For summer, macaroni salad is the perfect side for so many grilled favorites. Tonight we had it on the side of some barbecued chicken, which we did not grill due to hellacious storms blowing through the area. It was all good anyway, and hey, this time the storm didn’t wipe out the power. Well, it did at the church, but I was at Mom’s house on my day off. So back to the salad. I adapted this one from Cook’s Country, dropping the parsley (boring) and adding some cheese (why not?). I love the seasonings in this recipe, and the flavor turned out terrific. Definitely will make this one again.
Recipe: Summer Macaroni Salad
Summary: Yummy summertime side.
Ingredients
- Salt
- Pepper
- 1 pound elbow macaroni (I use Barilla)
- 1/2 small red onion, minced fine
- 1 rib celery, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Bring 4 quarts water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt, along with the macaroni. Cook until nearly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in colander and rinse with cold water until cool. Drain briefly but not completely, so that macaroni remains moist. Transfer to large bowl.
- Stir in onion, celery, lemon juice, mustard, garlic powder, and cayenne, and lit sit until flavors are absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add mayonnaise and cheese and let sit until texture is no longer watery, about 5 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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