Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad
Love that classic loaded baked potato combination of sour cream, chives, cheese, and bacon? Enjoy it in a new delicious way in this Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad!
I sure love a great loaded baked potato. That combination of sour cream, chives, cheese, and bacon just gives such fabulous flavor when all mushed together with the fluffy baked potato flesh. It's a perfect comfort food, for sure.
So why not take that classic combination of flavors and enjoy it as a macaroni salad? Why not, indeed.
But I must admit, the first time I made this Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad, the flavor fell totally flat.
Which baffled me to no end. How could the classic loaded baked potato combination not deliver up the great flavor I expected?
I was so disappointed in the result of that first attempt, but decided to give it another go ... with some tweaks to my original recipe, of course.
And guess what? The second time was a charm! This second version of Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad absolutely did not disappoint, delivering up the great loaded baked potato flavor I was going for.
So what did I change to make the recipe work?
1. Increased the ratio of "stuff" to macaroni, adding more chopped green onion, more cubed cheese, and more crumbled bacon for the amount of pasta. The first time I made it, there just wasn't enough "stuff" to deliver up the flavor I wanted. With the higher ratio of macaroni in the original version, each bite was just too bland.
2. Changed the dressing to a combination of sour cream and mayonnaise, instead of just sour cream. When the dressing was solely sour cream, it just fell too flat flavor-wise. Adding in the creaminess and less-tangy flavor of mayo along with the sour cream really made a big difference.
3. Punched up the flavor of the dressing by adding acid ... in the form of a good dose of apple cider vinegar ... and a touch of sugar. These additions made a huge difference, truly adding a great jolt of flavor to the macaroni salad. It was probably the most impactful change I made.
So if you love that baked potato combination of sour cream, chives, cheese, and bacon, give this Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad version a try.
It's a delicious new way to enjoy the classic creamy comfort of loaded baked potatoes!
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Yield: 8-10 Servings
Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad
Love that classic loaded baked potato combination of sour cream, chives, cheese, and bacon? Enjoy it in a new delicious way in this Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad!
prep time: 20 Mcook time: 15 Mtotal time: 35 M
ingredients:
- 2 c. uncooked elbow macaroni
- 1 c. sour cream
- 1 c. mayonnaise
- 3 T. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. pepper
- 12 slices bacon, cooked crisp & crumbled
- 1 (8 oz.) block sharp cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes
- 10 green onions, sliced thinly {both white & green parts}
instructions:
How to cook Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad
- Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add macaroni and stir until well combined.
- Add crumbled bacon, cheese cubes, and green onion. Toss until mixed.
- Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.
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