The Viral Mayo Pasta Salad Is So Unhinged We Can't Watch

The late spring and summer months are the peak time for pasta salad, but TikTok's viral take on the dish probably isn't one you'll want to bring to every barbecue. TikTok user @succhefful's demonstration of how to make a "simple mayo and cucumber pasta" may not seem too unusual at first glance, especially considering that both mayonnaise and cucumbers are commonly used in the popular side dish. However, once you see how the TikToker actually incorporates them into their meal we have a feeling you might change your mind.

Everything about the video is designed to cause horror in the foodie community. The TikToker starts by microwaving a single serving of penne pasta, which some may consider the first sin committed in the video. Next, without draining any of the water or letting the noodles cool, they add two large dollops of mayo to the bowl – with all the squelching sound effects in full force — and then microwave the concoction again. Every step of the process is cringe-inducing and culinarily just wrong.

You might ask yourself, are they serious? Thankfully, the answer is no, they're not.

The "simple mayo and cucumber pasta salad" video has amassed over 20 million views since being shared to the social media platform — though we're pretty sure it isn't going viral because people want to re-create the dish.

@succhefful

Chefs tip: mayo makes a great base for a pasta sauce #pasta #italianpasta #mayo

♬ Flowers – Miley Cyrus

The post has been flooded with thousands of comments from other TikTok users, most of whom expressed absolute disdain for the questionable cooking demonstration they watched. "I physically recoiled at this, cheers mate," one person commented. "This legit has to be illegal somewhere," another quipped, while several others said they wanted to call the police (and we can't say we blame them for that). As one commenter points out, "I'm so grateful that this is satire." A quick glance at the other videos in the channel makes it clear that the user, who claims to be a "pro chef," has a robust sense of gross-out humor.

Humorous presentations of disgusting food are part of a growing trend on social media. They appeal to people for a variety of reasons, including the mere fact that they're so far from the unattainably perfect content we're used to seeing on the internet. "It's a funny yet cynical way to fill the void left by the ridiculousness of 'foodie' Instagram," per Vice. And foodies, amateurs, and actual pro chefs share in the laughs, enjoying the chaos of someone ignoring all the rules and throwing out all conventions.