We have all been heavy on desserts for the past few days. So, let us cut down on it and have something healthy too! Fruit and macaroni salad is a refreshing summer salad which has the freshness of fruits, crunch of some veggies and nuts and the creaminess of the sauce.
Summer always makes us crave for everything refreshing and cool. I have loved the idea of cold pasta ever since I made it once. But, I have always been doing cold pasta salad with just veggies that I thought why not try adding some fresh fruits in it too?!
So, this post again is for a salad collaboration in Instagram. I wanted to make this cold pasta salad which has been a favorite for me. On the other hand, I have been meaning to try this cold pasta salad with fruits too. And, that is why I made this fruit and macaroni salad for this collaboration.
The addition of fruits in the salad gives it a sweet taste and the sauce that we have prepared does wonders. It adds a bit of a spicy flavor. So, the combination of sweet and spicy is all you need for a refreshing meal. You can have this fruit and macaroni salad as is or with any barbeque on the side too.
This cold pasta salad can be prepared with any type of pasta, but I have always preferred macaroni for any old pasta salad. Any type of small pastas can be used. I have always thought that only small ones could gel well with the sauce and fruits in cold pasta. But, I guess you can also use penne, fusilli or anything of your choice. I bet it would taste equally great!
For this fruit and macaroni salad, I have added fruits like mangoes, pomegranate, apples, kiwi and pineapples along with capsicum for some crunch and olives. I have even added walnuts for some extra crunch and flavor too. Of course you can add more fruits to it. You can add some more veggies to make it even more healthier.
The sauce that I have made for the pasta is a bit spicy. I have made it in a way that it complements all the flavors of the fruits so that you would get a sweet and a spicy taste in every bite. This is completely optional and you can modify the sauce to your taste.
This fruit and macaroni salad is not a traditional one or a recipe pertaining to a place alone. Each country or each family has their own style of salad making and their own sauce to go with it. This is what I have created according to my family’s taste. So, you can either adopt it or modify it. It’s completely your choice. 🙂
I have used half mayonnaise and half Greek yogurt to make the sauce. You can replace one with another. I went for half and half because I wanted to cut down on some of the fat and make it on the healthier side. On the other hand I liked the creaminess and also the flavor that mayonnaise gives to the pasta. So, that is why I went for half and half. Either way, this fruit and macaroni salad is going to taste awesome.
Something great about this fruit and macaroni salad is that it is a make ahead recipe. You can make it the day before and put it in the refrigerator to chill and serve it the next day too. It lasts for like 2-3 days in the refrigerator. It might last some more time too, but I definitely know that this salad cannot be resisted. So, it will be gone within the wink of your eye.
But, it is a great recipe if you are hosting any dinner parties. This is so refreshing that you wouldn’t even need a welcome drink. Because this fruit and macaroni salad has lots of fresh fruits and is also so cold that you will never need a drink.
So, enjoy this delicious, creamy, cold and most of all refreshing fruit and macaroni salad with your loved ones. Stay safe; stay healthy! Happy cooking and eating! Oh, I did mention right that this recipe does not involve much of cooking? So, don’t wait up, het this recipe started right away!
While you are here, do checkout my other salad recipes to indulge in some creamy healthiness! Checkout my burger recipes to go with the salad. Also, do look through my chicken recipes for some added protein with the salad.
Has meal planning been a little bit difficult during this lockdown? Look through my No Veggies, 21-Day Lockdown Series for ideas on what to cook during this lockdown.
If you have tried any of my recipes, then tag @the_busy_apron and share it on Instagram with the hashtag #thebusyapron. Also tag @TheBusyApron and share it on Twitter with the hashtag #thebusyapron
Fruit and macaroni salad
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked macaroni
- 1 cup chopped pineapple
- 1 medium pomegranate, skin removed
- 1 medium mango, peeled and chopped
- 1 medium apple, chopped
- 1 medium kiwi, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup sliced black olives
- ½ cup chopped green capsicum
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
- few dill leaves, for garnishing
For the sauce
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tsp red chili flakes
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp red pepper sauce
- 1 tsp sweet chili sauce
- 1 tsp sriracha sauce
- 2 tsp hot and sweet sauce
- 1 tbsp cheese sauce, optional
- a pinch of salt
- ⅛ tsp black pepper powder
- milk, as required to adjust the consistency
Instructions
To prepare the sauce
- In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients except the milk. Whisk everything together.
- Add milk as required to adjust the consistency of the sauce to make it thin.
To prepare the salad
- To a pot of boiling water add some salt along with the uncooked pasta and cook exactly for 5 minutes, mixing in between.
- Rinse with cold water and drain. Toss the pasta with some olive oil and spread it onto a plate..
- Cut all the fruits, capsicum, olives and nuts and add to a mixing bowl along with the pasta.
- Mix the sauce with the pasta and the fruits and combine until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 2-3 hours. Garnish with dill leaves and serve chilled.
Notes
- You can add any vegetables or fruits of your choice.
- Do not boil the pasta for longer as it might turn mushy. Follow the package instructions or if you are using macaroni, it takes maximum 5 minutes to cook.
- Always add pasta to boiling water only.
- For the sauce, you can replace the sauces mentioned with any available sauce like red chili sauce instead of red pepper sauce and ketchup instead of sweet chili sauce.
- The cheese sauce added is store bought and completely optional. It adds a bit of flavor and volume to the sauce too.
- Add milk to the sauce as required to adjust the consistency. I would have added around half cup of it.
- You can garnish the salad with any green onions or parsley or celery too. It is completely your choice.
- You can add boiled and shredded chicken or boiled eggs to your salad too for some added protein.
