Creamy Macaroni Fruit Salad with a wonderful sweet, creamy, tangy crunch and combination of flavors perfect for a potluck meal or easy side dish!
I’m ready to let go of the super hot summer days we’ve been having, but I’m definitely not ready to let go of summer pasta salads! Side dishes like this Macaroni Fruit Salad still accompany almost all of our dinners lately–they’re easy to make and go with everything! It’s also a great recipe for parties or bridal/baby showers.
This Macaroni Fruit Salad is creamy, fresh and delicious and a family favorite from my Grandma’s recipe box. I love that it’s a little different than your typical summer pasta salad recipes. I love the crunch from the apples and celery and the sweet flavor from the grapes and pineapple.
The chicken and noodles make it the perfect hearty meal or side salad. The sauce is similar to a cole-slaw type dressing. It’s creamy and sweet with a hint of tangy-ness.
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Recipe
Macaroni Fruit Salad
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup macaroni noodles , uncooked
- 1 pound cooked chicken , chopped (or use rotisserie chicken)
- 2 Tablespoons onions , grated
- 2 cups grapes , halved
- 1 cup celery , chopped
- 1 cup pineapple tidbits (or fresh chopped pineapple)
- 1 large red apple , diced
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Cook macaroni noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- In a small bowl mix together mayonnaise, cider vinegar, sugar, and salt. Stir well to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl add remaining ingredients, including cooked macaroni noodles.
- Pour sauce over top and toss to combine. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Nutrition
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Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
I used a bit more grated onion and a bit less cider vinegar. I also omitted the chicken as I’m not eating meat right now because of a medication altering my taste. Still to me it was a bit too much vinegar but still very good. Also next time I will toast the almonds. Very good recipe and easy to throw together.
Is it necessary to add the onions grated?? Does it taste good with Onions uncooked???
I’m sure that would still be yummy, or you can leave them out!
You could probably thinly slice the onion. I would not cook them. The recipe needs the freshness of the raw ingredients.
I think I could probably just live on this. Pasta,protein,fruit what else do we need? Very, VERY good!!! thanks for the recipe.
Hello Lauren, do u have a cookbook with these recipes in it, that we can purchase? Can u email and let me know. I am not very good with my computer it takes me forever to write down. Let me know ! Thanks Debbie Lucas
I wish I did, but I don’t! At the top of each post, and inside each recipe card is a “print” button, if that helps! Thanks for following along and for your support.
Lauren, I have become a huge fan of you and your wonderful recipes! I made this macaroni fruit salad last week and my husband and I both really enjoyed it. I shared some with a friend and they enjoyed it as well. I actually posted it on my blog today…giving full credit and links back to you.
Thank you so much Dianna–I’m glad you found me! Thanks for making and sharing 🙂
This salad is delicious! My kids and husband enjoyed taking the leftovers in their lunches the next day. I will definitely make this salad again. It would be a great dish to take to a summer potluck.
Thanks Lisa, I’m so happy your family enjoyed it!
It came out really tasty. Kids loved it. Easy, quick and nice way to give fruits to kids. A must for kids party in my home.
Thanks Laura, I’m so happy you liked it!
I love this recipe!