Mexican Macaroni Salad

    This Mexican macaroni salad is a fun twist on a classic! It’s creamy, tangy, and full of flavor with crisp veggies, cheese, and a little kick from jalapeños. Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, or anytime you want an easy, delicious side.

    Large bowl of Mexican macaroni salad.

    A Side Dish You’ll Keep Coming Back To

    • The Dressing is Next Level: Creamy mayo, sour cream, fresh lime juice, and jalapeño brine mix together for a tangy, zesty kick!
    • Texture in Every Bite: Pasta, smoky ham, sweet corn, Monterey Jack cheese, and spicy jalapeños all in one bowl.
    • Perfect for Cookouts: This pasta salad is great with burgers, hot dogs, or grilled chicken. It’s also just as good the next day!

    Ingredients for This Mexican Macaroni Salad

    Overhead shot of labeled pasta salad ingredients.
    • Cheese: I used Monterey Jack, but any semi soft cheese works well. Try pepper jack, Oaxaca, or mozzarella.
    • Pasta: You can use any short pasta. Try ditalini, shells, rotini, or bowties.
    • Corn: Use canned, frozen, and thawed or fresh grilled corn for extra flavor.
    • Vegetarian Swap: Leave out the ham or swap it out for black beans to make this vegetarian.
    Overhead shot of labeled Mexican macaroni salad dressing ingredients.
    • Sour Cream: Try Mexican crema or Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream.

    How to Make Mexican Macaroni Salad

    This macaroni salad is the perfect side dish! Just cook your pasta, chop up the mix-ins, stir together the creamy dressing, and toss it all together. Give it a little time to chill, and it’s ready to serve with the best flavor!

    1. Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook elbow macaroni until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water, then add the cooled, drained pasta to a large bowl.
    2. Combine: To the bowl of pasta, add diced ham, corn, shredded carrots, diced bell pepper, Monterey jack cheese, diced celery, diced red onion, and chopped pickled jalapeño.
    3. Make the Dressing: Mix mayonnaise, sour cream, juice from pickled jalapeños, fresh lime juice, yellow mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
    4. Toss: Add the dressing to the pasta bowl and mix until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Chill the Mexican macaroni salad for 30 to 60 minutes if you can, it helps the flavors come together.
    Large colander with macaroni noodles.
    All of the cheese, veggies and other ingredients in a bowl that go in the salad.
    Dressing ingredients all mixed together.
    Mexican macaroni salad ingredients all mixed together with the dressing.

    Alyssa’s Recipe Tip

    Quantity: This recipe makes a lot of macaroni salad. It’s great for a potluck or party. If you are not serving a crowd, you can cut the recipe in half.

    Print

    Mexican Macaroni Salad

    Creamy, zesty, and packed with bold flavor, this Mexican macaroni salad is an easy side you’ll keep coming back to.
    Course Salad, Side Dish
    Cuisine Mexican
    Keyword macaroni salad recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 30 minutes
    Servings 12 servings
    Calories 356kcal
    Author Alyssa Rivers

    Equipment

    • Large pot for boiling pasta
    • Colander for draining pasta
    • Large serving bowl
    • Vegetable chopper

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound elbow macaroni
    • 1 cup diced ham
    • 1 cup corn fresh, canned, or frozen and thawed
    • 1 cup shredded carrots
    • 1 cup finely diced bell pepper
    • 1 cup cubed Monterey Jack cheese
    • ½ cup finely diced celery
    • ½ cup finely diced red onion
    • ¼ cup chopped pickled jalapeno

    Dressing

    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 2 tablespoons juice from pickled jalapeños
    • 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
    • 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
    • salt and pepper to taste

    Instructions

    • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 pound elbow macaroni until al dente, about 8-10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Add the cooled, drained pasta to a large bowl.
    • To the bowl of pasta, add 1 cup diced ham 1 cup corn, 1 cup shredded carrots, 1 cup finely diced bell pepper, 1 cup cubed Monterey Jack cheese, ½ cup finely diced celery, ½ cup finely diced red onion, and ¼ cup chopped pickled jalapeno.
    • Make the dressing by mixing 1 cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons juice from pickled jalapeños, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard, and salt and pepper to taste.
    • Add the dressing to the pasta bowl and mix until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Refrigerate until ready to serve or serve immediately.

    Notes

    Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
    • Refrigerate: Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
    • Do not freeze: Macaroni salad doesn’t freeze well and can become watery.
    • Make ahead: Prepare up to 24 hours in advance, the flavors get even better as it chills!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 356kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 571mg | Potassium: 225mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 2417IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 1mg
    Serving of Mexican macaroni salad in a bowl with a gold fork.

    More Easy Pasta Salad Recipes

    If you love this one, then you’re going to want to try a few more of my favorite pasta salads. They’re just as easy, full of flavor, and perfect for everything from weeknight dinners to weekend cookouts.