Perfect Creamy Macaroni Pasta Salad
- PREP 10min
- COOK 10min
- TOTAL 20min
The key to the best creamy pasta salad is to rinse the cooked pasta under cold water before tossing it with the dressing. Skipping this step means the dressing will be sticky. We also “de-flame” the onion, which tames the raw onion flavor so that it does not take over the salad. A quick bath in cold water does the trick. Use elbow macaroni for macaroni salad or other small pasta shapes (like small shells or ditalini).
You Will Need
8 ounces (226g) dry elbow macaroni or small pasta shape
1/4 medium red onion, finely chopped, about 1/4 cup
1 medium bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped, about 1/3 cup
3 radishes, trimmed and finely chopped, about 1/3 cup
1 to 2 medium dill pickles, finely chopped, optional
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayonnaise, try our homemade mayonnaise
1 ½ tablespoons yellow mustard, substitute Dijon or whole grain mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, plus more to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons honey, optional for sweet version
Directions
Cook macaroni according to the package directions. Drain and rinse well under cold water to remove starch from the outside of the pasta.
Meanwhile, add the chopped onions to a small bowl and cover with cold water. Set aside for 5 minutes and then drain. This tones down the raw flavor of the onion so that it won’t overpower the salad.
Make the dressing in the bottom of a large salad bowl. Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, and pepper.
For a sweeter macaroni salad, add honey or maple syrup to taste. I typically add half a tablespoon, but try one to two tablespoons if you enjoy sweeter macaroni salads.
Add the rinsed macaroni, drained onions, bell pepper, celery, radish, and the pickle to the bowl with the dressing. Mix well. Taste, then adjust with additional salt and pepper.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Store your creamy pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Make-ahead: Creamy macaroni pasta salad improves on the second day, so this is a perfect make-ahead recipe! However, I do not recommend freezing it (the dressing does not freeze and thaw well).
- Mayo substitution: You can substitute the mayonnaise for low-fat mayo and some or all of the sour cream called for in the recipe with yogurt. The yogurt will make the dressing a bit tangy, but it will still taste great.
- Dairy and egg free creamy pasta salad: Use vegan mayonnaise (here’s our homemade recipe) and a dairy-free sour cream.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.