Perfect Creamy Macaroni Pasta Salad

Name: Perfect Creamy Macaroni Pasta Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 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

Instructions

Prep:10minCook:10min

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).

Updated at: Sun, 13 Jul 2025 00:06:28 GMT