This mac 'n' cheese salad is the ultimate comfort food meets salad dish! Creamy, cheesy pasta combined with fresh veggies makes it perfect for barbecues, picnics, or easy lunches. Quick, delicious, and sure to be a hit!
I first saw the recipe in the July 2016 Asda Good Living magazine and have adapted it slightly and made it LOADS of times over the years!! It's delicious and incredibly moreish...I guess it helps that macaroni cheese is one of my favourite meals. It's a great dish to serve for a buffet, at a BBQ or to take on a picnic. Leftovers are great to enjoy for lunch too.
Tips
- Make it spicy - add sriracha, jalapeños or smoked paprika.
- BBQ flavours - mix in pulled pork or drizzle with BBQ sauce.
- Healthy version - use whole wheat pasta, fat free Greek yogurt in the dressing and add extra veggies.
- Vegan version - use dairy-free cheese and a cashew-based dressing.
- This mac 'n' cheese salad recipe is easily adapted if you're cooking for less or more people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes - make it a day in advance, but stir in a little extra dressing before serving to refresh the texture.
Cook it al dente, rinse with cold water, and toss with a little oil to prevent sticking.
It's best served at room temperature, or cold.
Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
It's not recommended as the pasta can become mushy, and dairy-based dressings don't freeze well.
Add grilled chicken or roasted chickpeas for extra protein.
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How to make this Mac 'n' Cheese Salad
Ingredients
- 300g macaroni or spirali pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 rashers smoked back bacon (or 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon)
- 4 tbsp light mayonnaise (Heinz is my favourite!)
- 2 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
- 1 tsp American-style mustard
- 40g extra mature cheddar, grated
- 40g red leicester, grated
- 1 small yellow pepper, deseeded and diced
- 8 baby cherry or plum tomatoes, halved
- 2 tbsp chopped chives, to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the grill on high.
- Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions (around 10 minutes). Drain and refresh with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl, toss with the olive oil and allow to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon under the hot grill until crispy (around 5 to 6 minutes, turning once). Leave to cool on a plate with kitchen roll, then roughly chop ready for adding at step 4.
- To make the dressing, put the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard in a small bowl. Stir together until well combined.
- Stir the bacon, grated cheeses, diced pepper and tomatoes into the pasta. Drizzle over the dressing and gently stir to combine. Garnish with the chopped chives and serve straight away.
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Mac 'n' Cheese Salad
Ingredients
- 300 g (10.6 oz) macaroni or spirali pasta
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 rashers smoked back bacon (or 4 rashers smoked streaky bacon)
- 4 tbsp light mayonnaise (Heinz is my favourite!)
- 2 tbsp reduced fat sour cream
- 1 tsp American-style mustard
- 40 g (1.4 oz) extra mature cheddar grated
- 40 g (1.4 oz) red leicester grated
- 1 small yellow pepper deseeded and diced
- 8 baby cherry or plum tomatoes halved
- 2 tbsp chopped chives to garnish
Instructions
- Heat the grill on high.
- Cook the pasta according to the pack instructions (around 10 minutes). Drain and refresh with cold water. Transfer to a large bowl, toss with the olive oil and allow to cool completely.
- Meanwhile, cook the bacon under the hot grill until crispy (around 5 to 6 minutes, turning once). Leave to cool on a plate with kitchen roll, then roughly chop ready for adding at step 4.
- To make the dressing, put the mayonnaise, sour cream and mustard in a small bowl. Stir together until well combined.
- Stir the bacon, grated cheeses, diced pepper and tomatoes into the pasta. Drizzle over the dressing and gently stir to combine. Garnish with the chopped chives and serve straight away.
Notes
- Make it spicy - add sriracha, jalapeños or smoked paprika.
- BBQ flavours - mix in pulled pork or drizzle with BBQ sauce.
- Healthy version - use whole wheat pasta, fat free Greek yogurt in the dressing and add extra veggies.
- Vegan version - use dairy-free cheese and a cashew-based dressing.
- This mac 'n' cheese salad recipe is easily adapted if you're cooking for less or more people.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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