If you volunteered to bring the macaroni salad to the family barbecue this year but didn’t have time to prepare it at home, there’s no shame in opting for the store-bought stuff. It gets the job done, but admittedly tends to taste bland. Thankfully, there are a variety of ways to doctor it up — and you likely have everything you need already in your kitchen. Plus, to ensure guests get flavor in every bite, take the extra step of chopping every add-on to be about the same size as the macaroni.
Think of the five basic tastes for building flavor: Sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Each of these excites our taste buds in different ways, but it doesn’t take much to bring them out; add a little kosher salt or even a dash of sugar to enhance the flavors of a dish, vinegar or citrus juice adds bright, sour acidity, and sauces such as Worcestershire or soy build umami flavor. Increase the pasta salad’s texture, too, by incorporating ingredients that strongly exhibit these flavors.
Salt and lemon juice are simple and dependable
If you’re low on extra ingredients, keep it simple and do away with bland macaroni salad with a little salt. There are various salt types and ways to use them, and it’s arguably the most important flavor profile in a good dish.
Pair the salt with a little acidity, such as from lemon juice — salt reduces bitterness, enhancing that bright, acidic addition of citrus. If you don’t have any lemon juice, you can add a little bitterness and tang from vinegar, too. White vinegar is fine, but you can also use red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Start with small amounts, then taste and increase as needed.
Peppers add heat
Peppers bring all kinds of flavor to a dish. Sweet cherry peppers bring a hint of sweetness while banana peppers add a little sweet heat. Jarred peppers are often kept in a salty, vinegar mixture, so add some of that pepper juice with the peppers themselves for a huge burst of flavor. For extra spice, add jarred hot cherry peppers or some Calabrian chilies; the spice helps remove any blandness, plus you’re still getting those acidic vinegar notes from the juice. For more crunch, you can skip the jarred peppers altogether and opt for fresh-sliced sweet peppers or jalapeños, depending on the heat level you and your guests prefer.
Canned chicken or tuna makes it more filling
A little protein never hurts. Canned tuna, for example, is an easy way to punch up your pasta salad’s flavor while also making the dish more filling. You can even buy packaged tuna with additional flavors already included, offering even more taste in your macaroni salad.
The same can be said for canned chicken because it’s often made saltier than chicken breast, though you can add the latter if desired. For ease and less salt, opt for low-sodium canned chicken: It doesn’t build quite as much flavor, but it still adds texture and makes the salad more filling.
Crumbled bacon or pancetta offers rich flavor
They say everything tastes better with bacon. It adds both salt and crunch — and a little bit of bacon grease would do wonders for that sub-par macaroni salad dressing. You probably don’t need any additional kosher or sea salt if you stick with this meat, but you can still offer flavor contrasts with some vinegar or lemon juice.
For an even better salad, crisp up some diced pancetta instead. It’s a step above bacon in terms of flavor and texture, and the fat renders as it cooks to offer a perfectly savory flavor. While neither of these provide the heartiness of canned tuna or chicken, both provide richer flavor.
Cheese is versatile
Cheese is never a bad idea. It comes in so many forms and flavors, and almost any kind would work here. Marinated mozzarella pearls bring herby flavors to the dish, plus there’s no chopping or grating involved. Grated fresh parmesan or crumbled feta are both salty options that are perfect for adding a savory taste. You can even grate some pepper Jack cheese into the salad to give it a little spice while also adding that rich, cheesy flavor. If all you have in the fridge is some pre-shredded sharp cheddar, don’t stress; that salty sharpness goes a long way to enhancing the salad, too.
