Ensalada de coditos is one of my favorite summer salads. It’s perfect for cookouts, potluck, or as a side dish for any meal. There are a couple different variations of ensalada de coditos, but I have a soft spot for Dominican macaroni salad.
Growing up, I could always count on finding my favorite sides like ensalada de coditos and Dominican potato salad at almost every Dominican holiday or event.
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Just 3 steps
Once your ingredients are all prepped, it just takes 3 steps to putting this macaroni salad together.
My secret ingredient
Parmesan cheese. Trust me, it adds a rich and savory flavor and enhances the overall taste of the macaroni salad. You only need a little bit, but it’ll make a difference!
Sauté the onions for extra flavor
This step is optional, but I like to sauté the red onions in the distilled vinegar so they have a delicious pickled flavor. But be careful not to burn the onions while sauteing them, they should be translucent. They should not brown in any way.
It’s good in the fridge for a few days
If you refrigerate the macaroni salad in an airtight container, it will be last for up to 3-4 days. I even think the longer it’s able to sit in the fridge, the flavors have more time to mingle and it’s even more delicious!
If you don’t like mayo, you have options
I know mayonnaise is a hit or miss, and a great substitute for it in this macaroni salad is a combination of sour cream (or greek yogurt), oil, and lemon juice.
Easily make this into a vegetarian macaroni salad
To make a vegetarian version of this recipe, swap out tuna for chickpeas or white beans. Be sure to mash up about 1/4 of the beans so the salad has a similar consistency to the original.
Dominican Macaroni Salad (Ensalada De Coditos)
Ingredients
- 1 cup macaroni pasta
- 1 can tuna
- 1 hard boiled egg diced
- 1 celery stick chopped
- ½ green bell pepper chopped
- ½ red bell pepper chopped
- 1 carrot shredded
- 1 handful cilantro chopped
- ½-1 cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp parmesan cheese
- ½ red onion chopped
- 2 tbsp distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp oregano
- 1 pinch of turmeric
- To taste salt and pepper
Instructions
- Cook macaroni according to package directions in a medium pot with salted water.
- In a pan over low to medium heat, add onions and vinegar and cook until translucent.
- In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients: macaroni, tuna, egg, celery, bell peppers, carrot, cilantro, mayonnaise, olive oil, parmesan cheese, onion, garlic powder, oregano, and turmeric. Mix well to evenly coat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the salad for a few hours (but at least an hour) to allow the flavors to meld together. Before serving, adjust the seasoning if needed and give it a final mix. Buen provecho!
One Response
I made this yesterday for a potluck today, and I agree that it’s best to leave it overnight. The flavor was DELICIOUS! I cooked a whole pound of pasta because I had a lot of people to feed, so I adjusted the recipe up as needed. Your Dominican macaroni salad recipe is a hit, and I will make it again, even if I make it just for myself!