Upgrade your next lunch or dinner with this delicious WW-friendly 2-point Southwest Macaroni Salad recipe. This creamy macaroni salad boasts fresh and zesty flavors. It will make you hungry just looking at it! With its bright and colorful ingredients and creamy texture, you won’t be able to resist it. It has plump corn kernels, fresh cilantro, juicy tomatoes, sharp red onion, and more.
The dressing is different than that of a traditional macaroni salad recipe, too. It has hints of chipotle peppers, thanks to the adobo sauce. Rather than using regular mayonnaise, this is a healthy macaroni salad with Greek yogurt as the primary dressing ingredient. The small amount of light mayo complements it and adds some richness. Meanwhile, garlic and onion powder in the dressing enhance the flavors of the chipotle adobo sauce.
This is the best macaroni salad to use as a side dish! Since it serves 12 people, you can bring it to a potluck, brunch party, or other gathering. It’s also an easy macaroni salad you can make during the week. Cut the recipe in half and use it for meal prep to accompany different main courses during the week! This Weight Watchers recipe can be used in so many ways. I know you will love it as much as I do!
Why You Should Try This Recipe
- Low-Point Side Dish: This is the perfect side dish because it doesn’t consume a lot of WW points. You can enjoy this delicious homemade macaroni salad alongside other components of your meal! Serve it with turkey burgers, lettuce wraps, chicken skewers, and more.
- Made with Fresh, Whole Ingredients: This lightened-up macaroni salad is loaded with nutrient-packed ingredients like veggies and also has plenty of protein from Greek yogurt. The use of whole-grain pasta also provides less carbs and more fiber than traditional pasta.
- It’s a Crowd-Pleaser: Serve this at a summer BBQ or with a light summer dinner, and everyone will devour this amazing Southwest salad! Meat eaters and vegetarians alike will enjoy this salad, as they can pair it with their protein of choice.
Recipe Overview
- Serving Size: ½ cup (83 g)
- Number of Servings: 12
- Time to Cook: 30
- WW Points Per Recipe: 2 points– click here to view it in the WW app (login required to view Weight Watchers recipe builder)
Ingredients in WW Southwest Macaroni Salad
Macaroni Salad Ingredients
- 8 oz dry Whole-grain elbow macaroni
- ¼ medium or large Red onion, diced
- 1 tbsp Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 medium Bell pepper, any color, diced
- 1 small Jalapeno (or serrano), small diced
- ½ cup Canned corn, drained
- ½ cup Canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tbsp Fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup Cherry or grape tomatoes, chopped
Creamy Chipotle Dressing
- 1 cup Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup Light mayo
- 2 ½ tbsp Canned chipotle adobo sauce (I used the liquid from canned chipotles in adobo)
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- ½ tsp Onion powder or granulated onion
- ½ tsp Garlic powder or granulated garlic
Instructions for Making Weight Watchers Southwest Macaroni Salad (Step by Step)
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Then, drain it and thoroughly rinse it with cold water to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- While the pasta is cooking, you can chop the necessary ingredients and drain the corn and beans.
- To make the dressing, combine all dressing ingredients in a small to medium bowl and stir with a whisk until it is smooth. (Note: you can add chopped chipotle peppers from the can in addition to the liquid for a bolder chipotle flavor.)
- In a large bowl, combine all the salad components, gently folding them together with a large wooden spoon or spatula.
5. Next, add the dressing and fold the mixture until everything comes together.
6. Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving.
Variations and Substitutions
- Pasta Shape: Don’t feel limited to just elbow macaroni. You can turn this into any pasta salad. Use whatever pasta shape you have on hand!
- Seasonings and Herbs: To make it spicier, add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. You can also include other seasonings or herbs. If you don’t have cilantro, use some parsley. Feel free to experiment.
- Shredded Chicken: Although this recipe for macaroni salad has a good amount of protein, you can always add some shredded chicken to make this side dish even more satisfying. I suggest slightly increasing the dressing amount if you choose to do so.
- Lime Juice: Add freshly squeezed lime juice to make it zestier! I find that the adobo sauce and jalapenos have a good amount of zesty flavor, but lime juice will definitely add a refreshing touch.
- Avocado: Just before serving, sprinkle on some fresh diced avocado for textural contrast and added flavor. Avocado pairs wonderfully with all the components in the dish!
- Shrimp: You can always add cooked shrimp as a finishing touch. Similarly to the chicken, I suggest increasing the dressing amount slightly when adding the shrimp.
Tips and Tricks for Making the Best Macaroni Salad
- Don’t skip rinsing the pasta with cold water after you drain it! If you don’t, all of the extra starch on the noodles’ exterior will soak up the dressing and dry out the pasta salad. It might also make the noodles stick together.
- Although you can serve this immediately or on the same day, it benefits from resting overnight in the refrigerator. All of the flavors meld and fuse together nicely.
- You can store this pasta salad in the refrigerator, covered, for three to five days. Do not freeze it since the dressing is made with mostly Greek yogurt. Its texture will be negatively affected from freezing and thawing.
Related Recipes
Spinach and Artichoke Pasta Salad
Southwest Macaroni Salad
Ingredients
Salad Components
- 8 oz dry Whole-grain elbow macaroni
- ¼ medium or large Red onion, diced
- 1 tbsp Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 medium Bell pepper, any color, diced
- 1 small Jalapeno, or serrano, finely chopped
- ½ cup Canned corn, drained
- ½ cup Canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- 3 tbsp Fat-free shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup Cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered
Creamy Chipotle Dressing
- 1 cup Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup Light mayo
- 2 ½ tbsp Chipotle adobo sauce, I used the liquid from canned chipotles in adobo
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Black pepper
- ½ tsp Onion powder or granulated onion
- ½ tsp Garlic powder or granulated garlic
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Then, drain it and thoroughly rinse it with cold water to prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- While the pasta is cooking, you can chop the necessary ingredients and drain the corn and beans.
- To make the dressing, combine all ingredients in a small to medium bowl and stir with a whisk until it is smooth. (Note: you can add chopped chipotle peppers from the can in addition to the liquid if you want a bolder chipotle flavor.)
- In a large bowl, combine all the salad components, gently folding them with a large wooden spoon or spatula.
- Next, add the dressing and fold the mixture until everything comes together.
- Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Looks very good can’t wait to try it.