8 Creative Macaroni Salads Slideshow

If you're looking for a quick dish to make, macaroni salad is the perfect choice for barbecues, potlucks, or family dinner. Macaroni salad is a type of pasta salad that is served cold — made with elbow macaroni and usually prepared with mayonnaise. You can also create a vinegar-based version, or top it with a surprising variety of in-season vegetables. Mayo and macaroni is a great combo, but there are so many macaroni salad options to choose from. That's why for this week's SWAT (Sharing With A Theme) we decided to round up some delicious creative macaroni salads. 

Instead of using mayonnaise in your next macaroni salad, go for ranch dressing — it adds a light and refreshing texture to the dish. For the Mexican Corn Pasta Salad recipe, click here.

Sometimes macaroni salad can be a little boring so this recipe gives it a recharge with ranch dressing. The ranch pasta salad uses a packet of ranch seasoning and it tastes devine. For the Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad recipe, click here.

If you're looking for a slightly healthy twist on an American classic, make this recipe. Italian flavors are fused into a Mediterranean macaroni salad to create a delicious side dish. For the Mediterranean Macaroni Salad recipe, click here.

Combine barbecue sauce with mayonnaise and you'll have a new and improved sauce for your macaroni dish. It may sound insane, but it is insanely good. For the BBQ Bacon Cheddar Macaroni Salad recipe, click here.

Combine quesadillas with Mexican macaroni salad for a heavenly meal. The next time you have leftover macaroni salad, stuff it inside a quesadilla and enjoy. For the Quesadilla with Macaroni Salad recipe, click here.

For this macaroni salad recipe, make your blue cheese dressing from scratch — it takes no time at all, and you'll really be able to tell the difference. For the Buffalo Chicken Pasta Salad recipe, click here.  

This recipe is great for people who don't like mayonnaise or just want to try something a little different. The Greek yogurt fulfils all of the same duties as mayonnaise and works as an excellent binder. For the Greek Yogurt and Avocado Macaroni Salad recipe, click here.

For your next cookout or barbecue, make this macaroni salad — it's a classy take on what macaroni salad should be. Macaroni, mayo, and onions, with the additions of tuna and cheese — simple and quite delicious. For the Salad Kelly Ann recipe, click here.