Description
This Mexican Macaroni Salad is a vibrant and refreshing side dish perfect for barbecues and gatherings. It features tender elbow macaroni tossed with a zesty and creamy dressing, fresh vegetables, and crumbly queso fresco, delivering a delightful blend of flavors and textures with a hint of smoky chili and lime.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta
- 2 cups elbow macaroni
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Salad Mix
- 1 cup corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup diced bell pepper
- 1/2 cup chopped red onion
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/4 cup diced jalapeño pepper (optional)
- 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Boil the macaroni. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat to prepare for cooking the pasta.
- Cook macaroni. Add the elbow macaroni to the boiling water and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente according to package instructions.
- Drain and rinse. Drain the macaroni in a colander and rinse under cold water to stop cooking and cool the pasta.
- Cool the macaroni. Set aside the drained macaroni to fully cool, stirring occasionally to prevent clumping.
- Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, lime juice, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well combined.
- Combine salad ingredients. In a large bowl, mix the cooled macaroni, corn kernels, diced bell pepper, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, and optional diced jalapeño.
- Toss with dressing. Drizzle the prepared dressing over the salad and gently toss to coat all ingredients evenly.
- Add cheese. Fold crumbled queso fresco into the salad carefully to keep the cheese texture intact.
- Drizzle olive oil. Add olive oil over the salad and give a final gentle toss to incorporate it.
- Adjust seasoning. Taste and add extra salt, pepper, or lime juice if needed to balance flavors.
- Chill the salad. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to meld flavors.
- Serve. Serve the Mexican macaroni salad chilled as a delicious and refreshing side dish.
Notes
- The jalapeño pepper is optional and can be omitted for less heat.
- Using fresh corn adds sweet crunch, but frozen corn works well too.
- Refrigerating the salad overnight enhances the flavor integration.
- Queso fresco can be substituted with feta if unavailable.
- Make sure to rinse macaroni to stop cooking and prevent stickiness.
