SIMPLE MACARONI SALAD RECIPE WITH MAYO FREE

The recipe says 1 hour, but that should really only be in a pinch.

Chilling Time: Make sure to leave adequate time for the salad to chill after assembly.

It makes a huge difference in dispersing the onion flavor throughout the dressing. The end result should be almost liquid onion.

Onion: Grate the onion or use a small food processor.

The vinegar helps to make sure the finished dish isn’t dry, that the soft pasta stays moist and soaks up that wonderful dressing. Tossing hot pasta with vinegar is the key to making sure those soft noodles can interact with the dressing right.

Tossing When It’s Hot: Once your pasta is soft, drain it and immediately toss it with the vinegar.

It will be a bit soupy at first, but the pasta will soak it all up as it sits. This is the traditional method and has a big impact on the final product. Vinegar first, then dressing, add the veggies, and more milk and mayo.

Assembly: Pay particular attention to the assembling process.This prepares the pasta to soak up a lot of dressing and deliciousness. Cooking Pasta: Unlike a lot of pasta salad recipes, you want to cook the pasta all the way until it is soft.Beyond ham and pineapple, there are endless possibilities!

SIMPLE MACARONI SALAD RECIPE WITH MAYO FREE

Like all pasta salads, feel free to add whatever you want to make it own.

Extras: This is a recipe for traditional Hawaiian macaroni salad without any of the extras that have become popular over the years.

I also suggest full-fat mayo and whole milk to maximize the creaminess of the dressing. The salad dressing spreads have added sugar and flavorings that can impact the taste.

Mayo: Make sure you use real mayo and not salad dressing spread like Miracle Whip.

Experiment until you find the one you like best.

Pasta: I used elbow pasta in keeping with tradition, but you can feel free to use whatever you have on hand! I prefer noodles with bends, twists, or grooves because they hold on to the dressing better.

If the dressing is too dense, meaning you haven’t used enough milk, the pasta won’t be able to soak it up. That way each bite is infused with a wonderful creamy flavor. This is because you want the pasta-cooked until soft-to literally soak up the dressing. If you choose not to include any milk at all, the macaroni salad probably won’t taste the same.

The only thing to be careful of is that you don’t let the dressing get too dense.If you want a salad with a thinner dressing, use more milk. If you want a dressing that has a more mayo-like flavor, use less milk. Dressing: Go ahead and use as much or as little milk as you like.It comes together fairly quickly but tastes like it took ages! You’ll be able to pull this fantastic salad recipe together with staples from your pantry.

Simple macaroni salad recipe with mayo