Food processor to make your process easier: Blending the dressing in the food processor is the quickest and easiest way to prep the dressing but if you don't have one, no worries, just add all ingredients to a bowl and whisk until blended.This Easy Macaroni Salad recipe with a creamy dairy-free dressing, savory pickles, and crunchy fresh vegetables is a healthy and quick lunch, dinner or snack.Īre you hungry for some delicious homemade macaroni salad? Then you’re in for a treat! Today’s recipe is one of my favorite ways to enjoy springy al-dente pasta in a creamy dressing with plenty of veggie crunch.Lighten things up even more: If you'd like to go a even lighter, or use less mayo, you can sub plain, Greek yogurt for half of the amount of mayo in the dressing.Prep ahead of time: You can easily prepare the salad a day ahead, and keep it in the fridge-as a matter of fact, it'll take on even more flavor!.Crisping pancetta: If you can find pre-diced pancetta, then use that otherwise, just finely dice the pancetta, then give it a crisp in a hot pan for a few minutes.Ditalini for dainty pasta: I use a pasta called "ditalini" (Italian: "small thimbles"), and you should be able to find it in most grocery stores however, if you can't, just substitute small elbow pasta.This is bright and creamy macaroni salad is sure to be a crowd pleaser, and a bit of a scrumptious departure from the more traditional version! ? To assemble my macaroni salad, I add all of my ingredients to a large bowl, toss together, then turn out into a serving dish I garnish, and keep the salad cold in the fridge until ready to serve.While my pasta is cooking, I prepare my creamy dressing by adding all of my ingredients to a food processor and processing until smooth and well blended (you could also whisk the ingredients).To begin, I cook my little ditalini pasta (my favorite kind of pasta for this recipe) according to package instructions then, I drain and rinse the pasta under cold water.Here's a quick overview of how I prepare my macaroni salad: Preparing a delectable macaroni salad is as easy as adding all of the ingredients into your bowl and mixing together, then allowing the salad to absorb all of those delicious flavors while it chills in the fridge. The results of this tasty combo of ingredients is a lighter, fresher and more flavorful macaroni salad to offer up! Petite green peas offer a little something fresh and green under tooth, offering up a bit of extra texture and nice color.īut the special little unexpected gourmet twist? A sprinkling of crisp pancetta, which gives this particular macaroni salad recipe a slightly salty bite. What lemon offers is a wonderful tanginess, and when used in combination with an herb such as thyme in a creamy dressing base for the macaroni salad, it cuts through the richness and allows for a bit more “brightness” to come through. But, there's a simple and flavorful solution to that, and it involves a few super flavorful ingredients: zippy lemon, pretty green peas, fresh and fragrant thyme, and crisp pancetta. Sometimes, however, macaroni salad can be a wee bit on the heavy side and quite rich. Don't we all just love to reach for a big creamy and cool spoonful? When I think of a spread fit for the warmer seasons, I simply cannot imagine it without a delicious macaroni salad. Macaroni Salad, a Scrumptious Fair Weather Friend Macaroni salad is a cool and refreshing beloved staple, and with this recipe I bring you a delightful mix of peas and crisp pancetta coupled with the bright flavors of lemon and thyme!