Ensalada de Coditos is the perfect side dish along with Frijoles de la Olla, Arroz Blanco, Papas con Rajas.
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You will see a big bowl of this traditional dish at every Mexican party – birthdays, Sunday afternoon carne asada, Quinceañera, family picnics.
My sneaking suspicion is that we took it from the Americans – a little cross border culinary borrowing.
The true origins of this dish may remain a mystery to me, but the taste is so incredibly creamy and delicious that it’s awfully hard to resist.
Table of Contents
Ingredients
These are all of the ingredients that you need.
It’s a super simple yet satisfying Mexican side dish, a no-brainer recipe. You probably already have most, if not all, of the ingredients to make this cold pasta salad.
Note: This recipe is ensalada de coditos mexicana (or Mexican style). There are other Latin American countries that have their own version of this dish.
Only these four ingredients are needed to make the sauce: mayonnaise, sour cream, salt, and just a hint of mustard.
That’s regular mustard, but you can also use dijon mustard. For a little tanginess, add a splash of apple cider vinegar or green olives.
Some people add some the brine of Pickled Jalapeños.
Here are some other ingredients you can add:
- Slices of raw jalapeño
- Cebolla en Escabeche
- Diced Red Bell Peppers
- Diced Yellow Peppers
- Diced Green Peppers
- Diced Celery
- Diced Red Onion
- Diced Roasted Poblano Peppers
- Slices of Serrano Pepper
- Dill pickles
Remember to be extra careful with mayo. Keep this dish refrigerated particularly in the warm summer weather.
If you are serving it at a party, it’s important to keep the elbow pasta salad cold.
- Cook in salted water until al dente.
- Set aside.
Ensalada de Coditos literally translated means “Elbow Macaroni Salad.” It’s the same pasta used in Sopa de Codito.
Drain and rinse in cold water. Then, add a little olive oil so it won’t stick together.
Talk about a great way to use leftover ham from Easter or Christmas dinner! In a pinch, you can use deli ham to make this macaroni salad recipe.
Or, look for the thick cut of ham in the meat section. Often referred to as a “ham steak.” Then, cut into small cubes.
Variations
With Chicken:
- Swap out the ham for cooked, diced chicken.
- Continue with the recipe as normal.
Using Tuna:
- Drain the tuna can and swap it out for the ham.
- Add the juice of half a lemon to the dressing.
- Continue with the recipe as normal.
With Crab:
- Here’s another creative twist to this recipe: swap out the ham for crab meat.
- Add the lemon juice to the dressing and continue with the recipe.
- Add all the ingredients to a large container or a large bowl.
- Mix, cover with plastic wrap, and keep cold until ready to serve.
What a great recipe and potluck dish! The flavors need to marry to fully develop for an even better tasting and delicious salad.
I suggest putting it in the fridge for an hour before serving, but it can be eaten right away.
Take this easy pasta salad to your next potluck, everyone is sure to love it. Buen provecho!
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Did you make this recipe? Please rate the recipe below!
Ensalada de Coditos
Ingredients
- 1 8-oz package elbow macaroni
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 tspn yellow mustard
- 1 tspn salt
- 1 15-oz can peas and carrots
- ½ 15-oz can corn
- 1 lb ham steak cubed
Instructions
- Cook the elbow macaroni according to package instructions.
- Drain, rinse, and set aside until it is room temperature.
- In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, and salt.
- Set aside. (If you are assembling the salad later, be sure to refrigerate the dressing).
- In a large container, add the cooked elbow macaroni, peas and carrots, corn, ham, and dressing.
- Mix thoroughly.
- Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving.
- Serve with saltine crackers.
Agnieszka
Exactly what I was looking for!
Maggie Unzueta
Happy to help!
Andrea White
love this so much! so full of flavor and is the perfect side dish!
Maggie Unzueta
I think so too. Perfect side dish and so easy to make too.
Maya
Lovely recipe!
Maggie Unzueta
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Alexandra
This is such a delicious, full of flavour dish.
Maggie Unzueta
Couldn’t agree more. Thank you!
Megan Ellam
This is so popular when we have visitors. Such a great easy side dish to impress.
Maggie Unzueta
I like to serve this at parties too.
Rob
Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try this!
Maggie U
Very delicious.
Tyanne
I am always looking for a unique mexican side dish! I am so glad I came across this recipe.
Maggie U
Happy to hear you liked it.
Bernice
I love this salad recipe. It’s very similar to the macaroni salad recipe I make here at home.
Maggie U
Happy to hear you loved it.
Jenni LeBaron
What a fantastic macaroni salad recipe. The thick cut of ham brings alot of protein to make this perfect for a main dish meal as well as an ample side.
Des
Perfect not just during the summer months, but all year long. Packed with so much flavor and a hit with everyone.
Jacquelyn Hastert
This is the perfect addition to any picnic or potluck this summer or any time of year. Pasta salad is great for a snack, lunch, or main entree.
Chef Markus Mueller
Pasta salad is my favorite, it’s perfect for lunch, or road trip meal! I like that you mention using thick cut ham instead of deli ham because it really does make a difference in the texture and flavor of the salad. A great way to use leftover holiday ham!
Anne Murphy
What a lovely variation of a macaroni salad! I have to admit, I always thought the ones I grew up with sort of boring… but with the additional vegetables and lots of ham, this is a winner!
Rebecca Blackwell
This looks fabulous. Have you ever tried it with all sour cream? Just wondering how important the mayonnaise is to the overall balance of flavors and if it might still be delicious if made only with sour cream….
Sharon
I love this creamy side dish that is just loaded with goodies like pasta and ham. Perfect for cookouts this summer.
Kelly Anthony
Ensalada de Coditos sounds delicious! What a fun dish to take to a potluck party this summer!
Carrie | Clean Eating Kitchen
I love the flavors you have going on in this side dish – I wouldn’t have thought pasta would appear in Mexican cuisine! So easy to make, perfect for a weekend cook out!
Kylee from Kylee Cooks
I love how easy this is, and even easier to double, triple and quadruple for a crowd! With deliciousness like this, I’d be afraid of just making one batch, because I live for leftovers!
Debbie
I love that you are sharing your traditional dishes , I can just I imagine this dish being on the line up at all of your family gatherings. This seems like a simple pasta salad and I love that ham is in it, it makes it nice a hearty. I honestly think I have every ingredient for this salad and now I want to make it, lol.
Veena Azmanov
Such amazing meal options are always a welcome with my family. They love it and this one looks perfect and delicious.