suggestions for a macaroni dish for a backyard party

If you were attending a backyard party, what kind of hot pasta dish would you be happy to see? Vodka sauce? Marinara sauce? Something different?

Re: suggestions for a macaroni dish for a backyard party

Probably a baked ziti. No cream sauces like vodka...too heavy

Re: suggestions for a macaroni dish for a backyard party

Mac and cheese
Pasta primavera

suggestions for a macaroni dish for a backyard party

Penne w/ broccoli rabe and roasted peppers in a garlic/oil sauce. Everything else seems too heavy.

Re: suggestions for a macaroni dish for a backyard party

mac and cheese
italian dressing-vegetable
olive oil and garlic
broccoli rabe

suggestions for a macaroni dish for a backyard party

Buffalo chicken mac n cheese is my go to but it is pretty heavy.

Or this, but not with spaghetti: https://giadzy.com/posts/recipes/436428/lemon-spaghetti

Re: suggestions for a macaroni dish for a backyard party

Macaroni and cheese or baked ziti

I personally love jalapeno mac and cheese, but I know not everyone does.

Re: suggestions for a macaroni dish for a backyard party

I would make either Pasta with Fresh Basil Pesto and chunks of Fresh Mozzarella tossed in OR Garlic and Oil Penne Pasta also with chunks of Fresh Mozzarella. Both are lighter pasta dishes and can be served either hot OR at room temp. Another one to consider is a lemon pasta, like this one from Giada. Lemon Pasta Dish

For a backyard summer party I would stay away from heavy red sauces, it's usually not what anyone is in the mood for on a hot, summer day. Stick to lighter pasta sauces.

suggestions for a macaroni dish for a backyard party

I would do some sort of a salad. But honestly I don't eat any sort of pasta during the summer and I don't eat any mayo based salads that I did not make.

suggestions for a macaroni dish for a backyard party

Thanks. Went with a primavera recipe from Giada. I changed up the vegetables a bit, and added some fresh garlic. Used farfalle and had a bowl of shaved Parmesan on the side if anyone wanted it. I also made a regular mac and cheese since there were going to be a bunch of kids. I also brought a big, simple green salad with a variety of bottled dressing, as well as a cold Caprese salad.

Without these few dishes, it seriously would have been a complete meat-fest with a side of meat. Oh, and some potato salad. There were no other dishes/sides planned (!), so those of us that don't eat meat would have been pretty hungry. And it wasn't just me... there were three other vegetarians that I know of. Still, it was a lot of pasta...oh well. It was relatively short notice so I needed things that were easy to make and easy to transport. It all worked, and the macaroni trays all went really quickly... not much in the way of leftovers!