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Summer means barbecues, potlucks, and cold salads. In my quest to find a cold salad I hadn’t tried, I came upon this recipe for Mexican Macaroni Salad. It has a lot of flavor and I got a few compliments when I took it to a barbecue.

Mexican Macaroni Salad in white bowl on red gingham placemat.

If you are looking for a new salad to make, consider this one. It is quite different from what I usually make, so you might like it as well.

Ingredients You Will Need

Macaroni
Balsamic Vinegar
Green Onions
Celery Salt
Pepper
Kidney Beans
Celery
Green Pepper
Black Olives
Green Chilies
Mayonnaise
Taco Seasoning
Worcestershire
Garlic Juice
Tabasco

Equipment You May Need

Saucepan
Colander
Knife
Cutting Board
Measuring Cups and Spoons
Large Salad Bowl

Helpful Tips for Making Mexican Macaroni Salad

While macaroni is cooking, stir every minute or so to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Cut vegetables bite-sized or smaller.
Stir taco dressing into salad thoroughly to disperse flavor evenly.

Variations and Substitutes

Add 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese.
Crumble tortilla chips and sprinkle on top.
Add 1 cup of chopped tomatoes.
Add 1 tablespoon of cilantro.

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

If you are going to a potluck, you might want to make this Recipe for Grape Salad or these Cream Cheese Pickle Wraps. Another option for a potluck is this Spring Onion Potato Salad or this French Potato Salad. If you are looking for a more classic macaroni salad, you may like this one from Sugar Spun Run. You might also enjoy this Tex Mex Orzo. You may also want to make this Coleslaw Recipe for your barbecue or potluck.

Final Thoughts

The next time you need a large pasta salad, try this one. It will not disappoint. While the flavors might not be entirely Mexican, it is definitely inspired by other Mexican recipes. My family and our guests certainly enjoyed it with our cheeseburgers and hot dogs.

Mexican Macaroni Salad

Mexican Macaroni Salad is a delicious pasta salad with chopped vegetables and a taco seasoning dressing that is sure to please at any potluck or large gathering.

5 from 5 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Refrigeration Time 2

Total Time 2 30

Course Salad

Cuisine American

Servings 15 Cups

Ingredients

4 Cups Macaroni
⅔ Cup Balsamic Vinegar
6 Green Onions chopped
2 teaspoons Celery Salt
1 teaspoon Pepper
1 Can Kidney Beans 15 ounces, drained
2 Cups Celery chopped
1 Cup Green Pepper chopped
1 Cup Black Olives sliced
⅓ Cup Green Chilies chopped, seeded

Taco Dressing

⅔ Cup Mayonnaise
1 Tablespoon Taco Seasoning Mix
¼ teaspoon Worcestershire
1 teaspoon Garlic Juice
4 Dashes Tabasco

Instructions

Cook macaroni as directed on package.
Drain the macaroni and rinse with cold water.
Stir together balsamic vinegar, green onions, celery salt, and pepper.
Pour mixture over macaroni and stir to combine.
Stir together the kidney beans, celery, green peppers, black olives, and green chilies.
Add to the macaroni mixtures and stir together.

Taco Dressing

Stir together mayonnaise, taco seasoning mix, worcestershire, garlic juice, and Tabasco.
Toss the macaroni mixture with the taco dressing until thoroughly combined.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Notes

While macaroni is cooking, stir every minute or so to prevent pasta from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Cut vegetables bite-sized or smaller.

Stir taco dressing into salad thoroughly to disperse flavor evenly.

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