Best 3 Karens Macaroni Salad Recipes

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Karens’ Macaroni Salad is a classic American side dish that is perfect for any potluck, picnic, or barbecue. It is made with cooked macaroni, mayonnaise, celery, onion, and hard-boiled eggs. It is a creamy, tangy, and refreshing salad that is always a crowd-pleaser.

The recipe for Karens’ Macaroni Salad is simple and easy to follow. It only requires a few basic ingredients and can be made in just a few minutes. It is also a very versatile recipe that can be easily customized to your own taste. For example, you can add different vegetables, such as carrots or peas, or you can use a different type of dressing, such as a vinaigrette or a yogurt-based dressing.

In addition to the classic macaroni salad recipe, the article also includes several variations, such as a bacon macaroni salad, a ham macaroni salad, and a tuna macaroni salad. These variations are all just as easy to make as the classic recipe, and they offer a variety of different flavors to choose from.

Whether you are looking for a classic side dish or something new to try, Karens’ Macaroni Salad is sure to please. It is a delicious and easy-to-make salad that is perfect for any occasion.

Here are our top 3 tried and tested recipes!

GRANDMA'S MACARONI SALAD



Grandma's Macaroni Salad image

A sweet macaroni salad just like Grandma used to make. The dressing is a good basic macaroni salad dressing that you can use with your own macaroni salad recipe. You must refrigerate for at least 4 hours for all of the flavors to blend together.

Provided by Hope

Categories     Salad     100+ Pasta Salad Recipes     Macaroni Salad Recipes

Time 4h35m

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 13

2 cups elbow macaroni
¼ cup sweet relish
½ cup onion, finely chopped
½ cup finely chopped green bell pepper
¼ cup finely chopped carrot
1 hard-boiled egg, chopped
¼ cup creamy salad dressing (such as Miracle Whip®)
¼ cup reduced-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons low-fat milk
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon dried dill weed
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain well; rinse with cold water and drain again.
  • Reserve 2 tablespoons relish juice; place the rest in a large bowl with onion, bell pepper, carrot, and egg.
  • Whisk creamy salad dressing into reserved relish juice. Mix in sour cream, milk, sugar, dill, salt, and pepper. Fold gently into the macaroni mixture. Refrigerate to let flavors blend, 4 to 24 hours.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 171.9 calories, Carbohydrate 28.9 g, Cholesterol 32.3 mg, Fat 4.1 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 4.9 g, SaturatedFat 1.2 g, Sodium 215 mg, Sugar 8.2 g

KAREN'S SALMON SALAD



Karen's Salmon Salad image

This dish makes a great summer meal. Cool and refreshing, just add bread and your favorite sorbet for dessert. Sit back, relax and enjoy!!!

Provided by KAREN325

Categories     Salad     Seafood Salad Recipes     Salmon Salad Recipes

Time 1h

Yield 8

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
2 ripe tomatoes, diced
4 green onions, chopped
2 dill pickles, diced
1 (14.75 ounce) can salmon, drained
½ cup mayonnaise
salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

  • Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
  • When pasta has come to room temperature, combine it with tomatoes, green onions, pickles, salmon, mayonnaise, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well. Chill before serving.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 416.5 calories, Carbohydrate 46.1 g, Cholesterol 27.9 mg, Fat 16.1 g, Fiber 3.3 g, Protein 20.8 g, SaturatedFat 2.7 g, Sodium 476.4 mg, Sugar 2.1 g

KAREN'S PASTA SALAD



Karen's Pasta Salad image

There are many pasta salads on Food.com, but the addition of a few ingredients makes this one even better, in my opinion. It is a beautiful salad with all the colors of the Italian flag. Smells great, tastes great. It's hearty enough with the meats and cheeses to even be a light entree.

Provided by Snow White

Categories     < 30 Mins

Time 30m

Yield 10 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 16

16 ounces rotini pasta (not tri-color)
10 ounces grape tomatoes (more to taste, up to 16 ounces)
2 small green peppers, diced 1/2 inch
4 stalks celery, sliced on bias 1/2 inch thick
4 ounces black olives, sliced
1/2 cup green olives, sliced (optional)
1 medium red onion, peeled and diced
4 ounces pepperoni, sliced, and slices cut in half
6 -8 ounces hard salami, sliced, and slices cut into quarters
4 ounces provolone cheese, sliced, and slices cut into eight pieces
3/4 cup oil (use all vegetable or canola, or use a combination of EV olive oil and vegetable or canola)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt (or more, to taste)
1 teaspoon pepper (or more, to taste)

Steps:

  • Salad:.
  • Cook rotini until not quite done - barely al dente -- so the spirals are still very tight. Rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. (The marination of the salad in the dressing will finish "cooking" the pasta perfectly.)
  • Add remaining ingredients, being careful to separate each slice of meat and cheese when you add it.
  • Gently mix the dressing into the salad.
  • Marinate at least 6 hours before serving.
  • Dressing:
  • Mix all dressing ingredients together well by using a stick blender, whisk, or just a jar for shaking.
  • Taste before adding entire mixture to salad to adjust seasonings.
  • NOTE: (I frequently prepare a double batch of dressing as sometimes, after marinating in one recipe of dressing, it needs a bit more. The remaining dressing is great on any salad, like fat slices of vine-ripened summer tomatoes with fresh basil, or a Greek salad with romaine, feta and olives.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 460.8, Fat 27.2, SaturatedFat 6.6, Cholesterol 25.1, Sodium 730.9, Carbohydrate 41.9, Fiber 3.1, Sugar 4.6, Protein 12.8

Tips:

  • Use high-quality ingredients: Fresh vegetables, quality mayonnaise, and flavorful cheese will make a big difference in the taste of your macaroni salad.
  • Cook the macaroni al dente: This will prevent it from becoming mushy in the salad.
  • Chill the macaroni before assembling the salad: This will help to keep the salad firm and prevent it from becoming watery.
  • Don't overmix the salad: Mixing the salad too much will break up the macaroni and make the salad mushy.
  • Add the dressing to the salad just before serving: This will prevent the salad from becoming watery.
  • Garnish the salad with fresh herbs or vegetables for a pop of color and flavor.

Conclusion:

Karen's macaroni salad is a classic side dish that is perfect for any occasion. With its creamy, tangy dressing, crisp vegetables, and tender macaroni, this salad is sure to be a hit. Whether you're serving it at a picnic, potluck, or backyard barbecue, this macaroni salad is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. So next time you're looking for a simple and delicious side dish, give Karen's macaroni salad a try. You won't be disappointed!

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