Creamy Macaroni Salad

Cool and satisfying, my creamy macaroni salad is just the pick for the summer season, even perfect for a celebratory spread. Prepared with delicate macaroni pasta, and dotted with crisp, colorful veggies such as carrots, corn, peas, zucchini and asparagus, this recipe boasts a creamy lemon-basil dressing for vibrant flavor in every spoonful!

A cool macaroni salad brimming with bright, creamy flavor

Ah, the summer season... it just wouldn't be the same without all the mouthwatering salads we love to enjoy as part of our BBQs, our festive holidays, our potlucks, and even our picnics.

While a hearty green salad is always a popular pick to serve at a spread, there's nothing quite like a cool macaroni salad tossed with a classic creamy dressing to really pique an appetite.

My creamy macaroni salad is the perfect refreshing option for the spring and summer season, absolutely loaded with lots of mouthwatering and colorful morsels to tantalize the taste buds!

Tied together with a bright and zingy lemon-basil dressing, this creamy macaroni salad recipe is a beloved offering to nestle up on the potluck table, absolutely brimming with flavor in every cool, creamy and irresistible spoonful!

My recipe for creamy macaroni salad

While many creamy macaroni salad recipes typically involve just the pasta plus a mayo-based dressing tossed together, I like to make my version a little extra special...

I'm a big fan of adding little additional bells and whistles—tasty morsels—to my macaroni salad recipes, and this one is no different.

Because I love a little color in a creamy macaroni salad, I like to make use of vibrant spring/summer veggies. So I'm talking a handful of finely diced carrots and asparagus, plus fresh corn kernels, each of which I very quickly blanch to take away some of the raw flavor, still leaving a bit of crunch.

I also love to incorporate fresh baby zucchini into this recipe, which I simply keep raw and also dice very finely for a touch of added texture. Frozen and thawed green peas are also added to the mix, which burst deliciously with each bite.

But the real flavor here comes from the creamy lemon-basil dressing. It's a light olive oil and mayo-based dressing flourished with fresh basil leaves, kissed with lemon zest and lemon juice, a touch of honey, a dollop of Dijon mustard, a little garlic, dried herbs, plus salt and pepper. This mouthwatering dressing is quickly (and easily!) whirled up in a food processor into a creamy, light consistency that's perfect to fold together with the tender macaroni and the delicate veggies.

Here's sneak peek at my creamy macaroni salad recipe:

(or just jump to the full recipe...)

1. To get started, I prepare my creamy lemon-basil dressing in my food processor so that it's ready and on hand.
2. Next, I cook my macaroni pasta according to package instructions, then drain and lightly rinse in cool water, and set aside.
3. While the macaroni cooks, I blanch my diced carrots for about 2 minutes, then my corn kernels and asparagus, for about 30 seconds. I drain the veggies and add them to an ice water bath for a moment to lock in the color and crispness.
4. To assemble the creamy macaroni salad, I add my cooked and cooled macaroni to a large bowl, as well as all of my veggies, plus the creamy lemon-basil dressing. I toss/fold everything together gently, spoon into a serving bowl, and chill the salad for at least 30 minutes (even a few hours).
5. When ready, I garnish with a little extra basil on top, and serve the salad nice and cold.

Recipe

Creamy Macaroni Salad

by Ingrid Beer

Print Recipe

This cool and creamy macaroni salad recipe is combined with a creamy lemon-basil dressing, and a colorful array of summer veggies!

Category: Salad
Cuisine: American

Yield: Serves 6

Nutrition info: 583 calories (per serving)

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes

Creamy Macaroni Salad ingredients:

• 10 ounces uncooked macaroni (a little more than half a package)
• 2 large carrots, peeled and very finely diced
• 6 ounces very thin asparagus (bottoms trimmed), sliced into tiny dice
• 1 ear fresh corn, kernels removed with knife (about 1 cup of kernels)
• ½ cup green peas, frozen and thawed
• 6 baby zucchini, finely diced (little tops removed)
• Extra basil leaves, for garnish

Creamy Lemon-Basil Dressing ingredients:

• 1 ounce fresh basil leaves
• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup olive oil

Preparation:

1. Begin by gathering and prepping all of your creamy lemon-basil dressing ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and on hand for use.
2. To prepare the dressing, place all of the ingredients except for the olive oil into the bowl of a food processor, and process until smooth. Then, with the processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until completely incorporated, and the dressing is emulsified and well blended.
3. Set the dressing aside for a moment, or keep it in a covered container in the fridge if making ahead.
4. Next, gather and prep all of your creamy macaroni salad ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.
5. Cook the macaroni pasta according to package instructions, then drain and lightly rinse under cold water to chill the macaroni. Drain very well, and add the macaroni to a large bowl.
6. Meanwhile, place another small pot of water over high heat, and add a good pinch of salt into it.
7. Once the water comes to a boil, add in the diced carrots, and blanch for 2 minutes. Then, add in the corn kernels and the diced asparagus, and blanch for 30 seconds longer. Drain the vegetables and add them into an ice bath for 30 seconds or so, to stop the cooking and lock in the vibrant color. Drain and pat the veggies dry.
8. To assemble the creamy macaroni salad, add the blanched veggies into the cooked and cooled macaroni, along with the peas and the diced zucchini. Pour in the lemon-basil dressing, and fold the ingredients together until well combined.
9. Place the salad in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes (or even a few hours), then serve the creamy macaroni salad chilled, and garnished with a few extra basil leaves, if desired.

Tips & Tidbits for my creamy macaroni salad recipe:

• Delicate, classic small macaroni pasta: When it comes to a creamy salad like this, I like to use smaller, more delicate pasta to make it easy to spoon up and enjoy. There are both larger and smaller varieties of macaroni pasta, but opt for the smaller type here, if possible. Any size will work, of course, but the delicate size is just really nice here, paired with the diced veggies.
• Colorful bits of veggies for texture and flavor: I like the combo of carrot, corn, asparagus, baby zucchini and peas here, but you can use just one, or your favorite combination of these, if you prefer. If you can't find baby zucchini (they're typically in small cello bags in the section where bagged veggies such as broccoli/cauliflower florets, peas, etc. are found), then use 1 small, regular zucchini.
• Prepare this creamy macaroni salad ahead: To make this salad a few days ahead of when you'd like to serve it, you can prepare the dressing and keep that separate and chilled in the fridge until ready to toss and serve. Also, keep the cooked macaroni and the veggies mixed together in a bowl. Then, just toss the dressing with the mix when ready to enjoy.

Craving more cool pasta salad recipes like this one? Check out my recipe for Zesty Italian Pasta Salad, zingy and lemony Macaroni Salad, Tortellini Pasta Salad, Pesto Pasta Salad, Summer Pasta Salad, Shrimp and Orzo Salad, or even my recipe for Bow Tie Pasta Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette!

Cook's Note: This recipe was originally published in 2016, and has been updated with even more love!