A family-favorite classic pasta salad recipe with al dente pasta, bell peppers, celery, red onions, and hard-boiled eggs tossed in a creamy tangy-sweet dressing! Perfect for picnics, potlucks, backyard parties, and events! Everyone will go back for a second helping of this comforting side salad!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time12 minutesmins
Total Time22 minutesmins
Course: Salad
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Amish macaroni salad, Amish pasta salad, creamy pasta salad, creamy pasta salad dressing, egg pasta salad, eggs in pasta salad
Servings: 8
Calories: 458kcal
Author: Averie Sunshine
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
16ouncessmall-shaped pastacooked according to package directions, rinsed with cold water, drained well (such as bowtie, elbow macaroni, small shells, etc.)
3stalks celerydiced small
1cupred bell pepperdiced small
½cupred oniondiced small
4 to 6hard-boiled eggspeeled, coarsely diced; plus a few whole slices reserved for garnishing
Salad Dressing
2cupsMayonnaise or Miracle Whip
¼cupgranulated sugar
2tablespoonDijon mustard
1tablespoonapple cider vinegar
1teaspoonWorcestershire sauce
¼cupsweet pickle relish
½teaspoongarlicfinely minced
½teaspooncelery seed
Instructions
Pasta Salad
Cook the pasta according to package directions, rinse under cold water for a minute or two to chill it slightly since hot pasta will wilt the vegetables. Drain it well and add it to a very large mixing bowl. Tip - While pasta is cooking, chop the vegetables.
Add the celery, bell pepper, red onion, and diced eggs* (See Notes) to the large bowl and toss well to combine; set aside.
Salad Dressing
To a medium bowl, add the mayonnaise or Miracle Whip** (See Notes), sugar, Dijon, apple cider vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and whisk to combine until sugar has dissolved.
Add the relish, garlic, celery seed, and whisk to incorporate.
Pour the dressing over the pasta and vegetables and toss and stir well to combine.
Garnish with a few whole slices of egg before serving. You can either serve immediately, or cover, refrigerate, and serve chilled.
Notes
*Eggs: I like using 6 hard-boiled eggs because I love finding the bits of diced egg in the pasta salad, plus the whole slices as garnishes, and find that 4 isn't enough for me, although it's personal preference.**Miracle Whip will give you more tang. I am a huge Miracle Whip fan so I would always opt for Miracle Whip over mayo but that is personal preference. Use mayo if preferred. If you want a drier or less dressed pasta salad from the outset, use 1 1/2 cups mayo or Miracle Whip rather than the 2 full cups I call for. Make ahead: Pasta salad may be made the night before of an event to save time. Note that the pasta will likely continue to absorb the dressing as time passes and so may be a little bit drier the longer time passes. Storage: Pasta salad will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.