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Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
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The pasta lovers in your family will flip for this dill pickle pasta salad. How can you go wrong with tangy, crunchy dill pickles and cheese in a creamy dressing combined with perfectly prepared pasta? And this dill pickle pasta salad only gets better with age. Prepare your dressing and cook your pasta the day before the potluck dinner or weekend barbeque and assemble your salad when you are ready to serve it to simplify your day. Trust us, we promise, people will be begging for the recipe!
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 16 ounces rotini pasta cooked, drained, and rinsed in cool water
- 2 cups whole dill pickles diced and reserve juice (about 5 large pickles)
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese cubed (or Colby-jack cheese)
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
Substitutions and Additions
FRESH DILL – If you don’t have any fresh dill on hand, substitute an equal amount of dried dill seasoning.
CHEDDAR OR COLBY CHEESE – Try substituting other cheeses like Pepper Jack, Swiss, or a sharp cheese for various flavors in a shredded or cubed form.
ROTINI PASTA – Any small noodle that will hold the creamy and delicious sauce is a perfect substitute. Varieties like fusilli or farfalle are great choices.
PROTEIN – While this perfect dill pickle pasta salad is a winner all on its own, it’s also delicious with a can of tuna or chicken or even some crumbled bacon stirred into it.
How to Make This Dill Pickle Pasta Salad Recipe
STEP ONE: In a small mixing bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, dried dill, onion powder, black pepper, dried parsley, and pickle juice to make the dressing.
PRO TIP: Try to include the small bits of garlic and seasoning with the pickle juice for an even more flavorful dressing.
STEP TWO: In a large salad bowl, add the cooled pasta, dill pickles, cheese, fresh dill, and dressing.
PRO TIP: For a real treat, combine sweet pickles and dill pickles for a sweet and savory combination of tastes.
PRO TIP: Cook pasta carefully according to package directions. Overcooked pasta makes salad mushy. Pasta should be immediately rinsed in cool water to keep it from sticking together and completely cooled before incorporating it with the cheese or your cheese will begin to melt.
STEP THREE: Stir ingredients together until well combined.
STEP FOUR: Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to blend.
How To Serve Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Dill pickle pasta salad is great to serve with a simple dinner, like when you’re serving grilled cheese or on burger night. It’s an incredibly yummy and surprising compliment to meat, fish, or poultry. There is really no wrong time for dill pickle salad!
Storage
IN THE FRIDGE: Dill Pickle Pasta Salad will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. We love it best on day 2, when the flavors have really intensified! Keep it sealed in an airtight container to enjoy whenever the urge hits you.
IN THE FREEZER: We don’t recommend freezing pasta salad.
Take an amazing pasta salad and ramp it up with the tangy crunchiness of dill pickles to create this best-ever dill pickle pasta salad that is sure to be the star of any meal.
FAQ:
Question: Can I double this recipe?
Answer: Yes. Multiply your ingredients list by 2, 3, or more according to the servings you need.
Question: How can I moisten the pasta salad if it is dry the next day?
Answer: There are a couple of things that you can do. Stir in a little more dill pickle juice, or make some extra dressing to use if needed. You can also stir in extra mayonnaise, one tbsp at a time, but this will change the flavor slightly.
Question: Can I omit the cheese?
Answer: Cheese certainly adds flavor, but this salad can also be enjoyed without the cheese.
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 ounces rotini pasta cooked drained, and rinsed in cool water
- 2 cups whole dill pickles diced and reserve juice about 5 large pickles
- 1½ cups cheddar cheese cubed or Colby-jack cheese
- 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
Instructions
- In a small mixing bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, dried dill, onion powder, black pepper, dried parsley, and pickle juice to make the dressing.
- In a large salad bowl add the cooled pasta, dill pickles, cheese, fresh dill, and dressing.
- Tip: Make sure your pasta is fully cooled before adding the other ingredients, or your cheese will start to melt.
- Stir ingredients together until well combined.
- Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour to allow the flavors to blend.
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