I love a good pasta salad. And more and more, I like pasta salads that are a combination of traditional ingredients (celery, mayo, onion… the usual suspects) and something different. Like in this Mac and Jack salad, which has spicy hot chipotle salsa in it. Yep, salsa. Now, it’s not crazy hot at all, just a little kick which makes it something different and fantastic. The vinegar and oil dressing keeps this salad different than your usual mayonnaise-sauced salad.
This Mac and Jack salad has a great crunch with lots of fresh veggies, and creamy cheese chunks. It might just be the perfect pasta salad. For a spicy kick you’ll definitely want to go with pepper jack cheese. And add a chopped jalapeno or two.
Also try my three bean macaroni salad.
Mac and Jack Salad
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta dried macaroni
- kosher
- 1 cup corn frozen, thawed
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 4 ribs celery chopped
- freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces Monterey jack cheese diced. or pepper jack
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cup chipotle salsa
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped, or use parsley
Instructions
- Cook pasta in boiling salted water.
- Rinse with cold water and drain well.
- Combine corn, bell pepper, onion and celery in a large bowl.
- Stir in the cheese.
- Add the pasta and stir.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Place red wine vinegar in a small bowl.
- Whisk in the oil.
- Whisk in the salsa.
- Stir into the pasta mix.
- Stir in the fresh cilantro or parsley.
- Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.