Classic Macaroni Salad

Chopped veggies add crunch and color to this creamy, yet light, pasta salad. Quick and easy to prepare, this classic macaroni salad is the perfect side dish for your next backyard cookout.

May 10, 2022

For all you pasta salad enthusiasts out there, I want you to have a classic, healthier macaroni salad recipe at the ready for your next potluck or backyard barbeque. From a “healthier recipe” perspective, the major downside to pasta salad is the dressing. These types of salads are typically made with lots of mayonnaise, which means lots of calories.

When shopping for mayonnaise you have an array of options – light, reduced-fat, made with olive oil, canola oil, and avocado oil, and of course, regular, full-fat mayo.

For mayonnaise fanatics, nothing beats the creamy, rich, full-fat version. Unfortunately, regular mayonnaise comes with a big calorie price tag. One tablespoon smeared on a sandwich adds about 100 calories and 1 cup stirred into a pasta salad adds 1,600 calories.

Light and reduced-fat varieties typically provide 35 to 60 calories per tablespoon. Water is often the first ingredient followed by oil and eggs. Mayonnaise made with olive, canola, or avocado oil tends to be lower in calories, not because those oils are lower in calories, but because water is usually the first ingredient as well.

In today’s recipe I used full-fat mayonnaise. In my opinion, the taste and creaminess are far superior to reduced-fat mayo. The way I keep calories in check when using the full-fat version is to combine it with reduced-fat sour cream (sometimes referred to as light sour cream). The taste and texture of reduced-fat sour cream is excellent, almost indistinguishable from full-fat sour cream. And, one tablespoon has just 18 calories.

So, the next time you’re whisking up dressing for pasta salad and you’re using full-fat mayonnaise, cut back on the amount you’re using (I only used a 1/4 cup mayonnaise in today’s recipe) and combine it with reduced-fat sour cream for a rich and creamy, yet lower-calorie dressing.

To your health,

Darlene

CLASSIC MACARONI SALAD

Yield: 8 servings

Serving Size: 3/4 cup

Prep: 15 minutes

Ready: 1 hour and 25 minutes (includes chilling time)

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) dry whole-wheat elbow macaroni noodles
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon golden balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
3/4 cup diced celery
3/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion
1 large hard-boiled egg, chopped

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan of unsalted boiling water, cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain pasta and rinse under cold water. Drain cooled macaroni well and transfer to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt, black pepper, and paprika.
To the macaroni, add celery, red pepper, onion, and chopped egg. Pour dressing over pasta and vegetable mixture and stir gently to coat. Refrigerate 1 hour before serving, allowing flavors to blend.

Nutrition Information per Serving

157 Calories, 7 g Total fat, 2 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 30 mg Cholesterol, 188 mg Sodium, 20 g Total carbohydrate, 3 g Dietary fiber, 4 g Total sugars, 2 g Added sugars, 4 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 32 mg (2%) Calcium, 1 mg (6%) Iron, 171 mg (4%) Potassium