Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad

August 3, 2020
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!
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Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad Image

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.

This macaroni salad is a great way to enjoy the classic loaded baked potato combination we love, in a non-classic non-potato way.

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 that was expected?

I was so disappointed in the result of that first attempt.

Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad with Bacon Image

Not one to easily give up on a recipe I think should be delicious, I decided to give it another go -- With some tweaks to my original base 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.  And now this macaroni salad is a great way to enjoy the classic loaded baked potato combination we love, in a non-classic non-potato way.

So what did I change to make the recipe work?  Three things:

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 amped up the flavor of this salad.  

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.

Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad Ingredients Image

2.  Changed the dressing to a combination of sour cream and mayonnaise ~ Instead of using just sour cream for the dressing (as would be on a loaded baked potato), a combination of sour cream and mayonnaise works much better.

When the dressing was solely sour cream, it just fell too flat flavor-wise and was lacking some richness.  Adding in the creaminess and less-tangy flavor of mayo along with the sour cream really made a big difference.

Instead of using just sour cream for the dressing, a combination of sour cream and mayonnaise works much better.

3.  Punched up the flavor of the dressing by adding acid ~ A little acid in the form of a good dose of apple cider vinegar, along with a small touch of sugar, raised the flavor level tremendously.  

The addition of vinegar and sugar made a huge difference, truly adding a great jolt of flavor to the macaroni salad.  It was probably the most impactful change I made.

Mixing Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad Image

So if you love that classic baked potato combination of sour cream, chives, cheese, and bacon, give this Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad a try.

It's a delicious new non-potato way to enjoy the classic creamy comfort of loaded baked potatoes!

Check out these other super tasty pasta salad recipes:
Bowl of Loaded Baked Potato Macaroni Salad Image
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Salads
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

  1. Cook macaroni in boiling salted water according to package directions. Drain and set aside to cool while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
  2. In a large bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Add macaroni and stir until well combined.
  3. Add crumbled bacon, cheese cubes, and green onion. Toss until mixed.
  4. Cover and chill for at least an hour before serving.
Created using The Recipes Generator

You might also like these other delicious salad recipes:
Amish Macaroni Salad
Ham & Cheese Macaroni Salad

Make-Ahead Layered Salad
Antipasto Pasta Salad

6 comments

  1. This will be a fantastic Macaroni Salad! Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and come back to see us real soon!
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
  2. This looks wonderful. I love that you made it with pasta instead of potatoes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Incredible recipe! Amazing flavor, super easy to make, budget friendly- I’m Impressed. This dish will be my go to this summer for potlucks and cookouts. Thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Tracey, I have a smile on my face just thinking about this great combo. I’m putting together a
    Friday with Friends food post on August 7 about summer foods. Other bloggers, including Carol from Bluesky at home will be part of those featured, and I would love to include a picture of the potato/Mac salad with a link back to your site.
    Please let me know if you are open to this.

    Thank you,
    Rachelle
    My Hubbard Home

    ReplyDelete

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