Looking for the dish that silences the entire table from the very first bite? This Pimento Cheese Pasta Salad is the answer. Cold, creamy, ready in advance — it takes care of itself while you enjoy the barbecue.
Ingredients :
- Sharp Cheddar Block — Not the pre-shredded kind. Pre-shredded cheddar is coated in starch to prevent sticking — which also prevents it from melting properly into the sauce. Freshly grated at home, it integrates in a few seconds of whisking and provides a velvety texture impossible to reproduce otherwise.
- Jarred Pimento Peppers — These small sweet red peppers are found in the condiment aisle, often near the olives. Sweet taste, tender texture, zero heat. Non-negotiable in this recipe — they define the dish as much as the cheddar.
- Worcestershire Sauce — One teaspoon, that’s it. But make the recipe without it, and something will be missing — hard to name, easy to notice. It brings a subtle umami depth that bonds all the other flavors together.
- Turkey Bacon — The substitution for classic bacon. Cook it until it’s really crispy — not just warm, crispy. Once cooled, crumble by hand into irregular pieces. Half goes in the salad, the other half reserved for the top at serving time.
