Cobb Macaroni Salad

Pasta salads like this Cobb Macaroni Salad can be served as a side dish or as a light meal. It's filled with chicken, bacon, tomatoes, and a generous helping of fresh avocados all dressed with a homemade dressing. Enjoy it for a quick meal on busy days or those too-hot-to-cook nights.

How to Make this Cobb Macaroni Salad Recipe

• I like to use jumbo elbow macaroni for this pasta salad for the hefty size and ridges that give the dressing something to cling to.
• It can serve a crowd as a side dish but, if you're planning on serving this Cobb salad it as a main dish, consider the appetites of those you're serving and adjust accordingly. It's one of my favorite make-ahead salads delicious for serving year-round meals and entertaining. Your salad eaters will love it to the very last bite.
• Other variations on cobb salad you may enjoy are these Cobb Salad Lettuce Wraps from Hip Foodie Mom.

Cobb Macaroni Salad Makes an Easy Meal Option

This Cobb macaroni salad can also be served this on a bed of mixed salad greens as a main dish. My family sees this sitting in the fridge and it magically becomes a quick meal or between meal snack. So, is it versatile? Yes. Delicious? Absolutely! Dish up a generous serving then sit back and enjoy.

Other Ways to Add Macaroni to the Menu

Pasta is inexpensive and can be dressed with a simple homemade pesto or turned into a feast adding beaten eggs and bacon. Other inexpensive ways to enjoy it:

• Creamy Macaroni and Cheese Pie
• Nacho Beef and Macaroni
• Fried Mac and Cheese Balls
• Chicken and Bacon Ranch-A-Roni

Thanks for visiting come back soon!

Disclosure ~ If a purchase is made using one of the affiliate links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Pasta Cooker Set
• Vegetable Chopper
• Electric Egg Cooker
• Avocado Slicer
  
  

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

Cobb Macaroni Salad

Prep Time25 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Chill time4 hours hrs

Total Time4 hours hrs 40 minutes mins

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Salad

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cobb-macaroni-salad, cobb-salad-recipes, macaroni-salad-recipes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 473kcal

Author: Melissa Sperka

Ingredients

• 1 16 oz box jumbo elbow macaroni [i.e. Mueller's]
• 1 0.4 oz package dry Buttermilk Ranch Dressing mix [i.e. Hidden Valley]
• 1 cup real mayonnaise
• 1 ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 cup rotisserie chicken cubed
• ½ lb bacon cooked and crumbled
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
• 1 medium purple onion chopped
• 4 oz bleu cheese crumbles
• 3 large hard boiled eggs peeled, diced or quartered
• 4 medium green onion thinly sliced
• salt & black pepper to taste
• 2 medium avocados peeled and cubed

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Cook the pasta in salted water per the directions until al dente. Drain well.
• In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry buttermilk ranch dressing, 1 cup mayo and 1 ½ cup buttermilk. Set aside. [See Notes]
• Mix the drained pasta with the dressing, cubed chicken, crumbled bacon, cherry tomatoes, chopped purple onion, diced eggs, bleu cheese crumbles and green onion. Save some bleu cheese, bacon and green onion for garnishing. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper to your taste.
• Chill thoroughly. Add the diced avocado just before serving. Serves: Main dish [6-8] Side dish [12]

Notes

You may substitute 2 ½ cup good quality prepared buttermilk Ranch dressing and omit the dry Buttermilk Dressing Mix mix, mayo and buttermilk, if desired.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 473kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 110mg | Sodium: 768mg | Potassium: 413mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 498IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Mention @melissassk or tag #melissassk!