Description

Creamy Cajun macaroni salad gives pasta salad a zesty makeover. With a little kick from a Cajun spice blend, this creamy cold noodle dish isn’t your regular deli side dish. It packs so much flavor, you will want to make this for every picnic!

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb rotini pasta
1 cup chopped vidilia onion
1 cup diced celery
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
1 tsp smoked paprika
seasoned salt to taste
1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
3 tbsp yellow mustard
2 1/2 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp hot sauce
chopped fresh parsley leaves (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

Boil: Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil. Stir in the pasta, and cook according to the package directions.
Cool: Drain the pasta in a large strainer, and run it under cold water (gently stirring) to stop all of the pasta from continued cooking. Continue until all the pasta’s cooled to the touch. Set it aside to drain completely.
Whisk: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, except for the celery and onions. Whisk until smooth. If the mixture’s too thick, add a tablespoon or two of water.
Mix: Season the sauce as needed with additional salt & pepper. Add the pasta, onion, and celery to the pot and toss gently to coat.
Serve: Serve the macaroni salad immediately, garnished with fresh parsley- if desired.

Notes

This pasta salad can be made ahead of time, refrigerated until ready to use, and then re-hydrated. Just add some extra water or milk (only a couple teaspoons) to stir everything back to their preferred creamy consistency.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Category: Side Dish
Method: Boiling
Cuisine: American, Cajun

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 343 kcal
Sugar: 2 g
Sodium: 241 mg
Fat: 22 g
Saturated Fat: 3 g
Unsaturated Fat: 19 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 31 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 6 g
Cholesterol: 12 mg

Keywords: Cajun macaroni salad, creamy pasta salad, picnic side dish, zesty pasta salad