Persian-Style Pineapple Macaroni Salad (ماکارونی با آناناس) — Creamy Sweet-Savory Chilled Pasta Salad
A nostalgic Iranian modern home-cooking salad that blends tropical pineapple with savory salami in a creamy yogurt dressing. It’s a popular party and picnic dish, chilled until the flavors meld into a bright, sweet-savory bite.
Printable Recipe Card
Servings: 6 · Total: 30 min · Difficulty: easy
Ingredients (quick list)
- 300 g shaped macaroni (shells or rotini)
- 10 g salt (for boiling water)
- 240 g plain yogurt (full-fat)
- 90 g mayonnaise (helps the dressing stay creamy when chilled)
- 15 ml white vinegar
- 10 ml mustard sauce (yellow mustard)
- 12 g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 0.5 tsp garlic powder (optional but classic in many home versions)
- 180 g salami (cut into 1 cm cubes)
- 220 g pineapple chunks (canned, drained well) (reserve 15 ml of juice for the dressing if desired)
- 120 g celery (small dice)
+ 2 more in the full ingredients section below.
Steps (summary)
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 10 g salt. Cook the shaped macaroni for 1 minute less than the package sug…
- Drain the pasta immediately and rinse under cold running water for 30–45 seconds to stop the cooking. Shake off excess water th…
- In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard sauce, sugar, black pepper, and garlic powder until completely…
- Add the cooled pasta to the bowl and toss until every piece is coated. Let it sit for 3 minutes, then toss again so the dressin…
- Fold in the diced salami, drained pineapple, celery, green bell pepper, and toasted almonds. Mix gently but thoroughly, keeping…
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the flavors marry and the texture turn properly creamy. Before serving, stir…
Cultural Background
Makaroni salad is a beloved “modern” Iranian table staple for birthdays, school gatherings, and picnics. Versions with fruit like pineapple reflect a playful fusion era in home cooking, balancing sweetness with deli-style savory mix-ins.
Equipment
💡 Tips
- Drain pineapple for 10 minutes in a sieve, then pat dry with paper towels to prevent a runny dressing.
- Cook pasta slightly under al dente; chilled macaroni firms up and should stay springy, not soft.
- Toast almonds in a dry pan for 3–4 minutes over medium heat, then cool fully so they stay crisp in the salad.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Mixing the dressing with hot pasta
✅ Fix: Rinse and cool the pasta fully, then dry it briefly so the yogurt dressing stays thick and creamy.
❌ Using wet pineapple straight from the can
✅ Fix: Drain well and pat dry; excess juice dilutes the dressing and makes the salad watery.
❌ Overcooking the macaroni
✅ Fix: Cook 1 minute less than al dente; the pasta continues to soften as it chills in the dressing.
🧊 How to Store
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving; if it thickens, loosen with 15–30 ml cold water or 30 g yogurt. Do not freeze, as the yogurt dressing can split and the vegetables lose crunch.
📅 Make Ahead
Cook and cool the pasta up to 24 hours ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Mix the dressing and chop the vegetables up to 1 day ahead, then combine everything 2–12 hours before serving for best texture.
🍽️ Pairs Well With
- Kotlet
- kuku sabzi
- lavash
- torshi
- olives
- pickled cucumbers.
Regional Variations
- Tehran-style party version: add 80 g canned peas and 100 g diced carrots for extra color and sweetness.
- Deli-inspired version: replace half the yogurt with mayonnaise and add 30 ml pineapple juice for a sweeter, silkier dressing.
- Lighter home version: skip mayonnaise and increase yogurt to 330 g, then add 10 ml olive oil for a smoother mouthfeel.
Ingredients
- 10.5 ozshaped macaroni (shells or rotini)
- 10 gsalt (for boiling water)
- 8½ ozplain yogurt (full-fat)
- 3.2 ozmayonnaise (helps the dressing stay creamy when chilled)
- 1 tbspwhite vinegar
- 2 tspmustard sauce (yellow mustard)
- 12 ggranulated sugar
- 1 tspblack pepper
- ½ tspgarlic powder (optional but classic in many home versions)
- 6⅓ ozsalami (cut into 1 cm cubes)
- 7¾ ozpineapple chunks (canned, drained well) (reserve 15 ml of juice for the dressing if desired)
- 4¼ ozcelery (small dice)
- 4¼ ozgreen bell pepper (small dice)
- 1⅜ ozalmonds (slivered or chopped) (lightly toasted)
🔄 Substitutions
- salami→ cooked chicken breast
- mayonnaise→ additional plain yogurt
- almonds→ toasted sunflower seeds
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and add 10 g salt. Cook the shaped macaroni for 1 minute less than the package suggests so it stays firm after chilling.
- 2
Drain the pasta immediately and rinse under cold running water for 30–45 seconds to stop the cooking. Shake off excess water thoroughly, then spread the pasta on a tray for 5 minutes so the dressing won’t become watery.
- 3
In a large bowl, whisk the yogurt, mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard sauce, sugar, black pepper, and garlic powder until completely smooth. The dressing should taste slightly sweet and tangy, because the pasta will mute the seasoning once chilled.
- 4
Add the cooled pasta to the bowl and toss until every piece is coated. Let it sit for 3 minutes, then toss again so the dressing clings evenly to the pasta’s curves.
- 5
Fold in the diced salami, drained pineapple, celery, green bell pepper, and toasted almonds. Mix gently but thoroughly, keeping the pineapple intact so you get sweet pops throughout the salad.
- 6
Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to let the flavors marry and the texture turn properly creamy. Before serving, stir once more and chill an additional 10 minutes if the salad warmed during mixing.
🪪 Recipe Passport
Cultural Background
Makaroni salad is a beloved “modern” Iranian table staple for birthdays, school gatherings, and picnics. Versions with fruit like pineapple reflect a playful fusion era in home cooking, balancing sweetness with deli-style savory mix-ins.
Regional Variations
Researched from multiple sources and validated by the Zaffaron editorial team. Every recipe is tested for accuracy, measurements, and cultural authenticity.
Nutrition per serving
Pairs well with
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