Description
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a creamy, tangy side dish loaded with crunchy pickles, fresh veggies, and cheddar cheese in a pickle juice dressing. Perfect for BBQs and potlucks!
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces pasta (rotini, bowties, macaroni, or your favorite)
- 1 cup dill pickles, chopped (crisp pickles, not sweet)
- ½ cup red bell pepper, diced
- ½ cup celery, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
- ½–¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill (or 2 tablespoons dried dill)
Creamy Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice (from the jar)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add your pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down completely. Transfer the cooled pasta to your large mixing bowl.
While your pasta is cooking, get all your chopping done. Dice those dill pickles into bite-sized pieces, dice the red bell pepper, thinly slice the celery, and finely chop the red onion. I like my pickles in generous chunks so you get a big pickle punch in every bite! Add all these beautiful, colorful veggies to the bowl with your cooled pasta.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream (or Greek yogurt if you’re going lighter), dill pickle juice, fresh lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and garlic powder. Whisk it really well until it’s smooth and creamy with no lumps. Now taste it and season with salt and black pepper.
Pour that gorgeous creamy dressing over your pasta and vegetables. Add the shredded cheddar cheese and chopped fresh dill. Now here’s where the fun happens — gently stir everything together with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until every single piece of pasta is coated in that tangy, creamy goodness. Be gentle so you don’t break up the pasta, but make sure everything is well combined.
Cover your bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and pop it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This chilling time is CRUCIAL because it lets all those flavors meld together and marry beautifully.
Before serving, give it a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed — sometimes I add an extra splash of pickle juice for more tang or a pinch of salt to brighten everything up.
Notes
- Don’t Overdress: You can always add more dressing, but you can’t take it away. Start with most of the dressing and add the rest if needed after chilling.
- Save Extra Pickle Juice: Keep some in the fridge to refresh the salad if it gets dry after a day or two.
- Prep Ahead: Chop all your veggies the night before and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Avoid Mushy Pasta: Cook it to true al dente — it should have a slight firmness when you bite it.
- Fresh Dill Makes a Difference: If you can get fresh dill, DO IT. The flavor is so much brighter than dried.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes + Chill Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling, Mixing, Chilling
- Cuisine: American