Recipes and Cooking Salads Pasta Salad Seriously Delicious Macaroni Salads to Complete Your Potluck Spread By Katlyn Moncada Katlyn Moncada Instagram Katlyn Moncada is the associate food editor at BHG.com, sharing food news and tutorials on becoming better home cooks. She is a writer and editor with nearly a decade of experience in digital media, photography, and video production. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on June 15, 2021 Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Andy Lyons When it comes to summer cookouts, finding macaroni salad on the table is almost as common as barbecue. The nostalgic side dish first gained its popularity back in the '60s, but it's definitely making a comeback. Here you'll find some delicious macaroni salad recipes to serve at your next picnic. Expect classic macaroni salads with mayo but also some unexpected twists featuring pesto, chicken, and more. 01 of 09 Classic Macaroni Salad View Recipe Andy Lyons You'll definitely score the vote for best macaroni salad when you bring this to your potluck. Our Test Kitchen's classic macaroni salad blends pasta with peas, radish, celery, and cubed cheese. Hard-cooked eggs and the signature creamy dressing bind it all together. How to Boil Eggs 4 Different Ways 02 of 09 Deviled Egg Macaroni Pasta Salad View Recipe Andy Lyons Two picnic favorites team up in this delicious macaroni salad with eggs. The rich dressing achieves the tangy relish flavor of classic deviled eggs by combining the hard-cooked egg yolks with mayo and quick-pickled onions. There's paprika, too! 03 of 09 Macaroni Salad with Dill and Ham Jason Wilde All the classic macaroni salad ingredients are here, but we spruced things up with ham and fresh dill. This macaroni salad with ham is a great way to use up the leftover meat in the fridge (or freezer). Buy It: Classic Cuisine Salad Bowl Cold Serving Dish Set with Ice Chamber ($42, Amazon) 04 of 09 Shrimp Boil Macaroni Salad View Recipe Andy Lyons When it comes to food mashups, this macaroni salad is hard to beat. Succulent shrimp, corn, and potatoes swim in a classic Cajun-spiced broth. Don't toss the cooking liquid—it's our secret ingredient for the irresistible dressing. This macaroni salad recipe can be made up to 24 hours in advance so it'll be ready to go at dinnertime. 05 of 09 Macaroni Salad View Recipe Jennifer Levy Lighten up your picnic plate with this healthy macaroni salad recipe. Instead of mayo, opt for plain yogurt or sour cream to achieve a creamy macaroni salad that only has 150 calories per serving. A squeeze of lemon juice, fresh spinach leaves, and tomato are added to the mix for freshness. Healthy Potluck Side-Dish Recipes Guaranteed to Please 06 of 09 Italian Pesto Pasta Salad View Recipe Andy Lyons Add some green to your spread with our Italian-inspired take on macaroni salad. In only 30 minutes this top-rated BH&G pasta salad is infused with herbs and ready to serve. If you have extra time, try making your own basil pesto. Buy It: Gotham Steel 5-Quart Multipurpose Pasta Pot with Strainer Lid ($30, Amazon) 07 of 09 Southwestern Chicken and Macaroni Salad View Recipe Andy Lyons This hearty chicken macaroni salad is good enough to serve as a meal. Salsa, roasted poblanos, and cream cheese combine for our rich Southwestern dressing. Crunchy chicken tenders and creamy avocado top off this seriously delicious macaroni salad recipe. 08 of 09 Fresh Macaroni Salad View Recipe Jason Donnelly Eat the whole garden in one dish thanks to this healthy macaroni salad recipe. Get a nice crunch from fresh broccoli, sugar snap peas, and green onion. We keep the calorie count down by using multigrain pasta and making the dressing with fat-free plain yogurt. 10 Fast and Healthy Whole Grain Side Dishes to Serve with Dinner Tonight 09 of 09 Pea and Macaroni Salad View Recipe Bill Stites It's all things green in this macaroni salad. Fresh pea pods, peas, and celery all go in the mix. The dressing gets a mighty kick from a bit of horseradish mustard. Test Kitchen Tip: If your macaroni salad gets a little dry after chilling in the fridge, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk to moisten. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit