Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: Dill pickle pasta salad is made with pickles AND brine for double the pickle flavor, all tossed with a creamy dill-infused dressing. It’s an absolute crowd-pleaser for backyard barbecues and picnics but easy enough to whip up for weekday lunches.
How long it takes: 25 minutes, plus 30 minutes to chill
Equipment you’ll need: 2 mixing bowls and a pot
Servings: about 6 as a generous side
While I might not love pickles enough to indulge in the pickle slushies and pickle candy canes I see popping up all over my Facebook feed, I do love them enough to add them to ham pinwheels and this dill-ectable (see what I did there?) dill pickle pasta salad.
Puns aside, pickles make a fabulous addition to pasta salad, adding a punch of flavor and nice crunchy texture to contrast with the tender pasta and creamy dressing. Little cubes of cheddar makes this dill pickle pasta salad extra satisfying, while celery adds more crunch. A combination of red onion and fresh dill amp up the flavor even more.
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
A pasta salad that brings the flavor. Some pasta salads are big on creaminess but the flavor is lackluster. Like my ranch pasta salad, this dill pickle pasta salad is anything but bland, with plenty of big, bold flavors in the mix. Also: pickles!
Your go-to for backyard barbecues. And picnics, potlucks, game day get-togethers, or any other time you need an easy make-ahead side dish that’s sure to please. As a side dish with a bunch of other options, you can easily get about 12 servings from this recipe but it’s also a cinch to scale up.
Easy to make. Like my Greek pasta salad and summer pasta salad, this recipe is really just a matter of cooking the pasta, mixing the dressing, and tossing it all together. That’s why I love it for parties. We all need some dependable low-effort sides to save prep time when we’re entertaining!
Ingredient Notes
To give you a successful start on your salad, I’ll run through the list of ingredients and the instructions, with extra help and tips. Scroll down to the recipe card for measurements, instructions, and nutrition information in a printable format.
- Rotini Pasta: I like rotini but if you have another pasta shape that strikes your fancy, or is in your pantry, feel free to substitute. I do like something that will hold the sauce well, like shells or macaroni.
- Dill Pickles: Refrigerated dill pickles work well for this pasta salad because they have more crunch. I use sandwich slice pickles but whole pickles are fine, too.
- Sharp Cheddar Cheese: Sharp cheddar (or aged cheddar) has more bite than mild, bringing more flavor to the table. If you prefer, use another cheese or omit it.
- Red Onion: Finely dicing the onions is key! It allows the onion to mix more evenly into the salad and the smaller-sized pieces of onions will soften and mellow in the dressing, giving you flavor without being too strong.
- Celery: Crisp green celery adds to the texture of the salad with a little more crunch.
- Fresh Dill: While you could substitute dried dill if you absolutely have no other option, it pales in comparison to fresh.
- Mayonnaise: Any brand you like will work; you can also use a reduced-fat variety, but note that the dressing will be a little less rich.
- Sour Cream or Plain Greek Yogurt: Either of these choices adds a little bit of tanginess to the dressing.
- Pickle Juice: For double the pickle power, the juice is the secret ingredient to infuse the entire dressing with pickle flavor!
- Garlic Powder: I like garlic powder instead of fresh garlic, for just a hint of garlic adding flavor depth to the dressing without being overpowering.
- Salt and Black Pepper: Use salt sparingly because the pickles can be a bit salty. Season to taste before you serve the salad.
Ingredient Tip
As you might guess, this recipe is all about the pickles. I really recommend an assertively-flavored dill pickle here. If you use sweet pickles or bread-and-butter pickles, the flavor will be completely changed. For best results, the pickles should be crisp, not soggy.
How To Make Dill Pickle Salad
Cook the pasta. Follow the instructions on the package and be sure to salt the water well; as the pasta absorbs the water, it also absorbs the seasoning, making the pasta taste better. Rinse the cooked pasta under cold water to rinse off the excess starch and to cool the pasta down; drain well.
