Join me as I dance the happy dance! Nothing makes me happier than this pimento cheese pasta salad. Incredible, that’s the best way to describe it. Full of bold flavors reminiscent of my southern favorite, pimento cheese, this dish is a real winner. Nothing but happiness is in this dish.
I tend to mess with recipes, but not this one for pimento cheese pasta salad. It doesn’t need more of this or less of that. It just needs to be made and enjoyed. No fretting, no second guessing, nothing. Make it. Enjoy it. Worry about other things and not “I wonder if I could add….”.
This recipe calls for pickle juice. I have a lot of recipes that call for it. That’s why I never throw out the juice that’s left after I’ve polished off the last pickle in the jar. If by chance you don’t have any on hand, you can actually order pickle juice now, without the pickles! (I also recommend asking your neighbors to give you their jars of juice!)
I recently discovered Blue Plate mayonnaise, which I think is the best around. If you can’t find it locally you can pick it up online for a fair price.
Pimento Cheese Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 8 ounces elbow macaroni
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 4 tablespoons green onions chopped, divided
- 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice from a jar of pickles
- 1 tablespoon pimento juice from the jar of pimentos
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 8 ounces pimentos divided
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese cubed
Instructions
- Cook the pasta per package instructions. Rinse under cold water and drain well.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, mustard, 3 tablespoons of the green onion, pickle juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and paprika until creamy smooth.
- Add in the pasta and gently fold to coat.
- Fold in the pimentos (all but a tablespoon or so, saving the rest for garnish) and cheese.
- Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Serve garnished with remaining green onion and pimentos.
Nutrition
Nutritional values are approximate.
