Macaroni and Cheese Salad

Today I thought I would share with you my recipe for Macaroni and Cheese Salad. This is a great make-ahead dish and good for almost any occasion. It is also a nice filling, inexpensive dish so it is great for taking to potlucks and picnics too and it is even better the next day.

It seems like every time I pick up a magazine or turn on the TV lately I am seeing that we all need to add more whole grains to our diets. I started using whole grain pasta in this salad a few months ago and we really like the taste and texture even better.

I do change out the veggies in here depending on what is in my fridge at the time. This time I used chopped green onion, chopped celery, sliced black olives and shredded carrots. Use what you have and/or love, this is a great place to sneak a some extra veggies into your diet too. 

Macaroni and Cheese Salad


3 cups of whole grain shell macaroni
1/2 cup purchased Italian salad dressing
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
2 cups of fresh veggies, chopped or shredded (I used green onions, celery, olives and carrots
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons mustard
1 teaspoon Italian herb blend

Cook macaroni as directed on the package and drain. Add the Italian salad dressing to the hot macaroni and allow to cool about 20 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients to the macaroni and chill at least 4 hours before serving.
Serves 6 to 8 people