Healthy Macaroni Salad

Last Updated on June 30, 2022 by Kathryn Donangelo

This Healthy Macaroni Salad is made with a lighter dressing than the classic recipe and has chunks of hard boiled eggs and crisp vegetables! Serve this macaroni salad as a side dish at your next party, bbq or summer picnic! 

PIN Healthy Macaroni Salad to try later!

I especially love this creamy Macaroni Salad because it’s made with all of the classic macaroni salad fixings except it’s a lighter version. This Healthy Macaroni Salad is made with both mayonnaise and Greek yogurt as the base so it’s extra creamy and it still has the classic taste.

The Greek yogurt adds more flavor, tang and creaminess to this salad. You and your guests won’t even believe this version is healthier than the original. Greek yogurt makes the best substitute for mayonnaise in just about any recipe, like my Healthy French Onion Dip. or my Baked Spinach Artichoke Dip.

Hard boiled eggs in a macaroni salad is a must for me! I love how the yolks give the macaroni salad more of a creamy texture and they pair so perfectly with the other ingredients. 

INGREDIENTS

Elbow macaroni: the short macaroni or the elbow macaroni work well for this recipe. 

Bell peppers: you can use green, red, orange or yellow. Sweet mini bell peppers are also fun to use and it’s gorgeous to have all of the different colors in the salad. They all will work.

Celery: adds so much crunch.

Yellow onion: you could also use white onions. 

Green onions: adds color, crunch and a mild onion flavor.

Paprika: just a few sprinkles for some color and spice on top.

Hard boiled eggs: adds a rich and creamy element to this macaroni salad. 6 eggs is just perfect for this recipe but you can use more or less. 

INGREDIENTS IN MACARONI SALAD DRESSING

• Greek or nonfat yogurt
• Mayonnaise
• White vinegar
• Dijon mustard
• Fresh or dried parsley
• Fresh or dried dill
• Lemon juice and zest
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Salt + pepper

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY MACARONI SALAD

WHAT TO SERVE WITH MACARONI SALAD

• Cilantro Lime Chicken (with avocado salsa)
• Crock Pot Chicken
• Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
• Bacon Spinach Salad
• Bean Salad
• Chicken Ranch Pasta Salad
• Copy Cat KFC Coleslaw
• Italian Pasta Salad
• Cornbread

THIS HEALTHY MACARONI SALAD IS

• Creamy, packed with crisp veggies and delicious hard boiled egg pieces.
• Healthier than the original Macaroni Salad recipe and won’t even taste the difference. 
• Perfect for summer BBQs, picnics or parties! 
• Super easy to make and takes less than 20 minutes from start to finish. You can also prep this macaroni salad the night before. 

IS MACARONI SALAD HEALTHY?

This Macaroni Salad is a healthier version and has less fat then the original recipe. This recipe is made with Greek yogurt and mayonnaise as opposed to just mayonnaise. I also add more vegetables because I love the crunch and freshness that they bring in every bite.

To make this macaroni salad even healthier, you can use whole wheat, gluten-free or chick-pea based noodles instead.

Another healthy options is you can completely omit the mayonnaise and substitute plain Greek yogurt, you will be shocked at how creamy this is! You can also use 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and 3/4 cup of plain yogurt so you still get the classic macaroni salad flavors. 

LEFTOVERS

This Healthy Macaroni Salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure to give the macaroni salad a stir when you want to enjoy it again to combine all of the flavors that may have transferred to the bottom of the container.

OTHER SUMMER SALAD RECIPES TO TRY

• Vegetable Herb Pasta Salad
• Tomato Caprese
• Greek Salad with Avocado
• Melon Caprese Salad
• Healthy Tuna Salad

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Healthy Macaroni Salad

This Healthy Macaroni Salad is made with a lighter dressing than the classic recipe and has chunks of hard boiled eggs and crisp vegetables! Serve this macaroni salad as a side dish at your next party, bbq or summer picnic! 

4.62 from 13 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mac salad, macaroni salad, side dish

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Servings: 10 servings

Author: Kathryn Donangelo

Ingredients

• ▢ 1 16 oz. box elbow macaroni
• ▢ 1 cup bell peppers; finely diced any color; I love using a trio
• ▢ 1 cup celery; finely diced
• ▢ 1/2 cup yellow onion; finely diced
• ▢ 2 Tbsp. green onions; plus more for garnish
• ▢ 1/4 tsp. paprika
• ▢ 3 Tbsp. hard boiled eggs; roughly chopped

For the dressing

• ▢ 1/2 cup plain Greek or nonfat yogurt
• ▢ 3/4 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. white vinegar
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 tsp. fresh or dried parsley
• ▢ 1 tsp. fresh or dried dill
• ▢ 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice plus the zest of 1 lemon
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. salt
• ▢ 1/4 tsp. black pepper

Instructions

• Cook the noodles per package and drain in a colander and add to a large mixing bowl.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients and set aside.
• Stir in the eggs, bell peppers, celery, yellow onion and green onion until combined. Pour the dressing over the macaroni salad and mix well until combined. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Top the macaroni salad with a few dashes of paprika and then place in the fridge until ready to eat.

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Notes

1. This Healthy Macaroni Salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure to give the macaroni salad a stir when you want to enjoy it again to combine all of the flavors that may have transferred to the bottom of the container.
2. If you want to add a boost of protein, you can add a can or two of canned tuna to this macaroni salad!