Mexican Macaroni Salad

I was not prepared for just how much we loved this Mexican macaroni salad. Sure, I looked at the ingredient list and thought “Hey, that’ll be good”. But I didn’t think it’d be absolutely fantastic. But it was. This is what every ole pasta salad you’ve ever had wished it was. Creamy, crunchy, savory, every bite is perfect. Oh, and it makes a HUGE batch, making it perfect for feeding a crowd!

Mexican Macaroni Salad

Get Cheesy

I made only a small change to the original recipe for this Mexican macaroni salad. I wanted the contracting texture of cheese so I cubed a block of Monterey Jack cheese and added it in. Cheddar (mild or sharp) would also be excellent. I think you’d want it cubed, versus shredded, though, so you get a nice ‘bite’.

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.

If I wanted a spicier version of this salad (and I do), I’d use a spicy salsa and add cubed pepperjack cheese instead.

Also try my Creole macaroni salad.

Mexican Macaroni Salad
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4 from 1 vote

Mexican Macaroni Salad

I was not prepared for just how much we loved this Mexican macaroni salad. Sure, I looked at the ingredient list and thought “Hey, that’ll be good”. But I didn’t think it’d be absolutely fantastic. But it was.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword pasta, salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 12
Calories 420kcal

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni or whatever pasta you prefer
  • vegetable oil
  • 2 ears sweet corn
  • 15 ounces black beans drained, rinsed
  • ½ cup black olives finely chopped
  • 6 Roma tomatoes chopped
  • 3 green onions thinly sliced (plus more for garnish, if desired)
  • ½ medium red onion finely diced
  • 1 pound Monterey Jack cheese cubed (use pepperjack for a bit of a kick!)

For the dressing

Instructions

For the salad

  • Cook the pasta per package instructions. Drain but do not rinse.
  • Meanwhile, roast the corn. Brush lightly with oil and place on a hot grill or under a broiler, rotating often until lightly browned and cooked.
  • Let the corn cool slightly before cutting the kernels off the ears. Transfer to a large bowl.
  • Add the beans, olives, tomatoes, green onion, red onion and cheese, if using. Toss gently to mix.
  • Add the dressing and cooking pasta and stir gently to coat.
  • Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Garnish with additional green onions if desired. Note: If the salad is too thick, stir in some more salsa or mayonnaise before serving.

For the dressing

  • Whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl.

Nutrition

Calories: 420kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 493mg | Potassium: 423mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 831IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 337mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Creole Macaroni Salad

It doesn’t take a whole lot of changes to make a pretty much run-of-the-mill pasta salad different. This Creole macaroni salad has buttermilk in the dressing, giving it that wonderful tangy flavor. I love buttermilk so I instantly thought how great . Buttermilk fried chicken and this salad are a great match too. Trust me, I tried it. The salad also has tomatoes and (my wife’s favorite) olives. Her motto is: You can’t have too many olives.

Creole Macaroni Salad

Heat In A Pasta Salad Is A Good Thing

I would (and did) add more cayenne pepper to give this Creole macaroni salad even more kick. Plus, I think the dressing has a somewhat cooling effect, so a bit more heat isn’t going to hurt anything.

This recipe comes from Paul Kirk’s Championship Barbecue Cookbook, a huge book of everything barbecue. Get it. It’s packed with recipes like this great salad and whole lot more.

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.

Also try my Hawaiian-style potato and Mexican macaroni salads.

Creole Macaroni Salad
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5 from 1 vote

Creole Macaroni Salad

It doesn’t take a whole lot of changes to make a pretty much run-of-the-mill pasta salad different. 
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword pasta salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 325kcal

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni or whatever pasta you prefer
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese diced
  • ½ cup celery diced
  • ½ cup onion diced
  • 1 small green bell pepper diced
  • ¼ cup pimento-stuffed green olives halved

For the dressing

Instructions

  • Place all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl or resealable container.
  • Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad. Toss gently to coat.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours before serving

Nutrition

Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 430mg | Potassium: 226mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 395IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 94mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Creole Pasta Salad Version 2.0

Our post on a peas and pasta salad has been the most popular post on Life’s A Tomato for a long, long time. We make it often. Well, I was reading through Paul Kirk’s Championship Barbecue: Barbecue Your Way to Greatness With 575 Lip-Smackin’ Recipes from the Baron of Barbecue when I came across this recipe for Creole pasta salad. I knew it would be a hit. It has everything in it that we love, from crunchy celery, to salty olives, to a great buttermilk dressing. I made a few minor changes to the recipe and made up a big batch. Oh, how it was sooo good. It was even better the next day after the olives got happier in the dressing, giving the entire salad a nice lightly salty olive flavor.

Creole Pasta Salad Version 2.0

Don’t Fear The Leftovers

If the salad gets a little dry the next day, stir in a little extra buttermilk or mayonnaise. And then give it a good stir.

Paul Kirk’s book is amazing. I can’t recommend it enough. It has recipes for everything from sauces, to meats, to wonderful salads like this one.

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.

Also try my Mardis Gras pasta salad and my other other version of Creole pasta salad.

Creole Pasta Salad Version 2.0
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5 from 1 vote

Creole Macaroni Salad Version 2.0

When I came across this recipe for Creole pasta salad I knew it would be a hit. It has everything in it that we love, from crunchy celery, to salty olives, to a great buttermilk dressing.
Course Salad
Cuisine American
Keyword Creole, pasta salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 14
Calories 277kcal

Ingredients

For the salad

  • 1 pound elbow macaroni cooked, drained, rinsed
  • 2 cups tomatoes seeded, diced . You can omit these if you want
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese cubed
  • ½ cup celery diced
  • ½ cup sweet onion diced
  • ½ cup green bell pepper diced
  • ¼ cup pimento-stuffed green olives sliced

For the dressing

Instructions

  • Combine all of the salad ingredients in a very large bowl.
  • Whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.
  • Pour dressing over the salad and gently stir to combine.
  • Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Nutrition

Calories: 277kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 177mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 499IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Macaroni Salad

The key to this fantastic macaroni salad is the tang of the Blue Plate mayonnaise. Regular mayonnaise just won’t give you that kick. If you cannot find Blue Plate in your area, mix a little fresh lemon juice and Dijon mustard into your usual mayonnaise. It’ll be more like Blue Plate, but nothing, absolutely nothing, is the same as Blue Plate.

This macaroni salad really reminds me of a traditional egg salad. Creamy, and crunchy. Well, and it does have eggs in it too.

Macaroni Salad

Want A Kick? You Got It!

For a little kick in your salad, add a few pinches (or more) of my homemade Cajun seasoning. Or add cubed pepper jack cheese. Also try my mac and Jack salad and my crazy-good Creole macaroni salad.

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.

Macaroni Salad
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Macaroni Salad

This macaroni salad really reminds me of a traditional egg salad. Creamy, and crunchy. Well, and it does have eggs in it too.
Course Side
Cuisine American
Keyword pasta, salad
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 385kcal

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Cook pasta per package instructions. Drain well and let cool.
  • Place pasta into a large bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir (gently) to combine.
  • Let refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.

Notes

Substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning for the salt, pepper and garlic powder for extra kick!

Nutrition

Calories: 385kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 31g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 109mg | Sodium: 705mg | Potassium: 174mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 368IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.