Description
Gordon Ramsay’s macaroni salad delivers a creamy, zesty twist on classic comfort cuisine. Crisp vegetables and tangy dressing create a perfect summer side dish that makes you crave another forkful.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups (946 ml) elbow macaroni
- 3 whole roasted red peppers, diced
- ½ cup (75 g) black olives, finely chopped
- 6 sweet/spicy pickle slices, diced (about ½ cup)
- 3 green onions, sliced
Dressing Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120 ml) mayonnaise
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk, plus more if needed
- 1 tablespoon red wine or distilled vinegar
- 3 teaspoons sugar, plus more or less to taste
- ¼ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
Seasoning and Optional Ingredients:
- Plenty of black pepper
- Splash of pickle juice, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Prepare elbow macaroni according to package instructions in salted water, using 8 cups (64 fluid ounces) water. Drain pasta and rinse thoroughly with cold water to halt cooking process, then set aside to cool completely.
- Create a creamy dressing by whisking together mayonnaise, granulated sugar, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a medium mixing bowl.
- Gradually incorporate whole milk to achieve a smooth, pourable consistency. Add dill pickle juice for enhanced tanginess, adjusting seasoning to taste and ensuring balanced flavor profile.
- Transfer cooled macaroni to a large serving bowl. Pour approximately three-quarters of prepared dressing over pasta, gently folding to coat evenly. Note that dressing will thicken as salad chills.
- Incorporate chopped green olives, diced dill pickles, thinly sliced green onions, and roasted red peppers (or pimentos) into the macaroni mixture, distributing ingredients uniformly.
- Taste and customize by adding extra pickle juice or adjusting seasonings as desired. Ensure ingredients are well integrated.
- Refrigerate salad for minimum two hours to allow flavors to meld. Before serving, garnish with additional sliced green onions for fresh visual appeal and subtle onion flavor.
Notes
- Perfectly catch the subtle nuances of pasta texture by cooking it just until al dente, preventing a mushy final result in your salad.
- Cold water rinse stops cooking immediately and prevents pasta from clumping, ensuring each piece remains separate and ready to absorb delicious dressing.
- Pickle juice acts as a secret weapon, balancing sweet, tangy, and savory notes with just a few splashes of unexpected flavor.
- Green onions bring a fresh, crisp element that transforms the visual and taste profile, adding bright color and subtle sharpness to the entire dish.
- Taste testing before chilling allows final seasoning adjustments, letting you personalize the flavor exactly to your preference with simple salt, pepper, or extra pickle juice tweaks.
- Prep Time: 13 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: British
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 376 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 52 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 9 g
- Cholesterol: 5 mg