Confession – I love my grocery store’s macaroni salad. I think it might be 50% of your fat for the day, but I love it. However, it doesn’t have peas! Yes lots of fat but no peas! My mother always added peas to macaroni salad and I love it. Creamy mayo, herbs and peas.
I called my mother to check on the recipe and it went something like this, “Add a vinaigrette to hot noodles, put some herbs in and add cool it in the fridge, add the mayo right before you eat”. Me, “what about an onion, celery and peas?” Her, “oh yeah those would be good too”. It always seemed like the same salad, but I’m starting to think she ad-libs.
This recipe makes enough for summer barbecues. Plus if you make it the night before a party, the flavors incorporate and it tastes a lot better.
Ingredients
Dressing
5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound elbow pasta
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup herbs like parsley, tarragon, thyme
1 1/4 cup mayonnaise (low-fat Helmann’s or Best Foods)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Shake the vinegar, salt, pepper and canola oil in a lidded jar.
Cook pasta per the package instructions for al dente. Drain pasta and toss it in a bowl with the vinaigrette dressing.
Mix in peas, celery, onions and herbs. Cool in the fridge overnight.
In a small bowl mix mayonnaise and lemon juice. Just before serving incorporate the mayonnaise into the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- 5 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 4 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 pound elbow pasta
- 1½ cup frozen peas
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ½ cup chopped sweet onion
- ½ cup herbs like parsley, tarragon, thyme
- 1¼ cup mayonnaise (low-fat Helmann's or Best Foods)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Shake the vinegar, salt, pepper and canola oil in a lidded jar.
- Cook pasta per the package instructions for al dente. Drain pasta and toss it in a bowl with the vinaigrette dressing.
- Mix in peas, celery, onions and herbs. Cool in the fridge overnight.
- In a small bowl mix mayonnaise and lemon juice. Just before serving incorporate the mayonnaise into the pasta. Season to taste with salt and pepper.