Cool, creamy and tangy, this dill pickle pasta salad is a must-try for any dill pickle lovers. The fresh dill pickles are accentuated with relish, diced shallot, cucumbers and dill pickle juice.
To top it all off, this recipe adds cold pasta, cheese and mayonnaise to create a creamy pasta salad that's perfect for your next picnic or barbecue. Serve it as a side to hot dogs and hamburgers, or use it as a sandwich filling for a unique summer lunch.
Skip the potato salad and bring this unique side dish to your next barbecue, potluck or family get-together. 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, hamburgers, brats and veggie dogs.
This dish was made to be served on paper plates while your guests are talking and laughing in front of the grill. And while it might remind you of summer, pickle lovers will enjoy this dish any time of year.
Ingredients
- dry short cut pasta - like elbow or rotini (elbow is my favorite)
- dill pickles - plus the juice from the jar
- cucumber
- cheddar cheese - I personally like an old cheddar but you can use mild as well
- shallot
- mayonnaise
- sweet relish
- fresh dill
How to Make it
- Cook the pasta. Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and rinse pasta with cold water.
- Marinate the pasta. Add the pasta to a large bowl. Add ½ cup pickle juice to the pasta and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Make the dressing. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Reserve.
- 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.
- Add dressing. Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix together well, until the pasta is fully covered.
- Chill. Cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours.
- Serve. Serve garnished with fresh dill, if desired.
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.
- Store-bought pickles are fine, but if you're really looking for a challenge, try making your own pickles for this dish. 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.
Serving Suggestions
One of the great things about pasta salad is that you can serve it in a number of ways. You can't go wrong serving it as a BBQ side dish--it's bound to be a hit. Serve it as a summer side dish or place it between two pieces of bread for a pasta salad sandwich. Add a squirt of ranch dressing for an extra burst of summery flavor.
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.
Storage
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.
What did you think of adding pickles to your pasta salad? Let me know in the comments and if you enjoyed this recipe, please share!
📋Recipe
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 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
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 pasta with cold water.
- Add the pasta to a large bowl. Add ½ cup pickle juice to the pasta 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
- 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.
- 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.
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.
Looking for a drink to serve with your dinner? Try our Electric Skillet Mulled Wine
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.