Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
This tangy, refreshing dill pickle pasta salad is the perfect dish for a summer barbecue or picnic. With simple ingredients and easy instructions, you can whip this up in no time!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
Pickles are having a bit of a moment-we've seen dill pickle flavor nuts, popcorn, deviled eggs...even dill pickle jelly beans! And what's not to love? Dill pickles are tangy, herby, and salty. Today, we're taking those flavor elements and working them into a summer classic: pasta salad. Dill pickle pasta salad, to be exact! Pickle lovers, this one's for you! Here's why you'll love this pasta salad:
- Dill pickle pasta salad takes the summer side dish favorite, pasta salad, and gives it a zesty, sweet-and-sour twist with dill pickles.
- It is so easy-if you can boil water and stir things together, you can make this recipe!
- It is great for parties. Serve it up at your next potluck or summer barbecue.
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What You'll Need
Here's what you'll need to make this tangy side dish:
- Rotini pasta: Boil the noodles according to the package directions, then rinse under cool water to halt the cooking. Drain well before adding to the salad.
- Dill pickles: You can use homemade dill pickles, or store-bought. You'll need about six spears, plus some of the pickle juice from the jar.
- Mild cheddar cheese: Cubed cheese both makes the pasta salad more filling and adds a great texture balance to the softer pasta and pickles.
- Mayonnaise and sour cream: These make up the base of the creamy dressing for this pasta salad.
- Fresh dill: Amp up the pickle flavor with additional fresh dill.
- Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and ground black pepper: For more flavor!
Variations and Substitutions
Missing ingredients for dill pickle pasta salad? Here's what you can do:
- No fresh dill: If you don't have fresh herbs, you can use one teaspoon of dried dill in place of the two tablespoons of fresh dill the recipe calls for.
- Mix up the pasta: Elbow macaroni, bowtie pasta, fusilli, or other short noodle will work as well.
- Change the cheese: If you don't have mild cheddar, you can substitute Monterey Jack or Colby jack cheese.
How to Make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Making pasta salad is super simple! Let's get started:
- Cook your pasta al dente, and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. The cold water will also cool down the noodles before you stir in the dressing-we don't want it to separate when it hits the noodles.
- Stir the pasta with the dill pickle and cheddar cheese. Set your bowl aside for now.
- Whisk together the remaining ingredients to make the dressing, and pour it over the pasta mixture. Do not skip this step and try to stir everything together in one big bowl-you'll end up with lumpy dressing and the pasta won't be evenly coated.
- Chill for at least an hour before serving, to give the flavors time to meld.
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Make Ahead and Storage Directions
You can refrigerate this pasta salad in an airtight container for up to 3-5 days.
Pickle Pasta Salad Tips and Tricks
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, and we recommend it! Let the pasta salad chill in the fridge for at least an hour (but overnight is even better) to give the flavors time to meld.
Stored in an airtight container, pasta salad will last for 3-5 days in the refrigerator.
What To Serve With Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Check out all our potluck favorites, including:
If you tried this Dill Pickle Pasta Salad or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad: Easy Potluck Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rotini pasta cooked, drained, and cooled
- 2 cups chopped dill pickle about 6 dill pickle spears
- 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese cut into cubes
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- 1 tablespoon pickle juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the 16 ounces rotini pasta, 2 cups chopped dill pickle, and 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese cubes. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ½ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons fresh dill, 1 tablespoon pickle juice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta, pickles, and cheese and toss to combine.
- Place in the refrigerator for 1 hour or until well chilled, then serve.
Notes
- We know it's tempting to toss everything into one bowl and save a step (and another dirty dish!), but whisking the dressing together before tossing with the pasta keeps it smooth and lump-free. Don't skip that step!
- This pasta salad will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-5 days.
pickles + pasta? Sign me up!