Cool, creamy and tangy, this dill pickle pasta salad is a must-try for any dill pickle lovers. It has triple the pickle with the dill pickles, pickle juice and relish that all come together with a creamy dressing.
Dill pickles and cold pasta might sound like an unusual combination, but once you've tried this dish, you'll realize that it's the perfect complement to sizzling hot dogs, bison steaks, hamburgers (try my tutorial for how to grill frozen burgers), grilled bratwurst and veggie dogs.
Bring this yummy side dish to your next barbecue, potluck or family get-together. While it might remind you of summer, pickle lovers will enjoy this dish any time of year!
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Why You Need to Bring this Salad to Your Next BBQ
- Perfect for Summer: This creative salad recipe is a great choice for summer picnics, barbecues, birthdays and potlucks. It's light, refreshing, and can be served chilled, making it ideal for hot weather. Check out some more light and refreshing summer recipes.
- Easy to Prepare: With simple ingredients like pasta, pickles, cheese, and a few pantry staples, it's a convenient dish to whip up in no time.
- Crowd-Pleaser: The dill pickle flavor appeals to a wide range of palates, making it a hit at gatherings. This salad is a dream come true for pickle-lovers (and even kids) and guests will be asking for the recipe!
- Make-Ahead Convenience: This salad can be made ahead of time, allowing the flavors to meld and intensify. It's perfect for meal prep or when you need to save time on the day of your event.
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad Ingredients
- dry short cut pasta - Like elbow or rotini (elbow is my favorite). For a healthier version, you can use whole grain pasta.
- dill pickles - Plus the juice from the jar.
- cucumber - English cucumbers or Persian work well.
- cheddar cheese - I personally like an older cheddar but you can use mild if you like.
- shallot - You can substitute with red onion.
- mayonnaise - For the creamy dressing that brings it all together.
- sweet relish - For extra pickle taste and crunch.
- fresh dill - Fresh is best. However, you can substitute with dried dill. The ratio is 1 teaspoon of dried dill to 1 tablespoon of fresh dill.
*Check recipe card for ingredient amounts.
Chef's Note: For a vegan option, use dairy-free cheese and mayo substitutes.
How to Make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Step 1. Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water.
Step 2. Marinate the pasta. Add the pasta to a large bowl. Add ½ cup pickle juice to the pasta and let sit for 10 minutes.
Step 3. Make the dressing. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reserve.
Step 4. Drain the pasta. Drain the pickle juice from the pasta. Again, transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add the chopped pickles, cucumber, cheese and diced shallot.
Step 5. Add dressing. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad.
Step 6. Mix and chill. Mix together really well, until the pasta is fully covered. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
Step 7. Serve. Serve garnished with fresh dill, if desired.
Joss' Tips
- Make sure you cook the pasta al dente so that it has some firmness to it. Overcooking the pasta will leave you with a bowl of mush. You want your pasta to hold up to all of the liquid ingredients.
- Use high-quality dill pickles for the best flavor. Store-bought pickles are fine, but if you're really looking for a challenge, try making your own pickles for this dish or pick some up from the farmers' market. You can experiment with different brines to create a delicious homemade recipe that's all your own. You could even spice the brine up with some chili peppers.
- Add a protein like diced chicken, tuna or crispy bacon to make it hearty. This will take it from side dish to main that's perfect for packed lunches.
- Chill for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld together. This step is crucial for the best taste.
- Garnishes: Garnish with extra chopped dill or a few pickle slices on top for a nice presentation.
Serving Suggestions
One of the great things about pasta salad is that you can serve it in a number of ways. While my taco pasta salad is more of a main dish, you can't go wrong serving this pickle pasta salad as a BBQ side dish--it's bound to be a hit.
- Serve it as a side to hot dogs and hamburgers. Try it with my kimchi hot dog recipe or electric skillet hamburgers.
- The creaminess works well with Korean kimchi chicken.
- Add a squirt of buttermilk ranch dressing for an extra burst of summery flavor.
- This dish was made to be served on paper plates while your guests are talking and laughing in front of the grill.
- Are you struggling with what to put in your kids’ lunches? This creamy pasta salad is perfect to pack along for the school day, especially if your kids are pickle fans.
⭐Speaking of creamy pasta, you might also like my creamy tuna & sun-dried tomato pasta casserole.
Recipe FAQs
This salad will keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days which makes it a perfect make-ahead dish. I personally prefer how it tastes after it's been chilled for a day. It's still firm and tastes even better than the day of.
I wouldn't recommend freezing this pasta salad because of the mayo, cheddar and other fresh ingredients that don't freeze well.
❤️More Side Dishes You Will Love
If you tried this Dill Pickle Pasta Salad Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. And please share the recipe!
📋Recipe
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the Pasta
- 3 cups dry short cut pasta - like elbow or rotini
- ½ cup dill pickle juice - from the pickle jar
- 1 ½ cups dill pickles - chopped
- ½ cup cucumber - diced
- 1 cup cheddar cheese - cubed (small)
- 1 shallot - diced
For the Dressing
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup dill pickle juice - from the pickle jar
- 3 tablespoons sweet relish
- 2 ½ tablespoons fresh dill - chopped
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water.
- Add the pasta to a large bowl. Add ½ cup pickle juice, mix well and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reserve.
- Drain the pickle juice from the pasta. Again, transfer the pasta to a large bowl. Add the chopped pickles, cucumber, cheese and diced shallot.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix together well, until the pasta is fully covered.
- Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
- Serve garnished with fresh dill, if desired.
Notes
- Chill for at least an hour to allow the flavors to meld together. This step is crucial for the best taste.
- If you need a substitute for the shallot, use a ¼ of a red onion.
- Make sure you cook the pasta al dente so that it has some firmness to it but is soft enough to have a good texture when served cold.
- Make it a meal. Add a protein like diced chicken, tuna or crispy bacon to make it more hearty for a packed lunch.
- This salad will keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. I personally like how it tastes after it's been chilled for at least a day.
- I wouldn't recommend freezing this pasta salad because of the mayo, cheddar and other fresh ingredients that don't freeze well.
Nutrition
Nutrition information on In the Kitch is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. It may not include toppings and/or sauces.
Christine says
Looks so yummy! Thanks!
Joss D says
Thanks Christine!
Sierra says
This was really good and easy to make. My husband thought it was store-bought! It held up well for a few days.
Joss D says
Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it.