Pink Cadillac Pasta Salad
A retro-style pasta salad made with tender elbow macaroni, crisp vegetables, creamy mayonnaise, and sweet-tangy Catalina dressing for a colorful, crowd-pleasing side dish.
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Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 small red onion quartered and thinly sliced
- 16 oz elbow macaroni
- 2 celery ribs thinly sliced
- 1 green or yellow bell pepper thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish
- 2 cups Catalina dressing
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- Kosher salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Place the sliced red onion in a bowl of ice water and allow it to soak for approximately 30 minutes while preparing the remaining ingredients. This step helps mellow the onion’s flavor.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni according to package instructions until al dente. Drain thoroughly and spread the pasta in a single layer on a baking sheet to cool completely.
- While the pasta cools, thinly slice the celery and bell pepper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the Catalina dressing, mayonnaise, and dill pickle relish until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Drain the red onion well. Add the cooled pasta, celery, bell pepper, and onion to the dressing mixture. Stir gently until all ingredients are evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir once more before serving and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Notes
To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute the elbow macaroni with a certified gluten-free pasta. Additionally, confirm that the Catalina dressing, pickle relish, and mayonnaise are labeled gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination.