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A bowl of tex mex macaroni salad with a sprig of cilantro on top and a half of a lime in the background on the left.
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Tex-Mex Macaroni Salad

This creamy Tex-Mex Macaroni Salad is perfect to serve at your next cookout. Flavourful and easy to make, this macaroni salad can be served with a variety of dishes to complement any BBQ or potluck.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time12 minutes
Cooling Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 32 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Keyword: macaroni salad, pasta salad, side dish

Ingredients

Dressing

  • ¾ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 lime, zest and juice
  • 1 Tbsp garlic paste
  • 1 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 Tbsp Mexican Oregano
  • ½ Tbsp cumin
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • ¼ cup salsa

Salad

  • 4 cups dry macaroni (1 pound)
  • 1 sweet pepper, diced (red, yellow, or orange)
  • 1 jalapeno, finely diced
  • 4 green onions, finely sliced
  • 1½ cups fresh corn
  • ½ cup black olives
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro

Instructions

Dressing

  • In a bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients except salsa, until well blended and smooth.
  • Fold in salsa.
  • Cover and place in fridge.

Salad

  • Cook pasta according to package directions.
  • Drain well and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes.
  • Gently stir vegetables into the pasta.
  • Fold in the dressing.
  • Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.