Paula Deen Pasta Salad

Paula Deen Pasta Salad is a classic Southern staple that brings a creamy, indulgent twist to the traditional picnic side dish. True to Paula’s signature style, it’s a crowd-pleaser that swaps the thin vinaigrettes of other salads for a rich, silky dressing often featuring mayo or sour cream. Packed with crunchy vegetables and tender pasta, it’s the ultimate comfort side for any family gathering or BBQ.

Why You Will Love This Pasta Salad Recipe:

• Southern Comfort: It’s heartier and creamier than your average pasta salad, making it feel like a substantial part of the meal.
• Texture Harmony: The mix of tender rotini or macaroni with crisp celery, peppers, and onions provides a satisfying crunch in every bite.
• Customizable: It serves as a perfect “blank canvas” for adding leftover ham, shredded cheddar, or even peas.
• Make-Ahead Staple: The flavors deepen as it sits, allowing you to prep it a full day before your event without losing quality.

Paula Deen Pasta Salad Ingredients

For the Dressing:

• 1 cup (230g) mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup (120ml) Italian salad dressing
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the Salad:

• 1 pound (450g) rotini pasta
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup (75g) red onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup (65g) sliced black olives
• 1 jar (4oz/113g) diced pimientos, drained
• 1 cup (120g) sharp cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded

How To Make Paula Deen Pasta Salad

• 1. Boil the noodles: Fill a large pot with water and a handful of salt, then bring it to a rolling boil. Drop in the rotini and cook it until it’s soft all the way through but not falling apart. Drain the pasta and immediately run cold water over it to stop the cooking and wash away the excess starch.
• 2. Mix the base: Whisk the mayonnaise, Italian dressing, sugar, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Stir it until the sugar has dissolved and the dressing looks completely smooth.
• 3. Prep the vegetables: Chop the bell peppers, onion, and olives into small, uniform pieces. Keeping the vegetables roughly the same size as the pasta curls makes the salad much easier to eat and ensures you get a bit of everything in each bite.
• 4. Combine the parts: Place the cold pasta in a large mixing bowl and add the peppers, onion, olives, pimientos, and cheese. Pour the dressing over the top and use a large rubber spatula to fold everything together until every spiral is coated.

Don’t add the dressing while the pasta is still warm. If the noodles have any heat left in them, the mayonnaise will melt and turn into a greasy liquid that won’t stick to the ingredients.

• 5. Chill the salad: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for at least two hours. This time allows the flavors to meld together and gives the dressing a chance to thicken up around the pasta.

Recipe Tips

• Use rotini or fusilli: The spiral shape of these noodles is designed to trap the dressing and the small bits of onion and pimiento in the ridges. If you use a smooth pasta like penne, the dressing will just slide off and pool at the bottom of the bowl.
• Rinse the pasta thoroughly: Unlike a hot pasta dish where you want the starch to help the sauce stick, a cold salad needs the starch washed away. If you don’t rinse it well with cold water, the noodles will stick together in a gummy clump.
• Add the cheese last: If you’re using cubed cheddar, toss it in right before the final stir so the corners don’t get rounded off by the mixing process. It makes the finished dish look much cleaner and more professional.
• Dice the onion finely: Since the red onion is raw, you want it to provide a mild bite rather than a harsh punch. Soaking the diced onion in cold water for 10 minutes before adding it can also help take the sting out.
• Adjust the sugar carefully: Paula Deen likes things a bit sweet, but you can start with half the sugar and taste the dressing first. You can always add more, but you can’t take it out once it’s mixed into the mayonnaise.
• Drain the pimientos well: Those little red peppers come in a lot of liquid that can thin out your dressing and turn it a strange pink color. Press them into a fine-mesh strainer to get every drop of moisture out before adding them to the bowl.

What To Serve With Paula Deen Pasta Salad

This creamy Pasta Salad is a natural match for smoky grilled BBQ ribs or fried chicken. It also acts as a cooling side for spicy burgers or hot dogs, providing a rich contrast to charred, grilled meats.

How To Store Leftovers Pasta Salad?

• Fridge: This salad stays fresh in an airtight container for up to three days. The pasta will absorb some of the dressing as it sits, so you might need to stir in a tablespoon of mayonnaise or extra Italian dressing before serving it the next day.
• Freeze: Don’t freeze this dish. The mayonnaise will separate and the bell peppers will turn into a watery, soft mess once they thaw out.

How To Reheat Leftovers Pasta Salad?

Avoid High Heat: Never actually “cook” this salad. High heat will cause the mayonnaise-based dressing to oily-separate and the vegetables to turn mushy.

• Stir in Moisture: Do not apply heat first. Add a teaspoon of milk or an extra dollop of mayo to “loosen” the sauce back to its original creaminess.
• The Quick Chill-Off: If you must take the edge off, microwave a single portion on Low Power (30%) for only 20 seconds.

FAQs

Pasta Salad Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 8):

• Calories: 410 kcal
• Protein: 10g
• Fat: 28g
• Carbohydrates: 31g
• Sugar: 6g
• Sodium: 680mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

Check out More Recipes:

• Paula Deen 7 Layer Salad
• Paula Deen Coleslaw
• Paula Deen Frito Corn Salad