Ingredients:

  • 12 oz / 340 g Elbow Macaroni (Dry)
  • 1 Tbsp / 15 g Kosher Salt (for the boiling water)
  • 1 cup / 240 ml Good Quality Mayonnaise (Full-Fat)
  • 2 Tbsp / 30 ml White Wine Vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp / 15 ml Dijon Mustard
  • 1 tsp / 5 ml Granulated Sugar (or Honey)
  • 1/2 tsp / 2.5 ml Celery Seed
  • 1/4 tsp / 1.25 ml Smoked Paprika (Optional)
  • 1/2 tsp / 2.5 ml Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1/2 tsp / 2.5 ml Kosher Salt (Plus more to taste)
  • 1 pint / 250 g Small Heritage or Cherry Tomatoes (Halved or quartered)
  • 1/2 medium / approx. 150 g English Cucumber (Peeled, seeded, and finely diced)
  • 2 large stalks / 50 g Celery Stalks (Finely diced)
  • 1/4 cup / 30 g Red Onion (Very finely minced)
  • 1/4 cup / 60 ml Fresh Flat-Leaf Parsley (Roughly chopped)

Instructions:

  1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a rolling boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente.
  2. Drain the pasta immediately into a colander. Rinse the cooked pasta thoroughly with cold running water until completely cool. This stops the cooking process and removes starch. Set the cooled pasta aside to drain fully.
  3. In the large mixing bowl, combine the mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, sugar, celery seed, smoked paprika, black pepper, and 1/2 tsp salt. Whisk vigorously until the dressing is smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning—it should be highly seasoned.
  4. Add the cooled, drained macaroni, the diced cucumber, celery, and minced red onion to the dressing bowl. Toss everything gently until the pasta is completely coated. The salad should look slightly over-dressed at this stage.
  5. Cover the bowl tightly with cling film and refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour (2-4 hours is better) to allow the pasta to absorb the flavor and the ingredients to chill down properly.
  6. Just before serving, retrieve the salad from the fridge. Gently fold in the halved tomatoes and chopped parsley.
  7. Taste the finished salad one last time and adjust with a touch more salt, pepper, or a splash of vinegar if needed. Serve chilled.