Macaroni Salad with Smoked Mozzarella and Proscuitto
This tangy pasta salad mixes traditional macaroni salad with Mediterranean flavors to create a new family favorite potluck salad.
Ingredients
1 16-ouncepackage medium shell macaroni
½cupred onion, chopped
1 ½cupscelery, chopped (about 3 ribs)
½red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1cuppepperoncini, thinly sliced
1cupprosciutto, sliced
½poundsmoked mozzarella, sliced in ¼-inch chunks
3tablespooncapers, drained
½cupItalian flat leaf parsley, chopped
1 ½cupmayonnaise
½cupbuttermilk, low-fat if preferred
¼cuppepperoncini juice, or more to taste
1tablespoonred wine vinegar
1teaspoonsugar
1teaspoonsalt
1 ½teaspoonpepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add macaroni and boil according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. In a large bowl, gently combine pasta and next 8 ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix mayonnaise, buttermilk, peperoncini juice, wine vinegar, sugar and salt and pepper. Taste for sweetness and saltiness and add more to your liking. Add mayo mixture to pasta mixture and gently combine. Add more salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.