Macaroni salad is always a staple at our summer gatherings, if the grill is full of hot dogs and hamburgers then you can bet that I’ve made this is a side dish! I gave my traditional macaroni salad recipe a bit of a refresh with a buttermilk-herb dressing that coats each bite of pasta with tons of tangy flavor. It’s also full of colorful, crunchy veggies like broccoli florets, bell peppers and carrots (and my favorite ingredient – the green olives!). Get the recipe below and give this a save for your next summer grilling side dish!
Buttermilk and Herb Macaroni Salad.
Ingredients
- 1 lb Small pasta shape like elbows
- 1.5 Cups of Small Broccoli Florets
- ⅓ Cup of Diced Yellow Peppers
- ⅓ Cup of Finely Diced Carrots
- ⅓ Cup of Roughly Chopped Green Olives
- ¾ Cup of Mayonnaise
- 3 Tbsp of Buttermilk
- 2 Tbsp of Olive Oil
- 1 Tsp of Dijon Mustard
- 1 Tbsp of Parsley, minced
- 1 Tbsp of Chives, minced
- 1 Tbsp of Basil, minced
- ½ Tsp of Onion Powder
- ½ Tsp of Garlic Powder
- Salt and Pepper
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta as directed to al dente. During the last 2 minutes of cooking, add the broccoli florets to the water. Drain and set aside to cool in a large bowl.
- Add diced yellow peppers, finely diced carrots, and chopped green olives to the pasta and broccoli.
- Make the dressing by whisking together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, olive oil, and Dijon mustard. Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables, toss to combine.
- Fold in the herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper, chill for at least an hour before serving.
