Servings 12 servings
Ingredients
- 12 oz. uncooked short pasta
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1 (4-oz.) jar diced pimento peppers, drained
- 8 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled and divided
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain the pasta then rinse it with cold water to remove any excess starch. Drain it thoroughly again and set it aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and smoked paprika with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
- Stir in the cheddar cheese, red onions and pimento peppers then stir in the pasta and half of the crumbled bacon.
- Top the pasta salad with the remaining crumbled bacon and chopped chives then serve.
Notes
- Make-ahead: This pasta salad gets even better as it sits! Make it up to 24 hours in advance and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If it looks a little dry when you pull it out, stir in a small spoonful of mayo to bring it back to life.
- Bacon: Store the crumbled bacon separately and add it right before serving to keep it crispy.
- Storage: Leftover pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
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