Creamy Macaroni Salad Recipe

Need an easy macaroni salad recipe? This one is extra creamy!

What Is Creamy Macaroni Salad?

Macaroni salads are easy to make and can feed a crowd. It’s a Filipino favorite that is a must-have at parties and big family dinners!

Unlike most macaroni salads, this one is unique because it is made creamy with Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise (available here), all-purpose cream, and cream cheese. It is also served warm, although it’s so good that you can also enjoy it straight out of the refrigerator… if there are any leftovers.

How to Serve Creamy Macaroni Salad

Serve it as a side dish. This creamy macaroni salad pairs well with grilled meats such as chicken, hot dogs, hamburgers, and even barbecue.

Eat it with a sandwich. Having a sandwich for lunch might not be enough, but pair it with this creamy macaroni salad and you’ll have a hearty meal.

Serve it warm or cold. This creamy macaroni salad is meant to be a warm salad, but it also tastes delicious when it’s chilled! Serve it with a refreshing glass of fresh fruit juice or iced tea on a hot day.

How To Cook Creamy Macaroni Salad

Cooking creamy macaroni salad is as easy as pie, and with our step-by-step guide, you’ll have a delicious side dish ready in no time. Start by bringing a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook your pasta according to the package directions, then drain and transfer it to a large bowl. While your pasta is cooking, heat a large nonstick pan over medium heat and cook your bacon until it’s crispy. Remove the bacon from the pan and place it on a rack over paper towels to drain excess fat.

In the same pan, sauté your onion and garlic until they’re translucent. Add your carrot, red bell pepper, string beans, and corn, cooking each until they’re just heated through. Season these ingredients with salt and pepper to taste, then transfer them to the bowl with the macaroni.

Next, heat the all-purpose cream in the same pan over low heat. Add the cream cheese and Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise (available here) stir until it’s melted. Season this mixture with salt and ground pepper to taste, then pour it over your macaroni. Toss your macaroni with the bacon to coat it in the creamy dressing, then season to taste. Serve your creamy macaroni salad while it’s still warm for the best flavor.

Tips To Make The Best Creamy Macaroni Salad

1. Watch your macaroni.

Your macaroni pasta will come with package instructions that indicate how long you should cook them. To make them al dente, which means they’ll be firm when you bite, don’t go over the time indicated on the packaging. If you like your pasta a little softer, extend the cooking time by 2 to 4 minutes.

2. Crisp up the bacon by cooking it low and slow.

This might take a little longer but trust us: it’s worth it. Cooking bacon over low-medium heat allows the fat to render beautifully, and you’ll get crunchy bites every time. To make bacon easier to chop into bits, you can cook them in strips, flipping only when one side is toasted. Let them cool, and your crunchy bacon strips will be easy to crush or chop into bits!

3. For a less oily version, blanch the vegetables.

While the garlic, onion, and bell peppers are best sauteed in the bacon oil to add flavor to the salad, you can opt to blanch the carrots and the string beans. Once your pasta is done, simply strain out the macaroni and set it aside. You can reuse the pasta water: bring the water to a boil again, and then add the carrots first and simmer for 3 minutes. Then, add in the string beans and simmer for another 2 minutes. Strain everything out, and you’re ready to add it to the sauce and macaroni later.

Creamy Macaroni Salad Storage Tips

1. Refrigerate leftover creamy macaroni salad.

If you’ve got any leftovers, it’s best to put the creamy macaroni salad in an airtight container before storing in the refrigerator. It will keep well for up to three days; any longer and you’ll need to do a sniff test to ensure that the cream or the veggies haven’t gone bad.

2. The creamy macaroni salad is best eaten fresh.

Freezing this creamy macaroni salad might not be the best idea as the texture of the all-purpose cream may change when it thaws. It’s best to make manageable batches so that they don’t go bad when refrigerated for too long, since freezing big batches is not ideal.