Ensalada de Coditos [Video+Recipe] Elbow Pasta Salad

Ensalada de coditos (elbow pasta salad) is easy to prepare and sure favorite. It is is the perfect choice for cookouts or Christmas dinner.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoon salt ((or more, to taste), divided)
• 1/2 pound macaroni ((or penne or fusilli or similar short pasta) [0.23 kg] )
• 1 large carrot (diced and boiled)
• 1 bell pepper ( diced into small cubes)
• 1 medium red onion (minced)
• 1/2 cup sweet peas ((from a can, see notes))
• 1 cup sweet corn ((from a can, see notes))
• 1/2 pound cooked ham (like york or similar [0.23 kg] diced into small cubes (optional, see notes))
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika ((optional))
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 4 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- 1. Boiling pasta ---
2. 2Boiling pasta: Heat ½ galon [2 liters] of water over medium-high heat in a large pot till it reaches a rolling boil, add a tablespoon of salt. Cook the pasta in the salted water a minute longer than instructed in the package, so you get pasta that is slightly softer than al-dente. Stir regularly to prevent it from sticking.Drain water, and let the pasta cool to room temperature.
3. 3--- 2. Combining ingredients ---
4. 4Mixing salad: In a large bowl, combine pasta, carrots, bell pepper, onion, peas, corn, and ham.
5. 5--- 3. Making dressing ---
6. 6Adding dressing: ⚠️ Classic mayo dressing:Add mayo and paprika and stir to combine. Season it with salt to taste if needed.⚠️ Vegan dressing:If you want to add vegan dressing instead, whisk the vinegar into the olive oil in a separate bowl, followed by the mustard and pepper. Then combine this with the salad and season with salt if needed.
7. 7--- 4. Serving and storing ---
8. 8Serve at room temperature, or cover and chill if it will be served later. Best if served within 6 hours.