Buttermilk bacon cheddar macaroni salad

Make macaroni salad even better with bacon, buttermilk dressing, and cheese. Toss in a few veggies, too, if the mood strikes you.

Macaroni salad is a great summer picnic dish. And it is a classic of the Southern table, from church suppers to days outdoors. I have been served a lot of macaroni salad and read a lot of traditional recipes in Southern community cookbooks that include, like many a Southern dish, pickle relish. I am not a fan of pickle relish so I haven’t always been a fan of macaroni salad.

So I set out to create a tasty macaroni salad that met my particular tastes, but would appeal to the family and friends I was sure to serve it to. I want tangy and creamy with interesting flavor contrasts and textures, but nothing too out there. Adding vinegar to the cooking water and tossing it with the cooked pasta helps to season the salad without adding buckets of salt. A touch of bacon grease keeps the pasta from sticking together.

I like to keep this pretty simple, with the herby ranch style dressing creamy with buttermilk, tossed with sharp cheese and crispy bacon. This salad will appeal to all ages and leave no picky eaters passing it by because they are concerned about all the bits and pieces in the dish. If you’d like, you can add to it. A little finely chopped celery or bell pepper or onion could add texture and flavor.

Buttermilk bacon cheddar macaroni salad
Serves 6

6 strips of bacon
2 cups elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons cider vinegar, divided
4 green onions, white and light green parts only
3 tablespoons chopped chives
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup sour cream
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1. Cut the bacon into small pieces and cook over medium-high heat until very crispy. Remove to paper towels to drain and reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease.

2. Cook the macaroni in a large pot of water with 1 tablespoon vinegar according to the package instructions until cooked through. Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water and drain well again. Return the pasta to the pot and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of cider vinegar and the tablespoon of bacon grease. Stir to coat the pasta well and leave to sit for 15 minutes.

3. Place 3 of the green onions, the herbs, salt, pepper, buttermilk, and sour cream in a food processor or blender (I like the mini-food processor for this) and blend until smooth and combined. Pour the dressing over the macaroni and stir gently to coat. Add the grated cheese and bacon and stir to distribute. Finely chop the remaining green onion and add to the salad, stirring to combine. The dressing will absorb and thicken as it chills, so don’t worry if it looks a little loose. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Cover the salad and refrigerate until chilled. The salad will keep for 3 days covered and refrigerated. You can stir in a little more buttermilk to loosen the salad up before serving.

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