Last updated on January 7th, 2024 at 07:21 pm
Are you brave enough to try or make sweet macaroni salad? How about a salad that bursts in your mouth?
What is macaroni salad Filipino style?
If you think of macaroni salad do you like it sweet or savoury?
Most Filipinos have it sweet and creamy.
I looked forward to macaroni salad at the table at Christmas parties or birthday celebrations.
Sometimes there is no need to wait for the holidays to have something special.
Mamon and me agreed to make a big bowl of salad for her to try and for me to satisfy my craving.
Macaroni salad Pinoy style as some people would call it is pasta, cheese, protein and tinned fruit cocktail dressed with mayonnaise and a little double cream.
This sweet and filling salad is not the only regular at festive occasions.
You will also meet a big plate of mango float which is equally scrumptious.
Do you have go-to snacks and desserts for special occasions?
Why would you make a bowl of macaroni salad?
This salad is prepared for special occasions so we made big batches of them.
But make macaroni salad as a side dish, snack or when being lazy lunch (occasionally).
It is almost a complete meal with the pasta, fruit and protein. This is an easy recipe to follow.
Double or triple the recipe because it can be kept in the fridge for a few days unless gobbled up in one go.
Look into the list of ingredients and rummage in the pantry for available food and put a salad together.
Substitutions
Do you like your pasta cooked al dente or soft? Mamon prefers pasta al dente which is not I would normally do.
I found that having the pasta cooked al dente is a good thing as it keeps its shape. There is a tendency that salads are overly tossed.
Adding salt to boiling water to cook the pasta will make this dish flavourful as well.
You can always use different or another shape of pasta.
That way we call this dish pasta salad.
Not everyone would throw in a kind of protein in their salads. For those who do boiled chicken is added but we had leftover ham in the fridge to eat up.
Check the saltiness of the dish as the ham might be salty.
As we are only making this out of what we could find from the kitchen we used Red Leicester cheese.
The cheese added saltiness and creaminess as opposed to the traditional Filipino style cheddar I used back home.
Mayonnaise, table cream and condensed milk are the normal dressing but we opted for the less sweet version omitting the milk.
This did not make a big difference as we added sultanas and tinned fruit which are already sweet. Be sure to taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
Are you ready to give this quick, creamy and packed with flavour macaroni salad a try?
If you are looking for a dish to try for your next party please try the Filipino style spaghetti and leave us a comment if you liked it or not.
Easy Steps and Tips
Get your bowls and big spoons ready because it is time to make macaroni salad!
1. Make sure the pasta is cooked and still warm, drained the tinned fruit and sultanas out of the bag.
2. Chopped the cheese and ham.
3. Measure the cream and mayonnaise and the pepper mill is within reach.
4. Put all the ingredients in the bowl then give it a good mix for the ingredients to become friends, taste-test time.
5. Does it need more cream? Or salt perhaps?
6. If you are happy with the flavour pop a lid on top. Keep the salad in fridge still for minimum two hours.
7. Watch out for little ones who would try to sneak a spoon in the bowl. Keep them busy with homework or ask them to prepare dinner. Otherwise you will end up with an empty salad bowl in an instant.
We would love to see a photo of a macaroni salad when you make one.
Why not try a leche flan recipe while you are in the kitchen to satisfy that sweettooth?
Hungry for more or looking for inspiration? Browse more recipes here or head to Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for updates on life in the countryside and beyond.
Let’s get cooking!
Macaroni Salad – Filipino Style
Course: DessertsDifficulty: Easy6
servings10
minutes10
minutes300
kcalIngredients
2 cups cooked pasta, cooked according to packet instructions, warm
1 cup tinned fruit
2 tablespoons sultanas
1/2 cup Red Leicester cheese, cubed
1/2 cup ham, cubed
2 tablespoons double cream
8 tablespoons mayonnaise
pepper
Directions
- Cook the macaroni pasta according to the instructions on the packet.
- Drain the pasta.
- In a mixing bowl, add all the ingredients.
- Mix all the ingredients gently until well blended.
- Cover and chill.
Notes
- It is best to keep this in the fridge for two hours for the flavour to meld.
- Dress the salad while the pasta is still warm for the flavour to be absorbed well.
Give this recipe a try (please) and share a photo or tag us on Instagram or Facebook.
English
Thanks very much for your kind words. Loads of Filipino cooking sites that we follow ourselves Panlasang Pinoy, Kawaling Pinoy, Foxyfolksy to name a few.
We use a brand called nestle cream and condensed milk to make it sweet. You can add onion and carrots too. You will be surprised.
That’s the brand in the Philippines right? I use double cream here but has not added condensed milk yet to avoid ending up with overly sweet macaroni salad which I will have to eat on my own if Amon does not approve of. She likes savoury and plain food more than sweets. Carrots and onion will surprise me, I trust you on that.
Condensed milk to be added for more Pinoy taste your daughter will like it very much,
I will try adding condensed milk in little amounts with macaroni salad next time I make some. My daughter is not keen on sweet food that is why I do not make lots of desserts.