Best German Pasta Salad Recipe

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4.47 from 13 votes

Best German Pasta Salad Recipe

A classic German dish that should not be missed at any gathering. Perfect for picnics, buffets and BBQS.

Course Appetizer, Main Course, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine German

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 728kcal

Author Marita

Cost $7

Ingredients

250 g pasta about 9 oz or ½ lb (I used fussilini/rotini), about 2 cups.
200 g sausage 7 oz (such as Frankfurter, Bockwurst Bologna, or any smoked sausage will do.)
200 g mayonnaise 9 oz , ¾ cup
1 can peas and carrots mine was around 400 g undrained. Tesco's Petit Pois are similar to what you can get in Germany.
1 teaspoon mustard medium spicy
100 g pickled gherkins 3.5 oz, about 3 large gherkins,
1 tablespoon vinegar from the pickled gherkin jar
2 tablespoon fresh herbs (for example chives, parsley or dill) to serve (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Metric - US Customary

Instructions

Cook the pasta according to package instructions al dente. Then leave the pasta to cool.
Slice the sausages into 1-2 cm pieces.
Chop the gherkins into small bits as well.
Drain the liquid of the peas and carrots.
In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, mustard and gherkin water and mix until you have a smooth paste.
Once the pasta has cooled, (the pasta can be lukewarm) mix in the gherkins, vegetables and sausages.
Now add the salad dressing and mix it in with the rest of the ingredients.
Mix in the fresh herbs if using.
Season the salad with salt and pepper to taste.
It is best to leave the salad to rest for around 20 minutes so the pasta can absorb the flavors. For the best result, leave it to soak overnight.

Notes

Make ahead

This is a great dish to make in advance. Make sure you store it in the fridge. It tastes great after it sat in the fridge overnight. However, it could be that the pasta salad absorbs all the moisture of the dressing with time. You might need to refresh the dressing with a little more mayonnaise or pickled gherkin water.

How to store?

I would recommend storing this pasta salad in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, it will taste best if you consume it in the first two days of making it.

Can you freeze pasta salad?

Do not freeze this salad. Firstly, mayonnaise does not freeze well. Secondly, the pasta might get too soft when being defrosted so it may end up in a soft mess.

Nutrition