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Pickle lovers, you NEED this pasta salad in your life! This dill pickle pasta salad is loaded with crunchy pickles, sharp white cheddar, fresh dill and tossed in a creamy tangy dressing that brings all the pickle flavor you could ever want.
4 Reasons You’ll Love This Pasta Salad
- All the pickle goodness: This is THE pasta salad for pickle lovers! Crunchy dill pickles and tangy pickle juice bring the flavor and texture to this creamy pasta salad.
- Quick and easy to make: Under 30 minutes to prep!
- Make ahead friendly: This pasta salad tastes best after it hangs out in the fridge for a couple hours and is even still creamy and delicious after a day or two.
- Always a huge hit: Bring this to a BBQ, potluck or picnic and watch it disappear.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what you’ll need to make this dill pickle pasta salad recipe:
Detailed ingredient list and directions located in the recipe card below.
- Pasta: Any short-cut pasta that you like (e.g. macaroni, shells, farfalle, rotini, cavatappi, fusilli, etc.).
- Dill pickles: I’m all about using baby dills (especially the garlicky kind!) because they’re super crunchy and can be sliced into little rounds. But you can use whatever dill pickles you love – just chop them up and toss them in!
- Dill pickle juice: Simply use the juice from the pickle jar. A little gets drizzled over the cooked pasta to soak in that tangy goodness and it is also used in the creamy dressing to give it that pickle flavor we’re going for.
- Sharp white cheddar cheese: It pairs so well with the pickle flavors in this pasta salad! Need a substitute – gouda, pepper jack or an aged orange cheddar would all work great too!
- White Onion: I’m being specific here for good reason! White onion mixes in perfectly with the dressing and pasta, giving it flavor without being overpowering.
- Fresh Dill: This is a must! Adds that pop of freshness to the salad!
- Dressing: This creamy pickle flavored dressing is a combination of mayo, sour cream, pickle juice, dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt and cayenne pepper. For a little additional umami flavor boost, you could also add a bit of bouillon powder or soy sauce too.
Extra Add-Ins
You can easily customize your dill pickle pasta salad by tossing in a little something extra. Here are some ideas:
- Pickled jalapenos for a spicy little kick
- Chopped crispy bacon on top
- A boost of protein like shredded chicken, cubed ham, tuna or chopped up hard boiled eggs
- Extra pickled veggies for even more tangy crunch
How To Make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
This dill pickle pasta salad is super easy to make – let’s walk through it step-by-step!
- Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook 1 pound (454 grams) of short-cut pasta according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water until the pasta is totally cooled down. Drain well and place into a big mixing bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of pickle juice over the pasta, give it a quick toss and set it aside while you make the dressing.
- Make the dressing: To a small bowl, add 1 cup mayo, ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup pickle juice, 1 teaspoon each of dried dill, garlic powder, onion powder and sea salt, plus ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper. Want to level it up even more? Add a teaspoon of bouillon powder or soy sauce for a sneaky umami boost. Whisk everything together until smooth and creamy.
- Combine: To the bowl with the pasta, add 2 cups of baby dill pickles (sliced into rounds or chopped), 2 cups of small diced sharp white cheddar cheese, ½ a white onion (finely chopped) and ¼ cup chopped fresh dill. Pour over about ¾ of the dressing and toss together until well combined.
- Chill and serve: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors really come together. When you’re ready to serve, toss with the rest of the dressing, taste and adjust the seasoning if needed and you’re good to go.
RECIPE TIP
Pasta Salad Tip
Cook your pasta a little longer than usual – about 1 to 2 minutes past al dente. It helps the pasta to stay nice and soft even after it cools down.
FAQ
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Absolutely! It actually tastes even better after it has had a couple of hours to chill in the fridge (and is even still creamy and delicious after a day or two). All those flavors have a chance to meld together in the best way. Just don’t forget to save a little dressing to mix through right before serving.
I get it – rinsing pasta is usually a big no-no. But for pasta salad, it’s a must! The cold water stops the cooking process and cools it down fast. It also helps to wash off the extra starch so that your pasta doesn’t turn into one giant, sticky blob.
First things first – don’t undercook the pasta. Go just a bit past al dente so it stays soft and tender even once cooled. Pasta salad tends to soak up dressing the longer it sits in the fridge (although this one holds up well and stays nice and creamy!). Still, it’s always a good idea to save some of the dressing on the side and mix it in right before serving to freshen things up.
More Pasta Salads
Did you make this dill pickle pasta salad recipe? I would love to hear about it! Please leave me a comment below.
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 25 min (plus chill time)
- Yield: 8-10 servings
- Category: Salad
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Pickle lovers, you NEED this pasta salad in your life! This dill pickle pasta salad is loaded with crunchy pickles, sharp white cheddar, fresh dill and tossed in a creamy tangy dressing that brings all the pickle flavor you could ever want.
Ingredients
For the pasta salad:
- 1 pound (454 grams) uncooked short-cut pasta
- 2 tablespoons pickle juice, from the pickle jar
- 2 cups baby dill pickles, sliced into small rounds or chopped
- 2 cups small diced sharp white cheddar cheese
- ½ white onion, finely chopped
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
- Optional extra add-ins (see notes)
For the dressing:
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ½ cup pickle juice
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- optional flavor boost: 1 teaspoon bouillon powder or soy sauce
Instructions
- Cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and immediately rinse under cold water until the pasta is cooled. Drain well and place in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of pickle juice over the pasta, give it a quick toss and set it aside while you make the dressing.
- Make dressing: Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Combine: Add the chopped pickles, white cheddar cheese, white onion, fresh dill and any extra add-ins to the bowl with the pasta. Pour over about ¾ of the dressing and toss together until well combined.
- Chill and serve: Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors really come together. Once ready to serve, toss with the remainder of the dressing, adjust seasonings to taste and enjoy!
Notes
- Optional extra add-ins: Customize your dill pickle pasta salad by tossing in a little something extra. Here are some ideas: pickled jalapenos, chopped crispy bacon on top, extra pickled veggies, a boost of protein like shredded chicken, cubed ham, tuna or chopped up hard boiled eggs.
- Tip: Cook your pasta a little longer than usual – about 1 to 2 minutes past al dente. It helps the pasta to stay nice and soft even after it cools down. Also for the best dressing, use real mayonnaise and full fat sour cream.
- Storage and Make Ahead: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. This is also the perfect make ahead pasta salad – it actually tastes even better after it chills in the fridge for a couple of hours and is still creamy and delicious after a day or two.
