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macaroni & cheese salad w/veggies

cookinginillinois avatar
Recipe by
Rose Mary Mogan
@cookinginillinois
Sauk Village, IL

I created this recipe to add veggies into our menu without cooking other veggies. This was a perfect combination. I even added a bit of meat for my meat loving husband. You can add what ever you like, olives would be nice, but I didn't have any, you may also want to add other veggies, just be creative and use what you have. Not only is this salad appealing to the eye, but it taste very good, especially if you wait a few hours before serving it. This is a great salad to feed a crowd, during the hot days of summer. Give it a try.

yield 12 or more depending on portion size
prep time 35 Min
cook time 10 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For macaroni & cheese salad w/veggies

  • 1 lb
    elbow macaroni, cooked i used barilla
  • 1 1/2 c
    matchstick carrots, chopped
  • 1 lb
    frozen early june peas
  • 1 jar
    roasted red peppers, chopped 10 oz.
  • 1 bunch
    green onions, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp
    extra virgin olive oil
  • 8 oz
    cubed ham
  • 2 c
    sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
  • 1 sm
    yellow onion, grated & squeezed dry
  • 2 tsp
    kosher salt, for pasta water
  • DRESSING FOR MACARONI
  • 2 1/2 c
    mayonnaise
  • 1/2 c
    sugar or zero calorie sweetner
  • 2 tsp
    black pepper, i use coarse
  • 3 Tbsp
    apple cider vinegar
  • 1/3 c
    dijon mustard

How To Make macaroni & cheese salad w/veggies

  • 1
    Fill a large pot with water, add the kosher salt, and bring to a boil. Then add pasta and cook Al Dente according to directions on package. Rinse and add in the frozen peas, and stir to blend them into the pasta. Add the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, this prevents it from sticking together. Set aside till needed.
  • 2
    Chop the onions, cube the cheese, and chop the matchstick carrots into smaller pieces. Cube the ham if not already cubed.
  • 3
    Matchstick carrots are a bit thicker than shredded, but use what you like. There is more bite per chew, with the matchstick, but either will work.
  • 4
    Add in the cubed ham chunks, and stir.
  • 5
    Add in the carrots, cheese cubes and chopped roasted red peppers and green & yellow onions, then stir to blend together using a large spoon. Set aside until you make the dressing.
  • 6
    To make the dressing combine all of the ingredients into a medium size bowl, then stir together till blended.
  • 7
    Pour dressing over pasta , and stir to blend together, then pour pasta into a large bowl.
  • 8
    COVER AND REFRIGERATE FOR SEVERAL HOURS BEFORE SERVING TO ALLOW THE FLAVORS TO MARRY.
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