Macaroni Bean Salad

I love a good cold macaroni salad in the summer, and this one is flavorful with three sources of protein, to boot.  This really just hits the spot.  My family loves this pasta salad.

The only change I made to this salad to make it pantry-friendly was the cheese.  And, as usual, you can't even tell.  I really love that about freeze-dried cheese!  You could also consider the cheese optional, if you prefer.

MACARONI BEAN SALAD

PREP TIME:  20 minutes
CHILL TIME:  about 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 16 oz. elbow macaroni, cooked according to package directions
• half of a 6-oz. can olives, sliced in half
• 15-oz. can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
• 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 c. freeze-dried Monterey Jack cheese, rehydrated (original recipe:  1 c. cubed Monterey Jack cheese)
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 1/4 c. Italian salad dressing 
• 2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp. seasoned salt

DIRECTIONS

Rehydrate the cheese according to package directions.  (Suggested rehydration time for cheese is 2 hours.)  Drain the macaroni and let it cool enough that it won't melt the cheese.  In a small bowl,  combine the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, white wine vinegar, and seasoned salt.  In a large salad bowl, combine both beans with olives, cheese, and macaroni.  Stir in the dressing mixture.  Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours before serving.

Try this recipe, then comment and let me know how you like it!  And Pin it to Pinterest to save and share using the image below.

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