How to Make Macaroni Salad for the Holidays

Holiday food should be as vibrant and colourful as the season as it approaches. The Christmas season in the Philippines is renowned for being among the longest in the world. Christmas carols and holiday preparations can frequently begin as early as September, though for the majority it begins in December. There is no doubt that one of the many reasons Filipinos love Christmas is the opportunity to spend time with all of their loved ones. Nothing should prevent us from having a joyous and healthy holiday season, despite the peculiar circumstances of the modern world. When there is delectable food on the table, this is especially true! The macaroni salad we’re going to make today will undoubtedly make people happy and festive.

Filipino Macaroni Salad

What immediately comes to mind when we mention macaroni salad? A lot of people think that macaroni salad tastes great with any hearty, rich meat. We frequently observe macaroni salad on someone’s plate at family gatherings and barbecues, along with a sizable slab of juicy, tender meat. The task of cutting through all those heavy flavours and replacing them with something bright and energising is successfully accomplished by macaroni salad. Some people even garnish this dish with chicken shreds to add an extra layer of satisfaction! This side dish is undoubtedly a favourite of many people all over the world because it is cold, light, and creamy.

But in the Philippines, macaroni salad can mean something different entirely! While you still get that creamy taste you love in its original form, the other ingredients of this salad are a lot different. In the macaroni salad we’re making today, we’re leaning into the classic Filipino sweet tooth. Here are its ingredients.

The sauce for this dish is a mixture of Lady’s Choice real mayonnaise, condensed milk, and all-purpose cream. Sounds strange? Before you dismiss something, give it a shot! It might sound strange at first, but the combination produces a sweet, creamy baked macaroni that you won’t be able to get enough of. Condensed milk’s sweetness and the slight tanginess of mayonnaise combine well, and adding all-purpose cream gives it a velvety texture and delicious flavour.

Colorful, Rich, and Sweet

Since we want to get into a festive mood, you can’t go wrong with a splash of color! This is where your nata de coco comes in. In the macaroni salad we’re making today, we’ll be using two colors of nata de coco. Can you guess what they are? Yup — red and green, perfect for holiday cheer! While there may not be any difference in the taste between these two colors, the sight of them will make all the difference. Good food is more than just tasting great, after all; the visuals matter, too! And with the addition of these different nata de coco, your macaroni salad is sure to be stunning.

Additionally, sharp cheddar cheese strikes the perfect balance between the very creamy, nutty flavors of your macaroni salad. It’s good to have a little variety in your flavors, so as to prevent being overwhelmed by the richness of this dish. Using kaong and fruit cocktail also add an additional vibrant layer of textures to your macaroni salad. Each bite will be like an explosion of flavors in your mouth. What’s not to love?

How to Make Macaroni Salad

For all your holiday party tray needs, this macaroni salad is an easy, breezy treat you can whip up in no time! What’s most important is ensuring that you have enough time to let it refrigerate for at least an hour before your guests and loved ones arrive. Your macaroni salad is best served cold, so be sure that it’s as cold as it can be! Whether it’s a quick appetizer, a snack, or even dessert, your family will be having spoonful after spoonful of this delight.

There aren’t all that many ingredients for this dish, and preparation beforehand will be quite scarce. Of all the ingredients, the only ones that need prepping are your cheese, nata de coco, kaong, and fruit cocktail. The first ingredient requires dicing your cheese into smaller pieces, while everything else will need some draining before you begin cooking.

Together, let’s prepare this macaroni salad! Put your sauce ingredients together after you’ve prepared your macaroni noodles in accordance with the directions on the package. These consist of 470 ml of Lady’s Choice Mayonnaise, 300 ml of condensed milk, and 250 ml of all-purpose cream. Mix all of these in a sizable mixing bowl. Make sure you’ve done your best to incorporate all the ingredients. Then incorporate the cheese, fruit cocktail, kaong, and nata de coco. Once again, mix your macaroni salad ingredients harmoniously — after which you’ll add the macaroni itself!

Toss and mix your macaroni salad around until you’ve incorporated all the ingredients to your liking. When you’re satisfied, cover the bowl with plastic cling wrap, then pop it into the fridge. Let your salad cool for at least one hour, during which you can prepare the rest of the dishes you plan on serving. If you’re looking for another salad to try, why not give this Chicken Potato one a go?

When your guests finally arrive, take your macaroni salad out of the fridge and serve it chilled for everyone’s enjoyment. Share this dish with your family, and let us know what they thought of this creamy comfort food!

If you liked this dish so much, why not try the savory, classic chicken macaroni salad? I guarantee you’ll find just as much satisfaction in this as in the sweet rendition we made today.

Ingredients