This recipe for Amish Pasta Salad is one of our most popular recipes. It has wonderful reviews and has been a family favorite for many years. It’s perfect to take to any gathering. Every event I have ever taken this delicious salad too, I come home with an empty pan. I can eat this pasta salad for breakfast! We hope it becomes one of your family favorites, too. You might also enjoy our recipe for maple baked beans with sausage as another great side dish.
Every time I post this recipe I get asked “Can I leave the sugar out”.. of course you can, but in my opinion the dish won’t be as good. The ingredients in this salad go together very well and that is what makes it such a hit. All recipes are versatile and I always urge people to make the recipe “their own”, but this pasta salad is excellent the way it is written. You can add a meat if you like, such as cooked chicken, diced ham, tuna or shrimp. If the pasta gets dry after a day or so, just add more mayonnaise.
The other most common question“What mayonnaise do you use?”.. Dukes.. we always use Dukes!
Recipe feedback: “This is the best recipe. My whole family will eat it even the picky ones. By far my favorite pasta salad. Thank you.” – Kim
“Wow this pasta salad is amazing! I made it on the weekend and we just loved it. The recipe is a keeper for sure.” – Karen
“I made this delicious pasta salad this weekend and it is so good!! Reminds me of my Amish Grandmother’s salad and no one had the recipe all these years! Thank you so much for your wonderful recipes!” – Teresa
“This is my favorite recipe for making Amish Macaroni Salad! I added a red pepper, chopped, because I didn’t have pimentos. Also, added thawed, frozen peas. Amazing!!! My mother asks me to make it for every family gathering . She even wanted it for her birthday as her present!! I have had to triple the recipe since everyone wants to take some home. Thank you for your great recipes. I use them all the time!” – Sherri
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Full recipe in the recipe card below.
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Amish Pasta Salad
Judy Yeager
This Amish Pasta Salad is a creamy delicious salad that is great for any occasion. We serve it year round and it has 100's of reviews. Great pasta salad for Easter, Christmas or any holiday.
4.61 from 97 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutesmins
Cook Time 10 minutesmins
Total Time 25 minutesmins
Course Salad
Cuisine American, southern
Servings 12cups
Ingredients
116 ounce box medium shell pasta, uncooked
5eggshard-boiled and chopped
1cupcelery chopped
1/2cupsweet onionchopped
12 ounce jar pimentos drained
1cupgreen pepper chopped
3tablespoonssweet pickle relish drained
1/4teaspoongarlic powder
1/2teaspoonpaprika
1/4teaspoonblack pepper
1/2teaspooncelery seed
1 1/2cupsmayonnaise
1/2cupsour cream
1/4cupsugar
2tablespoonsyellow mustard
3teaspoonsapple cider vinegar
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.
In a large bowl mix pasta, eggs, onion, pimentos, celery, green pepper and relish. In another bowl mix garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, celery seed, mayonnaise, sour cream, sugar, mustard and vinegar.
Pour the mayonnaise mixture over the pasta and mix well. Can sprinkle with more paprika. Chill in refrigerator several hours or overnight. This makes about 12 cups and keeps well in the refrigerator for several days.
Video
Notes
If pasta salad gets dry after a day or so add more mayo, you could also add tuna, chicken or ham to this recipe.
At this point the pasta salad will have absorbed all of the dressing from the first time you dressed it, so it desperately needs more. This prevents it from being dry and flavorless and gives it a big, bold flavor — making it taste as fresh as the first day you made it.
If you're making a dish that will be served chilled or at room temp—think cold soba, rice noodles, pasta salad—you do want to rinse so that you get toothsome (sorry) individual strands rather than one big gummy clump. Certain types of noodles benefit from a rinse in almost all applications.
If you've ever prepared potato salad and made sure to toss the potatoes in their dressing while they were still hot (via Epicurious), remember that the same technique applies to pasta salad, too. In both instances, the warm, starchy ingredients will better absorb their dressing, resulting in a more flavorful salad.
Pasta absorbs liquids, because it is made of starch, and starch absorbs water. Tossing the pasta with oil will reduce the absorption, by coating them in a water-repellent layer. Beyond this, the solution is simple: don't drain as much water from the cooked pasta, and add more dressing.
While oil-based dressings can be applied even to hot pasta, make sure to let the pasta cool to a warm temperature before mixing in a mayo-based one. Mayonnaise is susceptible to separating, but it can be warmed as long as it's not overheated.
The key to a flavorful pasta salad is in the dressing. A good dressing will have a balance of acidity, sweetness, and savoriness. You'll also want to add in plenty of fresh herbs and spices. To make a dressing, start with a base of olive oil and vinegar (white balsamic or apple cider vinegar are both great choices).
Vinegar and other acidic ingredients do strange things to the flavor of pasta when used in salad-level amounts. Ever notice an irritating acerbic aftertaste just about every time you've eaten pasta salad? That's the vinegar announcing itself, and it's not pleasant.
It takes many hours for simple starches to convert to resistant starches. Ideally, and for maximum benefit, pasta and rice should be chilled for a full 24 hours before eating or reheating. It's important to refrigerate foods soon after cooking to avoid the possibility of bacterial growth and food-borne illness.
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Judy Yeager
