READY IN 4+ hrs

Macaroni Salad with a Twist

Read Reviews (18)

"I was messin' around in my kitchen trying to put a twist on my traditional macaroni salad recipe. I tried several different dishes before I came up with this one. Now my friends and family can't get enough of it! I recommend making it a day ahead and chilling it overnight to really develop the flavors." — Sean

Directions

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta, and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta, but do not rinse. Let stand 5 minutes.
To make the dressing, combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Set aside.
Combine the onion, celery, bell pepper, carrots, and ham in a large bowl. Stir in the dressing. Add the pasta and toss gently to blend all ingredients. Chill at least 4 hours before serving.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 20 mins
COOK 8 mins
READY IN 4 hrs 28 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jul 02, 2007

Great recipe. My parents loved this salad. It was a great little twist to a mac salad. I added some chedder and swiss cheese and mushrooms. I didnt like the mushrooms but the cheese was good. I plan on making this salad for a 4th of July party. Yes, its that good. Although I only used about 3/4 of the dressing....so you could cut back on that a little.

—HEIDI4

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Jul 05, 2007

A little too sweet for a pasta salad recipe. I tried making this recipe w/ only a 1/4 cup of sugar instead of the 2/3 called for, but I think if I'd make it again, I'd only use a tablespoon of sugar.

—healthycooking

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21 Ratings

Dec 19, 2008

Thought this was a great recipe but added and adjusted a bit. I reduced the mayo and sugar some. I thought the texture and sweetness after refrigeration turned out just right. I also added olives, cherry tomato, hard boiled egg, peas, and a bit of pickle relish. I always sneak in as many veggies as I can for my family dinners. Thanks for the great recipe!

—LinC

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Aug 28, 2007

I took some advice from other reviews when making this recipe. I cut down the sugar to about 4 tbsp and only used 1 tbsp of mustard. I added some colorful veggies and the salad turned out great. A nice tangy dressing, everyone enjoyed it.

—Jackie

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Jul 07, 2008

This pasta salad was AWESOME!! I had a Luau Themed Birthday Party for my boyfriend and made this for my food table. It was a complete hit!! Everyone was asking me where I BOUGHT IT!!! I told them I made it from scratch and they couldn't believe it. It was so good I made it again for 4th of July and it was a hit there too!!! Thank you soooo much!!!

—Cubbie_Girl

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Feb 21, 2012

This was pretty good. I used whole wheat rotini since I always buy whole wheat pasta, a red onion instead of a vidalia (I feel red onions are better for pasta salads) & diced the carrots instead of grating them (didn't feel like dirtying the grater). I would make again, maybe next time trying salami instead of ham.

—Snowflake

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Oct 04, 2011

My family really enjoyed this recipe. This was used as a main dish because of the added ham. The crunch in this gave it great texture and a pound of ham added the protein. I served this with steamed broccoli and rolls. The leftover kept nicely for about 3 days. Thanks Sean for sharing your recipe - it is a keeper.

—Molly

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Sep 07, 2011

I made this for a Labor Day gathering and my family loved it. I couldn't find a 16 oz. package of shells, so I used two 7 oz. packages. I used yellow pepper instead of green and red onion instead of Vidalia onion. I lessened the salt and pepper and did not add ham. I will make this often. It's quick and easy.

—ElenaV

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Nutrition

Calories
582 kcal
29%

Carbohydrates
64.1 g
21%

Cholesterol
44 mg
15%

Fat
29.2 g
45%

Fiber
2.9 g
12%

Protein
17.7 g
35%

Sodium
1416 mg
57%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Macaroni Salad with a Twist

Serving Size: 1/8 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 8
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 582
Calories from Fat: 263

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 29.2g 45 %
Saturated Fat 5.5g 28 %
Cholesterol 44mg 15 %
Sodium 1416mg 57 %
** Potassium 388mg 11 %
Total Carbohydrates 64.1g 21 %
Dietary Fiber 2.9g 12 %
Protein 17.7g 35 %
Sugars 20.3g
Vitamin A 15 %
Vitamin C 23 %
Calcium 4 %
Iron 24 %
** Thiamin 39 %
** Niacin 60 %
** Vitamin B6 31 %
** Magnesium 15 %
** Folate 68 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.