Amish Pasta Salad Recipe (2024)

Home » Salads

ByJudy Yeager

90 Comments

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

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)

Are you reading our digital magazine,Front Porch Life? It’s full of great new recipes, country living, fantastic people, southern charm, cooking tips and so much more. We send it directly to your email so you can start reading, cooking and relaxingimmediately! This is our premium content not found on our website. Join 1000’s of others today and start enjoying our magazine!

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.

4.61 from 97 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

Love this recipe?Let us know by commenting below!

Follow us on Pinterest!

Don’t forget to pin this delicious pasta salad!

Amish Pasta Salad Recipe (6)

© The Southern Lady Cooks photos and text – All rights reserved. No copying, posting on other sites, or other uses allowed without written permission of the copyright holder.

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.

What is the difference between amish and original macaroni salad? ›

The difference between Amish macaroni salad and regular macaroni salad is in the dressing. What is this? Both versions use cooked pasta, hard boiled eggs, and a creamy mayonnaise dressing. However, Amish macaroni salad has a sweet and tangy dressing thanks to the yellow mustard and vinegar added to it.

Why is my pasta salad not creamy? ›

The key to keeping macaroni salad from drying out is the pasta. If you don't cook it enough, the pasta won't grab on to the dressing and will dry out. If you overcook the pasta, it will be completely soggy and gross. Cook the pasta just right, and your macaroni salad will stay perfectly creamy.

Should you rinse pasta when making pasta salad? ›

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.

What not to do when making pasta? ›

8 Pasta Mistakes That Are Ruining Your Meal
  1. Using a pot that's too small.
  2. Not salting the cooking water properly.
  3. Adding oil to the cooking water.
  4. Breaking the noodles.
  5. Not checking the pasta often enough.
  6. Not saving any pasta water.
  7. Rinsing the pasta.
  8. Not considering the combination of pasta shape and sauce.
Jan 26, 2023

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 is amish potato salad made of? ›

Drain the water and add the potatoes to a mixing bowl. Let the cool for about 10 minutes before adding in your chopped celery, boiled eggs, diced onion, and sweet pickle relish. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing – mayonnaise, sugar, mustard, apple cider vinegar, salt, celery seed, and pepper.

Why is it called Israeli salad? ›

It was adopted by Jewish immigrants to the Levant in the late 19th century, who found the locally grown Kirby cucumbers and tomatoes in popular local salad. It was popularized in the kibbutzim, where the Jewish farmers had local fresh produce at hand. The name Israeli Salad is used mainly outside of Israel.

What makes food Amish style? ›

Traditional Amish meals cater to the appetites of the farming community, where workers return from the field hungry after a hard day's work. As a result, meals are often filling and hearty, flavored with an array of spices and seasonings like thyme, bay leaves, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Why do Hawaiians eat so much macaroni salad? ›

It's said that Hawaiian macaroni salad made its way onto the plate lunch once Europeans introduced dry elbow macaroni and mayonnaise to the islands. Locals quickly adopted these ingredients because mac salad was affordable, not perishable (unlike a potato salad), and easy to make at home.

What is the difference between Hawaiian mac salad and regular mac salad? ›

Unlike its Anglo counterpart, Hawaiian mac salad tends to shun vinegar and mustard; it eschews sugar and MSG (which some vintage recipes include), favoring Best Foods (also known as Hellmann's) mayonnaise instead.

Why add vinegar to pasta salad? ›

Pasta salads, being starchy, need emphatic flavours to avoid being bland. Use vinegar liberally and salty additions generously. Vinegar and salt are often inseparable, especially in pickling and marinating.

What does adding vinegar to pasta water do? ›

If you think you have alkaline water, here's a quick fix: Add 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar to 4 quarts of pasta water. This will help prevent your pasta from sticking without affecting its flavor. ACIDIC SOLUTION: Add vinegar or lemon juice to prevent pasta from sticking in alkaline water.

Why does my pasta salad taste weird? ›

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.

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? ›

There are five elements to a perfect salad: greens, sweetness, creaminess, crunchiness, and dressing.

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

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Jamar Nader

Last Updated:

Views: 5950

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (55 voted)

Reviews: 94% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Jamar Nader

Birthday: 1995-02-28

Address: Apt. 536 6162 Reichel Greens, Port Zackaryside, CT 22682-9804

Phone: +9958384818317

Job: IT Representative

Hobby: Scrapbooking, Hiking, Hunting, Kite flying, Blacksmithing, Video gaming, Foraging

Introduction: My name is Jamar Nader, I am a fine, shiny, colorful, bright, nice, perfect, curious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.