Amish Pasta Salad Recipe (2024)

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ByJudy Yeager

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Amish Pasta Salad Recipe (1)

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.

Amish Pasta Salad Simple Ingredients:

Medium shell pasta

Hard-boiled and chopped

Celery chopped

Sweet onion

Jar of pimentos

Green pepper

Sweet pickle relish

Garlic powder

Paprika

Black pepper

Celery seed

Mayonnaise

Sour cream

Sugar

Yellow mustard

Apple cider vinegar

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!

Amish Pasta Salad Recipe (2)

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

Did you know we have eBooks? Each of our Ebooks is a collection of our most popular recipes. You will have them at your fingertips and can pull them up at any time. It’s a nice and convenient way to enjoy our recipes instead of having to search a database. You can purchase each Ebook individually or buy the bundle. Visit our shop HERE!

Full recipe in the recipe card below.

Amish Pasta Salad Recipe (3)

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Amish Pasta Salad Recipe (4)

Amish Pasta Salad

Amish Pasta Salad Recipe (5)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.

4.62 from 94 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Salad

Cuisine American, southern

Servings 12 cups

Ingredients

  • 1 16 ounce box medium shell pasta, uncooked
  • 5 eggs hard-boiled and chopped
  • 1 cup celery chopped
  • 1/2 cup sweet onion chopped
  • 1 2 ounce jar pimentos drained
  • 1 cup green pepper chopped
  • 3 tablespoons sweet pickle relish drained
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
  • 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 3 teaspoons apple 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.

Keyword Amish Pasta Salad

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Amish Pasta Salad Recipe (6)

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Amish Pasta Salad Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are the five mistakes to avoid pasta salad? ›

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Making Pasta Salad
  • Using the wrong pasta. The wrong pasta type or size can make pasta salad soggy, slimy, or just plain hard to eat. ...
  • Salting only once, at the end. ...
  • Too many raw ingredients! ...
  • Overdressing or underdressing the salad. ...
  • Not seasoning again just before serving.

Do you have to let pasta cool before making pasta salad? ›

Resist the urge to hose down your just-cooked pasta with water until it's ice cold, and instead, give it a quick rinse and then dress it immediately after draining while it's still warm. This will allow the pasta to absorb the sauce, soaking up the flavor and getting luxuriously silky from the oil.

How do you make pasta salad not soggy? ›

Since it's not being served hot or with sauce, the pasta benefits from an extra minute of cooking, but don't let it get mushy. → Follow this tip: For a well-cooked pasta salad, plan to cook the pasta until just past al dente. Adding an extra minute or so of cook time will keep the pasta soft while it cools.

What is the best olive oil for pasta salad? ›

The best olive oil for salads is the extra virgin olive oil. It is the olive oil with most flavored and fruity of all of them. But of course, there are many varieties of extra virgin olive oils, each of which have their own characteristics.

Is it best to make pasta salad the day before? ›

For storing: After I make this pasta salad, whether making it ahead or storing leftovers, I just pop it in the fridge and it will keep for 2-3 days. For making ahead: I love to make pasta salad 12-24 hours ahead of time. This gives it time to absorb the dressing but not get mushy!

What is the difference between Amish and regular macaroni salad? ›

Amish macaroni salad includes many of the same ingredients as its regular counterparts, including mayo and mustard. However, the secret to Amish macaroni salad is a specific dressing that gives the dish a tangier flavor. Some recipes also call for pickle relish to offer extra tanginess and paprika for a smoky flare.

Why is it called Russian salad? ›

Russian salad was originally called Oliver salad based on the Moscow-based Belgian chef who invented it. During the 20th century, the dish spread throughout Europe and adopted the name Russian salad.

What brand is Amish macaroni salad? ›

A regional favorite, Reser's Amish Style Macaroni Salad highlights classic flavors of the Northeast with supple elbow macaroni, hard-cooked egg, and crunchy pieces of carrot in a sweet and creamy dressing.

Should you rinse pasta after cooking for pasta salad? ›

When you're making cold pasta salads, it's helpful to rinse your cooked pasta because it's going to lower the temperature of the pasta, which is ideal given that it's going to be served chilled — often alongside other cool and/or raw ingredients.

Why does my pasta salad get dry? ›

Tips For Making Your Macaroni Salad Always Creamy

This is because noodles tend to harden in the fridge and overcooking them by a couple of minutes will ensure that they stay soft. When your noodles are ready, simply pop them in the fridge to chill while you mix up the dressing.

Why does pasta salad have an aftertaste? ›

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.

Can you rinse pasta with cold water for pasta salad? ›

Rinsing in cold water brings the temperature of the pasta down, which you don't want when eating it hot, but is OK in this instance since the pasta will be served cold. It also keeps the pasta loose for the salad. When left unrinsed, the starchy coating can make the pasta gummy and clump together.

At what time should the pasta salad be discarded? ›

Properly stored, macaroni salad will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator. How long can macaroni salad be left at room temperature? Bacteria grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F; macaroni salad should be discarded if left out for more than 2 hours at room temperature.

How do you cool pasta for pasta salad fast? ›

To quickly chill cooked pasta for salad, first drain the cooked pasta in a colander. Then place the colander into a bigger bowl filled halfway with ice water. When chilled, lift the colander out of the ice water, drain, and it's ready to use.

What are the seven things that you should not do when preparing the salad? ›

Common Salad Mistakes
  1. Here are seven things you should NOT do when making salads: Too much dressing. ...
  2. Pouring on the dressing. ...
  3. Wet salad leaves. ...
  4. Not seasoning it. ...
  5. Subpar salad dressings. ...
  6. Uncreative toppings. ...
  7. Served in a bowl.
May 13, 2013

When creating a salad what 5 factors should you consider? ›

But today, I am going to teach you how to make a salad without using a recipe so you, too, can become a salad artist. Sound like a deal? There are five elements to a perfect salad: greens, sweetness, creaminess, crunchiness, and dressing.

Should you rinse pasta in cold water for pasta salad? ›

The starch in the water is what helps the sauce adhere to your pasta. The only time you should ever rinse your pasta is when you are going to use it in a cold dish like a pasta salad or when you are not going to use it immediately. In those cases, rinsing the pasta helps to stop the cooking process.

What is necessary to avoid when making fresh pasta? ›

15 Mistakes To Avoid When Making Fresh Pasta
  1. Not using the well method to mix your pasta. ...
  2. Using the wrong type of flour. ...
  3. Using too many egg whites. ...
  4. Not using the correct dry-to-wet ingredient ratio. ...
  5. Not adding semolina. ...
  6. Under-kneading your pasta dough. ...
  7. Forgetting to rest your pasta dough. ...
  8. Rolling out your pasta by hand.
Feb 1, 2023

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