We have been in the middle of a heat wave here in The Fort. School was even cancelled today due to intense heat.
When you live in a house with no air conditioning, all you want to eat is cold stuff.
Very. Cold. Stuff.
We had some mayo on hand and I asked Scott if he wanted old school potato salad or old school macaroni salad.
He picked pasta.
Once I opened the pantry and saw some pimentos sitting there, I asked Scott if he would mind if I experimented with the macaroni salad. He’s such a good sport and always indulges my creativity, so I got to work right away on a new macaroni salad.
Now this isn’t macaroni salad with some pimentos added. And it’s not pimento cheese with some pasta tossed in.
This is indeed a combo of the two and it’s delicious.
Andrea’s Pimento Cheese Macaroni Salad
- 8oz Diced Pimentos (drained)
- 2 1/2C Elbow Macaroni, uncooked
- 1/4 Of A Small Red Onion, diced
- 1 Small Green Pepper, diced
- 2 Ribs of Celery, diced
- 2C Shredded Sharp Cheddar (I like Tillamook)
For The Dressing:
- 1/2C Mayo
- 2TBSP Yellow Mustard
- 1/4tsp Celery Salt
- 1tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2tsp Onion Powder
- 2TBSP Dill
- 1/2tsp Sweet Smoked Paprika
In a small mixing bowl, add everything for the dressing and combine. Set aside. In a large glass or non-reactive mixing bowl, add in the pimentos, onion, green pepper, and celery.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the macaroni. Cook until pasta is al dente. The goal is to cook the pasta till it’s just short of being fully cooked. The pasta should still have a little bite and chew to it.
Once pasta is cooked, remove from heat and drain. Then run cold water over the pasta to stop the cooking process. Drain well and add pasta to the veggie and pimento mixture.
Toss veggies and pasta. Add in the dressing and gently combine. Then add in the cheese and also gently combine until everything is mixed well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Please note that for two people this makes a lot of macaroni salad and that’s exactly what I was going for. I wanted a side dish that would last for a couple of days in the fridge. This is the kind of dish that just gets better the longer it sits and the flavors have time to develop.
Both of us loved this version of macaroni salad and I’m not sure if I could go back to regular after this. You’ll notice that this version isn’t drowning in mayo dressing. If you like your macaroni salads to have more dressing, you can certainly up the mayo and seasoning amounts to suit your tastes.
The pimentos and cheese add a nice twist to the dish, providing some sweetness and some tang. If you’re looking for something different to take to a potluck or BBQ, this is the dish for you!
Have fun guys, and remember, always play with your food! Enjoy!