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Maybe, like you, I at first made a face when I came across the idea for macaroni and cheese pasta salad. But I’m an open-minded kind of guy. So I pondered it some more. I thought, hey, I love mac-and-cheese. I love pasta salad. What I thought could be a crazy idea might well be beyond brilliant. I couldn’t just make the idea go away. It was stuck in my head. I had to follow it through. Was it as brilliant as I thought? Yeah, it was. Traditional pasta salad flavors with a bit of cheddar cheese. I often cube cheddar cheese into my pasta salads, so the idea of using boxed mac and cheese really isn’t that much of a stretch. And it’s sure easier. And it’s prettier too!
The Perfect Pasta Salad?
You can easily double this recipe for a family get-together. It travels really well. You can make it the day ahead. Before you leave the house, give it a stir and check if it’s too thick. The pasta likes to absorb the mayonnaise as time passes. You might want to add a bit and give it a gentle stir. Use a spatula and do it gently. Don’t go breaking the pasta into pieces by stirring like a person possessed.
Is It Hot In Here?
I honestly wouldn’t be afraid to add a minced jalapeno or two to this macaroni and cheese pasta salad for a little kick. I also like to substitute chipotle powder or smoked paprika for the black pepper for a little smokiness.
I almost always use Blue Plate mayonnaise in the dishes I make. I think it is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.
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If you want to make mac-and-cheese, but not out of the box, try my 20-minute version. Love pimento cheese? It’s great in pasta salad too!
Macaroni and Cheese Pasta Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 7.5 ounce macaroni and cheese
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 cups celery diced
- 1 medium green bell pepper diced
- 1 4 ounce pimentos diced, drained
- 4 green onions diced
- ยฝ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ยผ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil.
- Add the pasta from the macaroni and cheese and cook per package instructions.
- Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a large bowl combine the cheese packages from the mac and cheese and all of the remaining ingredients.
- Fold in the pasta.
- Cover and refrigerate at least one hour before serving.
- If the salad gets too thick add a bit more mayonnaise and stir lightly.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
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