Macy’s Pacific Rim Pasta Salad
A salad everyone loves: Macy’s Pacific Rim Pasta Salad, with turkey (or rotisserie chicken), grapes, pasta, and an apricot-ginger dressing!
Friends, in our new fixer upper, I requested a built-in bookcase for my cookbooks. This Copycat Macy’s Pacific Rim Salad is from Simply Classic: A Collection of Recipes to Celebrate the Northwest cookbook (link at bottom to buy). I’ve had this cookbook for 20-something years, and it’s filled with deliciousness. I love this Pacific Rim Pasta Salad so much for any occasion. It’s made with turkey (or rotisserie chicken), grapes, pasta, and an apricot-ginger dressing!
Macy’s Pacific Rim Pasta Salad
This salad was super popular back in the day, when Macy’s department store had their own restaurants. It’s one of our favorites, and the dressing is … oh, so good. Make this for your next luncheon, summer potluck, or even for dinner tonight.
Pacific Rim Pasta Salad & more Pacific Northwest salads
Yes, we live in the Pacific Northwest, and we love to eat our salads. You may have also tried my Barbecue Chicken Layered Pasta Salad or Bacon Cheeseburger Pasta Salad. Or, you may think of “pears” for a PNW salad, so try this Oregon Salad recipe.
Do you remember how we planned our shopping around eating lunch at the big department stores? I’m dating myself, I know :)
I looked up the history of this salad, and I couldn’t find anything about how it originated, except that it’s a “favorite” and really, really good.
Pacific Rim Pasta Salad Ingredients
A favorite at every potluck, let’s get started on these easy ingredients:
- Rotini pasta
- Turkey breast (or you can use rotisserie shredded chicken)
- Celery
- Red grapes
- Green onions
- Parsley
The secret is in the sauce (dressing)
Yes, it’s all about the sauce (or dressing). We love the flavors of this dressing, which goes so well with the salad ingredients.
- Mayonnaise
- Apricot preserves (I always keep a jar handy in my pantry)
- Lime juice
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ginger root: this really makes the salad POP!
For the dressing: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apricot preserves, lime juice, salt and fresh ginger. Chill.
How to make a Chicken and Grape Pasta Salad
Making this salad is super easy! But don’t overcook the pasta!
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente. Drain and cool.
- Toss the pasta, turkey, celery, red grapes, and green onions.
- Add in the dressing and parsley.
- Garnish the serving bowl with a few sprinkles of parsley and serve!
How do you know when pasta is al dente?
The best way to tell if pasta is al dente is to take a bite. About two minutes before the pasta is supposed to be done (according to package directions), give the pasta a taste.
If it’s tender enough to chew but still contains a bit of a bite, you’ve reached al dente.
If it’s mushy, then you’ve overcooked it.
You do not want the pasta to be undercooked and still hard and crunchy.
When ready to serve, pour the dressing over the salad, and toss gently to combine all the ingredients. Place on a platter or in a serving bowl, and garnish with reserved red grapes and finely chopped parsley.
Then set it out for a luncheon with hot crunchy bread and butter and a side of Vanilla Fruit Salad. This would be gorgeous on the 20-inch dinner board!
Add this Easy Press Strawberry Pie, and you have a great menu for your girlfriends coming over for a sunny afternoon!
ENJOY!
Buy this Simply Classic: A Collection of Recipes to Celebrate the Northwest cookbook (affiliate link) today!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pound rotini pasta, dry
- 1 pound turkey breast, hand torn (or you can use rotisserie shredded chicken)
- 2 cups celery, chopped finely
- 4 cups red grapes, halved, reserve 1 cup for garnish
- ¼ cup green onions, chopped
- 2-3 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
- For the dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 cup apricot preserves
- ½ cup lime juice
- ½ kosher salt
- 1 Tbsp fresh ginger root, grated
Instructions
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and cool.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the cooled pasta, turkey, celery, red grapes, and green onions.
- For the dressing:
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, apricot preserves, lime juice, salt and fresh ginger. Chill.
- For serving:
- When ready to serve, pour the dressing over the salad, and toss gently to combine all the ingredients. Place on a platter or in a serving bowl, and garnish with reserved red grapes and finely chopped parsley.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
Great flavor combo and loved the dressing!