Macaroni Salad with Greek Yogurt Recipe (High Protein)

This Macaroni Salad with Greek Yogurt is a lighter take on classic macaroni salad, by giving it a high protein twist! Substitute traditional mayo for a non-fat Greek yogurt to make this mac salad extra creamy. You won’t notice the difference, the flavor is amazing.

This light mac salad is a fantastic way to get extra protein in your diet by using Greek yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Serve this easy macaroni salad at your next barbecue, gathering, or as a side dish for grilling season.

Classic macaroni salad gets a modern low calorie makeover with Greek yogurt and fresh vegetables!  This BBQ approved side dish is great for a party.  It’s vegetarian, and can be made vegan or gluten-free for any audience! Great as a side dish for a cookout, this easy crowd pleaser recipe is great to serve with burgers, veggie dogs, or brats on the grill.

This Classic Macaroni Salad gets a bit of a modern twist from using Greek Yogurt in the dressing – it lightens the recipe and adds a nice creaminess without the fat. I also love the crunch from all the veggies in the dish as well, the celery, carrots, and bell pepper are a must!

This Greek Yogurt Macaroni Salad Recipe Is

• Packed with flavor
• Creamy
• Herby
• Savory
• Made with Greek Yogurt
• Mayo-free, no mayonnaise used at all!
• Vegetarian, and can be made gluten free or vegan!

Is Macaroni Salad High in Protein?

This recipe uses Greek Yogurt in the dressing instead of classic mayonnaise. By using a non-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt, you can cut down on the total fat in this pasta salad, and add in some great vegetarian protein.

This macaroni salad also has chopped carrots, celery, and fresh herbs for added fiber and nutrients.

Greek Yogurt Macaroni Salad for the Win!

The Midwesterner in me LOVES summer salads like these: macaroni salad, coleslaw, kidney bean salad, chickpea salad (and the list could go on and on), I love ‘em all. They remind me of summer BBQs on a humid day, the grill going in the background, and sitting in the sunshine with a cool drink.

Now that we have a wonderful homestead, we love to host summer BBQs and bring out a nice variety of food for guests. I love making easy, foolproof dishes like these. They are called Classics for a reason, can be made ahead, and really compliment any main dish.

What’s In This Greek Yogurt Mac Salad Recipe?

I cook with fresh produce from my garden and from Misfits Market– they sell fantastic fruit, vegetables, & pantry staples at a discounted price. We get Misfit boxes every other week and love picking out favorite produce for delivery. Get $10 off your first box here!

• Macaroni Noodles: to make this gluten free, these GF macaroni pasta noodles work perfect in this recipe.  If you aren’t gluten free, then you can use normal macaroni, whole wheat, or a veggie pasta.
• Greek Yogurt – make sure it’s plain and unsweetened!  You can use a fat free Greek yogurt like this one (it’s our favorite!) or a full fat yogurt too. Make sure you get Greek yogurt and not plain yogurt, the thickness really makes this dish fantastic!
• Carrots, Onion, Celery, Parsley
• Sweet Relish – to give this dish a little extra sweetness. I love this classic sweet relish which has a nice crunch and a sweet and tangy flavor. It’s great in this salad (like a secret ingredient!) and also great to have on the table for burgers or hot dogs.
• Onion Powder: adds a delicious and savory flavor to this dish as well, and the onion powder pairs nicely with the raw onion in the salad.
• Pink Himalayan Sea Salt: I like to use a pink Himalayan Sea Salt in my kitchen, which has more natural minerals than plain processed table salt.  It’s fairly inexpensive, so I’d recommend this salt if you’re looking for an easy way to level up your spice pantry.
• Tellicherry Peppercorns: Like the salt, it’s amazing the flavor difference you can get with really good tellicherry black pepper.  Amazon has a generic brand tellicherry peppercorn which is the same price is buying pre-ground, and has a million times more flavor… so I use these really great tellicherry peppercorns, which I would definitely recommend. 

Make Greek Yogurt Mac Salad Vegetarian

This vegetarian mac salad with Greek Yogurt is a simple way to get extra veggies in your diet. I’m all about making recipes plant-based when I can. Vegetarian cooking does NOT have to be bland, boring, or flavorless… It’s quite the opposite when done right. By building meals around vegetarian pantry staples and swapping in a few plant-based ingredients you can make better meals for you and your family.

I made a list of my 125 favorite vegan pantry ingredients that we use on a weekly basis, and check out all my vegetarian recipes here that are on The Herbeevore. These easy and tasty recipes are fantastic meatless meals for your table.

30 Minute Side Dishes for Entertaining

This pesto tortellini is what I call an Easy Entertaining Recipe – which is on your table in about 30 minutes.  These quick and simple recipes are perfect for those last-minute potluck invites, or when you just want a home cooked meal but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen. I have a whole section of The Herbeevore dedicated to Easy Weeknight Meals, that are great for the whole family.

From soups and stews, to pastas and proteins – an easy meal can be on your table in no time.  Just as fast as grabbing a quick prepared side dish from the store (and way more impressive too)!  If you’re heading to a party, potluck, or BBQ, check out my list of top host gifts for summer entertaining for that next-level gift your host will love!

I love to serve this low fat macaroni salad with Marinated Veggie Kabobs, my dad’s famous Coleslaw Recipe, and Life-Changing Greek Pasta Salad. A real trifecta of crowd-pleasing recipes. I love that this can be made ahead of time. When you are hosting (or getting ready to go to a BBQ) this dish can be easily brought out and enjoyed.

More High Protein Side Dish Recipes You’ll Love!

Avocado Black Bean Salad Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Meatless Baked Ziti Recipe (Vegetarian, Holiday Side Dish)

Apple Walnut Salad Recipe with Dijon Vinaigrette (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Carrot Hummus without Tahini Recipe (Vegan, Gluten Free)

Chickpea Tabbouleh Recipe (Grain Free, Gluten Free, Vegan)

Share this Greek Yogurt Mac Salad Recipe!

As always, if you make this vegetarian macaroni salad with Greek Yogurt recipe be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe, and tag me @theherbeevore on Instagram so I can feature you.  I love seeing all your photos of my recipes!

Let’s keep in touch – make sure to subscribe to my monthly newsletter to get free recipe inspiration. 

And don’t forget to follow over on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube & TikTok – I’d love to connect with you there!

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I may earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the brands that support The Herbeevore and our beehives!