Low Calorie Macaroni Salad (2024)

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Healthy Low Calorie Macaroni Salad is a healthier homemade pasta salad made lighter, with more protein and just as creamy and delicious as the traditional recipe. Gluten Free + Low Calorie

Deli-style macaroni salads are generally made with a hefty amount of sugar and saturated fat. This low calorie macaroni salad is a healthier version that will be a crowd favorite during the summer and year round!

This version is creamy, luscious macaroni salad has a lighter dressing that is higher in protein and is also made with high protein pasta for a better balance recipe. Enjoy it as an appetizer or even as a meal!

Pick up the ingredients for this healthier pasta salad STAT so you'll be ready with a simple and yummy salad recipe.

It's not only low calorie, but gluten free and you can easily substitute ingredients to make it fit YOUR tastebuds.

Why I Love This Lighter Macaroni Salad with Protein

• Lower Calorie - Traditional macaroni salads are very high in saturated fat, sugar, sodium and calories. This healthier version has 183 calories per serving with just a few tweaks to the original recipe.
• Higher Protein - Reducing the amount of mayo and swapping it for yogurt as well as swapping regular white pasta for higher protein pasta are two simple tricks to making a higher protein macaroni salad. Each serving of this salad has 13 grams of protein.
• Higher Fiber - 5 grams of fiber in this macaroni salad! Higher fiber increases fullness, satiety and higher fiber diets are shown to aid in weight loss and disease prevention.
• Lower Fat - Each serving of this macaroni salad has 6 total grams of fat and just 1 gram of saturated fat. This is much lower than deli or restaurant versions!

Low Calorie Macaroni Salad Ingredients

Here's what you need to make healthy macaroni salad. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the blog post for the ingredient measurements, full instructions, nutritional data and to print this recipe.

• Elbow Macaroni, I used chickpea for higher protein
• Red Bell Pepper
• Celery
• Red Onion
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Peas
• Parsley
• Greek Yogurt
• Light Mayo
• Lemon Juice
• Dijon Mustard
• Honey
• White Vinegar
• Salt + Pepper

For substitutions and dairy-free options, scroll to the substitutions section below for recommendations.

How To Make Macaroni Salad Healthy with Yogurt

Here's how to make a lighter macaroni salad with protein!

Step One - Cook the pasta according to the package instructions. Drain, rinse the pasta and set aside.

Step Two - In a mixing bowl, combine the yogurt, mayo, lemon juice, Dijon Mustard, lemon juice, honey, vinegar, salt and pepper.

Step Three - In a separate large mixing bowl, add the cooked pasta with the bell pepper, celery, red onions, hard boiled eggs and peas. Toss the dressing with the veggies and pasta, add the dried parsley then chill before serving.

Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for nutritional information and to print this recipe.

How To Store Macaroni Salad

• Refrigerator - You can refrigerate macaroni salad up to 4 days in airtight container.
• Freezer - I haven't tried freezing this salad. Macaroni salad will not freeze well in my opinion. The veggies will get soggy from freezing diluting the flavor of the salad.

What's The Best Pasta To Use For Macaroni Salad?

Elbow macaroni is used in traditional macaroni salads. For this healthier macaroni salad, I used chickpea pasta to boost the protein and better balance the nutrition.

Edamame, black bean, lentil pasta or high protein whole grain pasta like Barilla protein pasta are all alternatives you could use.

Should You Rinse Macaroni When Making Macaroni Salad?

Always rinse the pasta under cold water before tossing with the other salad ingredients. Not rinsing the pasta before tossing with the dressing can result in clumpy, sticky pasta. Rinsing under water removes some of the starch which prevents sticking.

Why Is My Macaroni Salad Bland?

Be sure to add salt to the water you cook the pasta in or you risk having a bland macaroni salad.

Should Macaroni Salad Be Made The Night Before?

I actually recommend making this recipe 8-12 hours before you plan to enjoy it so the flavors can marry. Just refrigerate in an airtight container, stir it well and then serve.

Healthy Macaroni Salad Substitutions

Here are the substitutions I recommend for this recipe. Please remember when you substitute ingredients, it does change the nutritional data from what you see in this recipe.

• Chickpea Pasta - I used chickpea pasta to boost the protein in this recipe and better balance the nutrition. Edamame, black bean, lentil pasta or high protein whole grain pasta like Barilla protein pasta are all alternatives you could use.
• Light Mayo - You can use regular mayo. For dairy-free, use a dairy-free mayo like this one.
• Greek Yogurt - I used plain, low fat yogurt for the recipe. You can use full fat or nonfat too. For dairy-free, you can do a lactose free cottage cheese and blend it until smooth or look for a higher protein dairy-free yogurt like Kite Hill High Protein Dairy Free Yogurt.
• Peas - Instead of frozen peas you could use snap peas, diced green bell peppers, or canned broad beans.
• Dijon Mustard - Any mustard can be used in this mustard just note the flavor may be different.
• Lemon Juice - Lime Juice can be used instead.
• White Vinegar - Apple cider vinegar is an alternative or you can eliminate the vinegar.
• Honey - You can omit the honey or use a sugar free substitute.
• Dried Parsley - Freshly chopped parsley is great too!
• Veggies - You can swap or add veggies per your liking.

More Healthy Pasta Salad Recipes

• Low Calorie Pasta Salad
• Low Calorie Tuna Pasta Salad
• Healthy Greek Pasta Salad
• Zucchini Pasta Salad
• Low Calorie Potato Salad

About Megan

Megan is a certified nutrition practitioner, author, freelance food photographer and fitness instructor living in Phoenix, Arizona. On her blog, Skinny Fitalicious she shares EASY, gluten free recipes for weight loss. Follow Megan on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates.