Dill Pickle Pasta Salad – Perfect For All Those Pickle Lovers!

A simple pasta salad that features dill pickle flavors, cheddar cheese, and your favorite type of pasta in a creamy homemade dressing.

The weather has started to warm up, which means it’s time for potlucks, parties, and backyard barbecues. One of the most popular dishes to bring to these events is pasta salad.

But are you tired of the same old pasta salad piled up on your plate? If so, then give this dill pickle pasta salad a try – especially if you are a pickle fanatic like me!

I’ve always been a bit obsessed with dill pickles. I would even get jars of them gifted to me from my family during my birthdays and Christmases. (But they had to be dill. None of those sweet pickles for me, please!)

So when I heard about a pasta salad that includes all of my favorite flavors, I knew I had to give it a try. Now, it’s one of my favorite summer dishes, and I wanted to pass it along to you all!

It’s creamy, full of bright, dill flavor, and made easily using just a few basic ingredients. You can use pretty much whatever type of pasta you have on hand and use either fresh or dried dill, which makes it an easy side dish for your next get-together or weeknight dinner.

How To Make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

*Scroll down to the bottom of this post to see the full recipe, including exact measurements and amounts. You can also print out the instructions. I go into a bit more detail about the recipe here first, just in case you need it.

Ingredients  

For The Dressing

• Mayonnaise – I highly suggest using real mayonnaise for this recipe or your own homemade batch. Miracle Whip just won’t provide the dressing with the same richness and full flavor.
• Sour Cream – You can use either sour cream or swap it out for Greek yogurt to increase your protein levels and reduce the amount of calories in the salad slightly. The flavor profile is very similar, but the dressing might have a bit more of a “twang” to it when using the Greek yogurt.
• Dill Pickle Juice – The pickle juice is the star of the show. Be sure to use a quality brand of pickles or the juice from your homemade canned dill pickles. Don’t use the juice from sweet pickles, or you will end up with a WHOLE different flavor profile that we aren’t going for here!
• Salt & Pepper – These two basic seasonings should be added to taste. Sample your dressing before adding them and adjust accordingly. We tend to like salty recipes, so we add about 1/4 tsp of salt. But for some people, the salt in the pickle juice might be enough.

For The Pasta

• Pasta – You can use pretty much any smaller pasta of your choice. I love to use the mini shells, but regular shells, penne, rotini, macaroni, or mini farfalle (bow tie) pasta are also great choices. The amount used in the recipe is based on cups and dry ingredients. The ounces will vary depending on which type of pasta you choose.
• Dill Pickles – I recommend using either sliced dill pickles or baby gherkins. These will provide you with the crunchiest pickles once chopped. Really though, any dill pickles chopped up will work.
• Cheddar Cheese – For this particular recipe, you want to use a block of cheese that you can cut into small chunks. Shredded cheese will work in a pinch, but it won’t provide you with that solid bite of cheese that goes so well in this salad. Opt for mild or medium cheddar so the flavors aren’t too overwhelming. Colby Jack is another great alternative to try.
• Onion – You can use either white or red onion. Both will provide a bit of mild heat to the dish without being overwhelming. The onion flavor should be hinted at in the recipe, not the main attraction.
• Dill – Ideally, fresh dill provides the best flavor. (A couple of small pieces also provide a really pretty topping for the salad before serving!) However, I usually only have fresh dill on hand during the summer months from my garden. So instead, I use dried dill. (I know most grocery stores carry dill, but I don’t always plan accordingly and purchase it when the mood for this salad strikes.) I have included conversions for both options, so you can use whichever type you have on hand.

Instructions for Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Start by cooking your pasta according to the directions on the box. Only cook it until it is al dente (or still slightly firm when bitten into). Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and rinse it under cold water. This will help to stop the cooking process. (We don’t want soggy noodles!)

Next, take out a medium-sized mixing bowl. Into the bowl, add all of the ingredients for the salad dressing. Whisk these together until the dressing is nice and smooth. Place the bowl in your refrigerator until you are ready to add it to the pasta. (These are my FAVORITE mixing bowls that I use daily – Product Link: Luminarc Stackable Bowl 10-Piece Set.)

While your pasta is cooking, it’s time to prep your other ingredients. If using a block of cheese, cut it into small 1/4-inch cubes.

Dice up whatever type of pickles you are using. You can make them look nice and pretty, like the cubed cheese, or just do a quick dice like I normally do. It will all taste just as good once combined in the pasta salad. Also, dice up your onions at this time, too.

If you are using fresh dill, give it a good rinse under running water and pat dry with paper towels. Coarsely chop the fresh dill into smaller pieces.

Add all of the prepared ingredients to a large bowl. Mix in the cooled pasta, stirring gently.

Add The Dressing & Serve

Lastly, take your dressing from the refrigerator and give it a quick stir. Pour it over the other ingredients and mix well using a spatula. Be sure to coat the pasta completely in the dressing.

You can serve the dill pickle pasta salad immediately, but I prefer to refrigerate it for a bit. Cover the dish and pop it in the refrigerator to chill for 1 to 2 hours. This helps all of the flavors meld together and gets all the ingredients to the same temperature. When you are ready to serve, give the salad a good stir. Keep any leftovers refrigerated.

You can make this pasta salad the day before. Just keep in mind that the texture of the dressing will change slightly. It will still taste amazing, just not be as creamy as freshly-made. Keep the salad cold before serving and enjoy!

Until next time, thanks for stopping by!
– Chelsea

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