Macaroni (Ditalini) Salad

Creamy Dill & Herb Ditalini Salad

Ingredients

Salad Base

• • 1 lb Ditalini pasta

  • 4 Hard-boiled eggs (peeled and finely chopped)

  • 1 cup Celery (finely diced)

  • 1 cup Bell Pepper (finely diced)

  • 1/4 cup Shallot or Onion (finely minced)

  • 1/4 cup Green Onion (finely minced)

  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley (finely chopped)

Herbed Dressing

• • 2 cups Mayonnaise

  • 1/4 cup Fresh Dill (finely chopped) or 2 Tbsp Dried Dill Weed

  • 4 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

  • 2 Tbsp Yellow mustard

  • 3 Tbsp Sugar

  • 1 tsp Onion Powder

  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder

  • 1 tsp Salt

  • 1/2 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

Cook and Rinse the Pasta

• Boil the 1 lb of ditalini in salted water according to the package instructions until it is al dente (usually 8 to 10 minutes). Do not overcook.

• Drain the pasta into a colander and immediately rinse thoroughly with cold tap water to stop the cooking and wash away excess starch.

• Leave the pasta in the colander at room temperature for about 5 minutes to drain completely.

Prep the Veggies and Eggs

• • Finely dice celery and bell pepper so they are roughly the same size as the tiny ditalini tubes.

  • Finely mince the shallot and onion into very small pieces to distribute their savory flavor evenly.

  • Finely chop the peeled hard-boiled eggs.

Whisk the Dressing

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, fresh dill, fresh parsley, apple cider vinegar, yellow mustard, sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until completely smooth.

Assemble and Chill

• In a very large mixing bowl, combine your cooled room-temperature ditalini, chopped eggs, celery, bell pepper, shallot, and onion.

• Pour three-quarters of the dressing over the salad. Cover and save the remaining quarter of the dressing in a separate small container.

• Fold everything together gently so you do not mash the eggs.

• Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours (or overnight).

Serve

• Right before serving, check the salad. Because pasta absorbs moisture as it sits, stir in the reserved dressing to restore its perfect, creamy deli texture.