Sour Cream Pasta Salad with Smoked Paprika and Fresh Herbs
By Pauline Ortiz
15 min
Prep
10 min
Cook
25 min
Total
4
Servings
Easy
Level
Sour cream pasta salad is a good option for tailgates and other events. It makes 8 cups. Make the salad in advance and keep it cold until serving. The thick dressing will coat the pasta, and smoked paprika adds a smoky flavor. Additional smoky flavor may develop while the salad is chilled.
I cook macaroni for less time than specified in the package, it's al dente, and rinse it in cold water; this prevents fresh al dente macaroni from sticking together after being tossed with other ingredients. I use large cooking and serving vessels. Freshly cooked macaroni should be coated with other ingredients but shouldn't have pools of liquid at the bottom.
Beat the dressing until smooth, opaque, and glossy. Use a rubber spatula to combine the macaroni without breaking it. I like red bell peppers cut into cubes about the same size as the macaroni. Reserve some scallions for garnish. Serve in a white ceramic bowl with parsley and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle with paprika.
What makes this special
- A pound of macaroni is enough for several servings over meals.
- It gives you more cooking area if you’re cooking chicken or hamburgers.
- A cold rinse ensures that the elbows stay separate and that the dressing will reach the ridges and hollow centers.
- The thick dressing prevents the pasta from pooling at the bottom of the bowl.
- You can add the pre-made salad to the order for takeout.
- A large quantity can be served as a side dish with grilled chicken strips or onion burgers.
Ingredients
- •1 lb elbow macaroni (450g)
- •1 cup full-fat sour cream (240ml)
- •½ cup real mayonnaise (120ml)
- •1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (15ml)
- •1 tsp granulated sugar (5g)
- •1 tsp fine sea salt (6g)
- •1 red bell pepper (large, diced into uniform small pieces)
- •2 stalks celery (minced)
- •3 scallions (3-4, thinly sliced)
- •½ tsp smoked paprika (1g, for dusting)
- •½ tsp coarse ground black pepper (1g)
- •¼ cup fresh parsley (10g, chopped)
Instructions
- 1
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the elbow macaroni and cook according to the package directions, using the lower end of the time range for al dente pasta. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water.
- 2
Whisk the sour cream, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and sea salt in a large mixing bowl until smooth, opaque, and glossy.
- 3
Fold the cooled macaroni, diced red bell pepper, minced celery, and most of the scallions into the dressing with a large rubber spatula until the noodles are coated.
- 4
Transfer the salad to a white ceramic bowl. Top with the remaining scallions, then dust with smoked paprika and black pepper and scatter the chopped parsley over the surface.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories
310
Reviews
Pin this recipe
Tap an image to save it to Pinterest.
