Super Easy and Cheesy Macaroni Salad {20 Minutes}

This is a fun twist on a classic recipe! It is a fast and easy Cheesy Macaroni Salad that will save you time and money and is ready to eat in under 20 minutes.

I have a super easy macaroni salad recipe for you guys. It’s not necessarily a traditional version, but when a recipe has ranch dressing and cheese in it, throwing tradition out the window is perfectly fine in my book.

I came up with this recipe on a lazy weeknight. Dinnertime was rolling around and I hadn’t defrosted anything yet (story of my life – it’s as if I’m somehow shocked that dinner happens every day. This is why I freezer cook, people), so I threw this together and was  pleasantly surprised by how great it came out. 

🍽️ Why This Recipe Works

• Cheap to make: One of the reasons I love to make pasta is that it’s seriously so inexpensive. There is no need to buy a bunch of expensive fancy ingredients!
• Only Eight Ingredients: I am a huge fan of recipes that don’t require a lot.
• Only 20 Minutes: You can spend your evening or day working on together things because this dish only takes a few minutes!

🍴 Ingredients 

Hellmann’s Mayonnaise – Don’t be fooled into using Miracle Whip! For the true mayo taste, nothing beats this. Seriously, don’t even try! 😀

Ranch Dressing – I don’t know about you, but a little ranch dressing goes well with just about everything! Heck, I even dip French Fries in it. It adds an amazing flavor to this dish as well!

🍽️ Instructions

Step One: Boil pasta in salted water and drain. Follow the directions on the package. It’s called macaroni salad, but as you can see, I’m a rebel and did not use macaroni. Hardcore, I know. Use any kind of small pasta that you have on hand.

Step Two: While the pasta is boiling, chop the pepper and onion and transfer into a large bowl. Add lemon juice, stir and let it sit while the pasta cooks.

Step Three: Transfer the drained pasta into the bowl containing the onion and pepper and stir together. I recommend using a white or sweet onion as the Spanish onions seem to take over the flavor of the salad more than I liked.

Step Four: Add the mayo, ranch, and butter (if you’re using it) and combine. Once incorporated, stir in the cheese. Add a pinch of salt, if needed, and combine.   This is what it looks like when it’s all mixed up: 

I let it sit for two minutes just so the cheese can melt ever-so-slightly, and serve while still warm. It’s also tasty chilled.

💡 Expert Tips

Wasn’t that easy? You can get the hardest part – chopping the veggies – out of the way before your water comes to a boil. So, this is an easy and fast recipe.   It’s perfectly versatile too. Toss in some garlic salt or Adobo if you like a stronger taste or use whatever peppers/onions you have on hand.   

Side note: Almost nothing in my kitchen is safe from Adobo. I add it to everything.

👩‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

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Easy Cheesy Macaroni Salad

This 20 minute meal is perfect for those nights when you run out of time and need to get something on the table fast.

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Course: Salad

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegetarian

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 261kcal

Author: Ginny

Ingredients

• ▢ 8 oz Pasta macaroni is what I had on hand
• ▢ ⅓ cup Mayonnaise Hellmann's is my fave!
• ▢ 2 tbsp Ranch Dressing
• ▢ ⅓ cup Red Bell Pepper chopped
• ▢ ⅓ cup White Onion chopped
• ▢ ½ cup Cheddar Cheese shredded
• ▢ 1 tsp Lemon Juice
• ▢ ½ tbsp Butter melted, optional

Instructions

• Boil the pasta in salted water and drain.
• While the pasta is boiling, chop the pepper and onions. Add the lemon juice.
• Add the pasta to the onions and peppers and mix together thoroughly.
• Add the mayonaisse, ranch dressing and butter (optional) and mix together.
• Add in the cheese and a pinch of salt.
• Serve!

Notes

Meal Prep: You can meal prep this one by cooking the noodles early, draining and allowing too cool. Store in a air tight container with a little bit of olive oil to prevent them from sticking. I shake up the container to make sure that the olive oil is mixed in enough. Then when you are ready to make this one (for a bbq or cookout) you can toss it all together in about five minutes.

Storage: Store in the refrigerator for up to four days in a sealed container. If the salad gets a tiny bit dry, add a tad more mayo to it and stir before serving. 

Since this has cheese and Ranch dressing it in, remember this is a SPIN on a classic, it won’t taste like your Grandma’s macaroni salad. 

Additions: Look for other add ins for the salad like chopped up cooked bacon, green onions, red onions, green or red peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 261kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 303mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 575IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 1mg

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