Garden Macaroni Salad
Garden Macaroni Salad | DRESSED TO IMPRESS! This eye catching Garden Macaroni Salad is made with a creamy sauce made of cream cheese, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard and relish along with crunchy fresh green pepper, radishes and cucumber all pressed into an old school jello mold. To make this not only a tasty salad but a fun festive one too! Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter or any special occasion. Impress your guests with this Garden Macaroni Salad!
I have been making this salad for at least 20 years. It is always a big hit! I SHARED A RECIPE WITH YOU THAT I HAVE BEEN MAKING FOR OVER 20 YEARS. I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT THE RECIPES YOU MAKE OVER AND OVER AGAIN!
Another everyday salad turned “fancy” is a potato salad. Click here for the recipe—->>>>DRESSED UP POTATO SALAD. This Dressed Up Potato Salad is ready for any occasion. Ladies Luncheon, Mother’s Day, Easter, Baby Shower or Bridal Shower. Fancy or casual you can take this salad anywhere!
The key ingredient to making this salad into a mold (other then the mold it self) is the cream cheese. You need something that will solidify once refrigerated.
HOW TO CREATE RADISH FLOWERS
Another Retro ingredient to this salad are the radish flowers. They are fun and super simple to make. First, slice the ends and wash. Then using a small paring knife cut thin slices around the edges in a down motion making sure to leave the petal attached to the base of the radish. Place the “flower” in a bowl of ice water. Let the radish flowers sit in the ice water until ready to use. This will help the radish to open up and become a flower.
Garden Macaroni Salad
Dress up your salad by using a Gelatin Mold!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup Mayonnaise
- 1 ( 8-ounce) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup sweet pickle relish
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 3 cups dry elbow macaroni, cooked, drained
- 1 cup chopped cucumber
- 1/2 cup chopped green pepper
- 1/2 cup radish slices
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Extra cucumber and radishes for garnish (optional)
- Gelatin Mold (optional)
Instructions
- Spray a gelatin mold with non stick cooking spray.
- Mix together the mayonnaise, cream cheese, relish and mustard.
- While the macaroni is still hot add to the mayonnaise mixture and completely mix.
- Add cucumber, green pepper, radishes and salt.
- Mix together.
TIP: I used a gelatin mold but if you don't have one you can use a cake pan or a spring form pan and add a small bowl in the middle to make it hallow in the center.
- Spoon salad into mold and press to compact.
- Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight.
- Take the top lid off, press a round platter to the salad and carefully turn over.
- Place on counter and carefully release the middle section, slowly pull the mold off the salad.
- Garnish with sliced cucumber and radishes.
To Make the Radishes:
- Slice on each side and put in ice water. The ice water helps the slices to open up.
Notes
This recipe is from Lady Behind The Curtain
NEVER MISS A POST!
Sign up for my newsletter and receive my recipes in your inbox. Easy to see anytime and saved for safe keeping. Click Here and sign up today! —->>>>CURTAIN CALL NEWSLETTER
More salad recipes you might like. SOUTHERN MACARONI SALAD and RAINBOW MACARONI SALAD.
Beautiful and it looks delish too.
Lisa~~
Cook Lisa Cook
I made your recipe, but added sweet peas and finely diced onions along with quartered slices of seedless cukes and miracle whip. OMG sure is tasty and filling.
Sounds delicious Sarah!
What a beautiful dish! I would love to taste it.
Yum! I could have used this recipe a few days ago. 🙂
How cool! I’ve never thought of molding a macaroni salad. 🙂
I love the jello mold idea!!! Thanks for sharing this on Two Maids a Baking!!
what a great garden style recipe showcases our products that we raised from the garden come see me at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
Another wonderful recipe. This looks so delicious. Perfect for a summer party. Come over and visit us today. We have a great summer one too!
Very Clever to “form” this salad! 🙂
Thanks for linking up!
Looks amazing!! Wanted to let you know I’ll be featuring you next week! Thanks for linking up. http://nap-timecreations.blogspot.com/
That is very clever! I’ve never seen anything like it before
Well that is definately different and I’m sure to be the ball of any party or get together! Great, unique idea.
Looks really good. Hope you’ll come back and share with us at
Simply Delish.
What a great way to make a simple dish look so special!!
Such a pretty design! Thanks for linking to Fat Camp Friday, enjoy your weekend and see you next time! http://bit.ly/mTxy7l
Love the way you molded the salad and decorated the inside. This would be great for a church potluck. Bookmarking this to make for sure!
What a pretty salad!
Cheryl, i just LOVE this salad and your pretty presentation. Thanks for sharing it last week on Fresh Food Friday/Seasonal Saturday. IT WAS FEATURED today on this weekend’s linky and I hope that you can stop by again and again with these fantastic recipes of yours. There’s a button for you if you’d like.
Hi Sheryl, You turned this into something fabulous! It looks even more appetizing this way! Love it!
Do you think that this would work with a bundt pan? That’s all I have. I so want to make this next weekend! Thanks!
Hi Debbi,
Yes, I think a bundt pan would work. The salad is still plyable enough that after you turn it out on to a platter you can widen the center a little more. (if you wanted to)
🙂
I saw your salad today on La Bella Vita’s Fresh Food Friday and had to drop by and say what a lovely presentation. Very clever and well done.
Sam
What a great idea–simple too!
Is that 3 cups of dry macaroni measured dry and then cooked or 3 cups of cooked macaroni?
Hi Elle,
You need 3 cups of dry macaroni. Thanks for pointing that out. It was a little confusing. I added dry to the ingredient list. It’s a GREAT salad! 🙂
Looks adorable and I am trying this for Labor Day Holiday, however, where is the onion on the ingredient list, and is three cups of dry pasta mean a pound box is too much??
Hi Nancy,
There is no onion in the recipe. That’s bell pepper and use 3 cups dry pasta. I don’t know if that is a pound box. You’ll need to measure it. If you add too much pasta you’ll have too much for your mold and the dressing. 🙂
I just love your site! Great recipes and presentations.
Thanks Mary for making my day a little brighter. 🙂
Love this recipe! Pretty and delightful!
Thanks Giovanna!
This is a totally great idea to do this weekend. Thanks for sharing!
You’re Welcome Jennifer. It’s one of my favorite ways to serve Macaroni Salad.
Really impressive Garden Macaroni Salad, Sheryl. The 20 years salad! Bravo!
Thanks Lita! It’s one of my favorites!
would the salad turn out like the picture if I used a bundt pan, as I don’t have a gelatin mould??
Hi Jean, Yes…as long as you spray it with non stick cooking spray.