Combine. In a large mixing bowl, add the cooked pasta to the chopped pickles, onions, cubed cheese, and minced dill. Gently combine.
Make the dressing. Whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, dill pickle juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl until the dressing is smooth and combined.
Toss. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss until everything is evenly coated. Season to taste.
Chill. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 30 minutes, then serve. (I tasted the salad immediately after making it and then again after 30 minutes and trust me, it’s worth the wait! The flavors really blend together in the fridge.)
Recipe Variations
- Switch up the cheese. Gouda, havarti, Colby jack, or maybe a cheese that’s made with dill for extra flavor—feel free to get creative here.
- Add meat. Although I don’t usually make this salad with meat, I think small torn pieces of lunchmeat (ham, salami, bologna) or even cooked bacon would be delicious in this dill pickle pasta salad to make it a main course salad. Cooked chicken or shrimp would be good, too.
- Try other pickled veggies. I love adding pickled vegetables to pasta salads, so I think they’d work great in this recipe too! Pickled green beans and pickled asparagus are especially good for this purpose.
Serving Suggestions
- Burgers: Serve air fryer hamburgers or black bean burgers with a scoop of dill pickle pasta salad on the side. Air fryer brats are a good choice, too, if you’re not into burgers.
- Meats: Pasta salad also goes well with grilled meats, like these marinated grilled chicken thighs or grilled pork kebobs.
- Sandwiches: Air fryer grilled cheese sandwich, turkey sliders—pretty much any sandwich will work well with this salad.
- Other Deli Salads: Set out an assortment of salads at your next backyard party! Dill potato salad, gazpacho salad, and broccoli cauliflower salad are always crowd-pleasers. Don’t forget the baked beans!
To keep your salad supremely creamy, I recommend storing the salad and dressing separately if you want to get a head start for a party. Thirty minutes before you plan on serving it, toss everything together and pop it back in the fridge. The separate salad and dressing can be stored up to a day in the refrigerator.
Refrigerate leftover dill pickle pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. As it sits, the pasta will absorb the dressing so it won’t be as creamy, but it will still be delicious for leftovers.
Because the dressing is made with mayonnaise, this recipe should not be frozen; mayo separates when frozen and thawed.
More Pasta Salad Recipes
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the salad:
- 8 ounces rotini pasta (see note)
- 1 cup diced dill pickles (I love refrigerated dill pickles)
- ¾ cup diced sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 oz.)
- ½ cup finely diced red onion (½ small onion)
- ½ cup finely diced celery (2 stalks)
- ¼ cup loosely packed chopped fresh dill
For the dressing:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons pickle juice
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package instructions in a pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Rinse the pasta under cold water until cold. Drain well.8 ounces rotini pasta
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, pickles, cheddar cheese, onion, celery, and dill.1 cup diced dill pickles, ¾ cup diced sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup finely diced red onion, ½ cup finely diced celery, ¼ cup loosely packed chopped fresh dill
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream or Greek yogurt, pickle juice, and garlic powder until well combined.½ cup mayonnaise, ¼ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons pickle juice, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Taste and season with salt and black pepper as desired.Salt and black pepper, to taste
- Chill the dill pickle pasta salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to meld together.
Notes
- Pasta types: Other types of pasta can be substituted for rotini, we recommend short pasta shapes such as macaroni, penne, or bow-ties.
- Cheese: Different types of cheese can be substituted for the cheddar. Gouda, havarti, Colby jack, or a cheese that’s made with dill for extra flavor.
- Double the Recipe: Recipe can easily be doubled if you’re serving a crowd. This salad is popular at potlucks, picnics, and get-togethers.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover dill pickle pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. As it sits, the pasta will absorb the dressing so it won’t be as creamy, but it will still be delicious for leftovers.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Loved the pickle pasta salad. This was a first for me, but it made sense, so I tried it. Yum.
Thank you Rachel!
So glad you liked it! Thank you for leaving a review!
The BEST pasta salad hands down! I was craving this so much after making it the first time I had to make it again!
So happy you liked it! Thank you for leaving a review!