! ;-)
This recipe starts out as your typical macaroni salad with elbow macaroni, celery, radishes, dill pickle, and hard boiled eggs, but the difference lies in the dressing. Instead of piling on the mayo, the bulk of the dressing is made up of plain yogurt, with a much smaller amount of mayonnaise used as an accent, instead of the main ingredient. It results in a salad that is perfectly dressed – moist and a little creamy but not at all thick or overpowering. Along with the crunch from the vegetables, it’s a wonderfully refreshing summer salad.
One year ago: Oven-Fried Onion Rings, Take II
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Creamy Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
- ½ pound (226.8 g) elbow macaroni
- 2 hard-cooked eggs, whites roughly chopped, yolks left whole
- 1 cup (245 g) low-fat or non-fat plain yogurt
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 4 radishes, quartered and thinly sliced
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced crosswise
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- 1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and return to pot.
- 2. In a small bowl, finely mash 1 egg yolk with a fork (reserve remaining yolk for another use). Add yogurt, mayonnaise, and lemon juice; stir until smooth. Add to pasta, then stir in egg whites, radishes, celery and pickle. Season with salt and pepper.
- 3. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Sprinkle with chives just before serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
I made this for a family barbecue night- it was simple and very fresh tasting. I forwent the dill pickle as no one in the family, besides me, likes dill pickles. Instead I added green onion (just to give it a little more flavor and in Hawaiian Mac salad they use onion. I figured it would go nicely with our teriyaki turkey burgers and grilled corn on the cob). Anyway, it did and all my boys liked the Mac salad! I used a greek yogurt I made myself. I think the success of this dish would greatly depend on the type of yogurt you use. I find too many commercial yogurts to be overpowering in taste when I have used them in other dishes. (Too tangy/sour). you definitely want a really mild, but thick, yogurt. I would recommend brands like: stoneyfield, wallaby, or chobani. And would stay away from fage and dannone. Anyway, thank you for the recipe! We are still munching on the leftovers.