Creamy Sour Cream Cheddar Macaroni Salad

cheddar and sour cream macaroni salad in a white bowl with a wooden serving spoon and on a serving plate

Creamy Sour Cream Cheddar Macaroni Salad

This pasta salad with sour cream and cheddar is a creamy, tangy copycat of the beloved deli case favorite you can now make right at home. Loaded with sharp cheddar and simple ingredients, it’s the perfect side dish for cookouts, potlucks, or family gatherings.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings

Calories 339kcal

Author Teri

Cost $10

Ingredients

8 ounces small ziti pasta
1 cup sour cream
½ cup mayo
¼ cup sweet pickle relish
1 ½ tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon white pepper
¼ cup green onions sliced
¼ cup green bell pepper minced
¼ cup red bell pepper minced
¼ cup celery minced
4 ounces cheddar cheese shredded

Instructions

Cook 8 ounces small ziti pasta according to package directions. Drain, and rinse with cold water. Let dry as much as possible.
In a large mixing bowl, add 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup mayo, ¼ cup sweet pickle relish, 1 ½ tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon white pepper. Add cooled pasta, ¼ cup green onions, ¼ cup green bell pepper, ¼ cup red bell pepper, ¼ cup celery and 4 ounces cheddar cheese. Mix until combined.
Chill in the refrigerator for a least an hour before serving.

Notes

💡 Recipe Tips

You want to get the pasta really dry after cooking. This helps the creamy salad dressing to coat the pasta better, and won't water down the dressing.

For the best flavor, make sure to use regular, full-fat mayo, cheese and sour cream.

If you are serving this outside for a potluck or BBQ, place a bigger bowl underneath filled with ice to keep this cool since it has dairy ingredients included.

Make In Advance
Make this cheddar and sour cream macaroni salad up to 2-3 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

🫙 Storage & Reheating

Storage: Store this in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 days.

Freezing: It is not recommended to freeze this pasta salad. Mayo based dressings do not freeze well.

🧂Additions & Substitutions

Additions:

Other veggies or add ins - red onion, grape or cherry tomatoes, green onions, black olives.
Try out adding other spices - red pepper flakes for heat, garlic powder, celery seed, a little bit of dijon mustard.
If you want a sweeter macaroni salad, add more sweet relish or a teaspoon or two of extra white sugar.
If you want a tangier pasta salad, add a splash of apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar.

Substitutions:

If you replace the mayo and the cheese with plant-based versions, you can make this a vegan version. If you have issues with sugar, use an alternate vegan sugar.
Try small shells, rotini pasta, small bowtie pasta or your favorite pasta shape.

Can you freeze macaroni salad?

As mentioned above, no it is not recommended to freeze this prepared salad since mayonnaise-based dressings or sour cream based dressings do not freeze well. The best way to freeze is to freeze the ingredients separately. Let the pasta get to room temperature and toss in a small amount of olive oil or vegetable oil. The ingredients need to be stored in airtight containers. Store in a freezer safe ziploc bag. Chop and freeze the vegetables separately in another ziploc bag. When you are ready to make the macaroni salad, thaw the pasta and veggies. You should make the dressing fresh at that time.

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