Promise me: pimento cheese pasta salad is about to become a weekly staple.
This one is seriously good.
I’m partial to pasta salads that take a different direction from the usual creamy macaroni salads you see at cookouts. While Eddie loves a classic pasta or macaroni salad and I’ll make them for him sometimes, I’ve always preferred versions that focus on bold, single flavors rather than being drenched in sauce. And in summer, the last thing I want is a pasta salad that swims in dressing.
I do gravitate toward salads like a crispy bacon and herb pasta salad or a strawberry black pepper balsamic pasta salad — ones that can stand alone as a meal. There’s also a super simple caprese pasta I shared on IGTV recently that’s perfect when you want something light and fast.
Still, I wanted to make a simpler pasta salad — something that celebrated one clear flavor paired with perfectly cooked pasta.
And that’s how pimento cheese pasta salad was born!
I considered stirring my regular pimento cheese straight into pasta, but the cream cheese-forward mix felt too heavy. Instead I whipped up a creamy dressing using mayonnaise and Greek yogurt, brightened it with a few spices, folded in diced pimentos and lots of freshly shredded sharp white cheddar, then tossed it with cooked macaroni.
Perfect.
I garnished the salad with baby arugula microgreens for a peppery pop and used chive blossoms from the herb garden for color and mild oniony flavor. Little touches like those make the dish feel fresh and seasonal.
Because Eddie loves pimento cheese, I knew this would be a hit for him too. He absolutely flipped for it.
This salad is intentionally light on add-ins so it complements other dishes and travels well to potlucks. It’s not drenched in dressing — not dry, just not soaked — which makes it an easy, summery side that also keeps well as leftovers.
Makes me so happy for summer.
Pimento Cheese Pasta Salad
Pimento Cheese Pasta Salad
4
people
30 mins
12 mins
42 mins
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Ingredients
- 8 ounces macaroni noodles, cooked
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
- 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon pimento juice (from the jar)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 (8 ounce) jar pimentos, drained and diced (reserve 1 tablespoon of pimentos and juice)
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar, freshly grated
- Fresh chive blossoms, for garnish (optional)
- Arugula microgreens, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cool water to stop the cooking.
- While the pasta cooks, whisk together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, Dijon, chopped chives, pickle juice, reserved pimento juice, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper and smoked paprika until smooth and creamy.
- When the pasta is cool to the touch, pour the dressing over it and toss to coat evenly.
- Stir in the diced pimentos and freshly grated white cheddar. Toss everything together and taste, adjusting seasoning if needed. Refrigerate for about 20 minutes to let the flavors meld, if desired.
- Garnish with extra chives, chive blossoms and arugula microgreens, then serve.
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Absolutely adore it.