Cajun Pasta Salad. Now, that’s something special.
Nothing spells summer more than a good outdoor BBQ. And the best BBQ’s have amazing side dishes.
This Cajun Pasta Salad recipe is one of our all-time favorites.
CAJUN PASTA SALAD IS EASY TO MAKE AT HOME
You can easily prepare the pasta ahead of time, as well as the dressing.
Right before serving, mix the dressing with the cooled cooked pasta (and a little more water, if needed), and you’re good to go!
CAJUN PASTA SALAD IS A NICE CHANGE OF PACE
There is a slight kick to this pasta salad, but it’s a good kick!.
The flavors complement each other so well.
Of course, if you don’t like bell peppers or shallots, just leave them out! But we think they add a nice, but subtle, dimension to the salad.
The seasonings in the dressing really provide a delicious depth to the salad.
If you can’t find cajun seasoning, just get a large bowl, and mix in 1 tablespoon of the following:
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Paprika
- Kosher salt
And then 1 teaspoon of the following:
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Ground thyme
- Onion powder
If you are interested in other amazing BBQ side dishes, try one of these favorites:
- Homemade Coleslaw
- Creamy Loaded Potato Salad with Fresh Dill
- Bourbon-Glazed Baked Beans with Pork Belly
- Southern Baked Beans
- Slow-Cooker Corn on the Cob
- Cool Cucumber and Dill Salad
In the meantime, be sure to make this amazing Cajun Pasta Salad!
MIX THE PASTA WITH THE DRESSING SOON BEFORE SERVING
Once you mix the pasta with the dressing, if you are not serving the pasta salad immediately, cover with plastic wrap and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
We recommend not putting the pasta salad together until close to serving time.
If you have stored it in the fridge, mix again with a couple of tablespoons of water to help thin the dressing a bit.
Cajun Pasta Salad
Video
Ingredients
- Kosher salt
- 1 lb elbow macaroni
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- ½ cup shallots finely minced
- 1 cup red bell pepper cored, seeded, and finely chopped
- 1 cup celery finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- 2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoon Creole/Cajun, or whole grain Dijon mustard see Note
- 1½ cups mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce ie, Tobasco, Crystals
- ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the pasta and cook for 9 minutes, until tender.Kosher salt, 1 lb elbow macaroni
- Drain in a colander and rinse with cool water.
- Transfer to a large bowl and mix in 1 tablespoon olive oil.2 tablespoon olive oil
- In a separate medium bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, including the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water to thin slightly.½ cup shallots, 1 cup red bell pepper, 1 cup celery, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning, 2 teaspoon Kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 3 tablespoon Creole/Cajun, or whole grain Dijon mustard, 1½ cups mayonnaise, 3 tablespoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- Adjust seasonings to taste.
- Add the macaroni and mix.
- Top with chopped parsley.¼ cup fresh parsley
Jl says
I made this and it was awesome. I used reaper hot sauce and added three tablespoons of sugar. It was a hit at the bbq. They loved the sweetness and the kick of heat.
Kris Longwell says
Woo hoo! We are so so thrilled you made the Cajun pasta salad and had such great success with it! Congrats!!!! And THANK YOU for letting us know and for the nice review! That means the world to us! Stay in touch! Kris & Wesley
Julie says
Great recipe!
I added Cajun grilled shrimp.
Soooooooo good!!!!!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Julie! So sorry for the delayed response! YES! Cajun grilled shrimp would be AMAZING in this pasta salad! Thanks for sharing and for the GREAT review! That is AWESOME! xoxo Kris & Wesley
NeeNee says
Thanks for your response, even though it’s about two hours late. Tuesday is the day I take the pasta salads. I added the ham and sharp cheese and it was fabulous! The only thing I did different was add the olive oil directly to the dressing (helps thin it a bit). Plus no salt in the dressing, I thought there was enough with mustard, hot sauce and mayonnaise.
Pinned it! Great recipe; I definitely will be making this again.
Kris Longwell says
So sorry we didn’t get back to you in time, but it sounds like you prepared it perfectly! So glad you had success and your modifications sound spot on! Thanks so much for sharing and for the wonderful review. We truly appreciate that so very much!! Check out our other pasta salads. We have several other really yummy ones! All the best, Kris & Wesley