Pickle lovers, rejoice. This is the zippy, creamy, crunchy pasta salad of your dreams. And if you, like me, are not usually a creamy pasta salad person—especially in the sweltering heat of summer—don’t click away just yet. This one is tangy. It’s zesty. It’s not just mayo and noodles – it’s pickle-loaded in the best way possible!
Why I actually love this pasta salad
Here’s the thing: I love pasta, I love pickles, but creamy pasta salads? They often feel like too much when it’s hot out. I need something that cuts through the heaviness—and like my Dill Pickle Potato Salad, this salad totally delivers. It’s sharp, bright, and full of flavor thanks to what I am now calling the fourfecta of pickles: sliced pickles, chopped pickles, pickle relish, and pickle juice. That’s how you get full-on pickle flavor in every single bite!
The rest of the salad is super flexible
You can use any short pasta shape you like, any cheese that pairs well with pickles (I go for cheddar, but Swiss or Monterey Jack work too), and adjust the creaminess to your taste. Want it less rich? Skip the mayo and go all-in with sour cream or Greek yogurt—just add an extra squirt of mustard to help mimic that mayo tang. It’s weirdly magical and totally works.
My not-so-secret method for perfect pasta salad
Let’s talk strategy. The key to a really good pasta salad is layering the flavor. This sounds super complicated and ~elevated~, but I don’t do complicated these days so don’t worry, it’s easy.
First, toss your cooked (and rinsed!) pasta with pickle juice. Just enough to soak in a bit without pooling at the bottom. Then mix in your pickles, cheese, and onion, and stir in about half the dressing. Let it chill for at least an hour—overnight is even better—and then add the rest of the dressing before serving. This keeps everything creamy and fresh instead of dry or gluey.
Also, do not skip rinsing the pasta. I know we’re trained not to do this with hot pasta, but for cold salads, it’s essential. Rinsing cools it down quickly and removes the starch that makes cold pasta feel sticky and heavy.
How to serve, store, and safely transport
This salad is best served cold (obviously), and it holds up beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just give it a good stir and add a little reserved dressing or extra pickle juice to loosen it up before serving leftovers.
Bringing it to a potluck or BBQ? Keep it chilled with an ice pack or cooler if it’ll be sitting out for more than 30–60 minutes, especially in hot weather. I sometimes chill the entire bowl in the fridge ahead of time, then nest it in a larger bowl of ice once I arrive. Is it a little extra? Yes. Will your salad stay safe and taste amazing? Also yes.
Printable recipe
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Salad
- 1 (8-oz) box uncooked short pasta shapes (like rotini or shells)
- pickle juice (to taste)
- ½ cup sliced dill pickles (I always use the baby spears because they are crunchier; use whatever you like best!)
- ½ cup chopped dill pickles
- ⅔ cup diced cheddar cheese
- 2-3 tablespoons minced red onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill (plus more if desired)
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons pickle juice (or more to taste)
- 1 tablespoon pickle relish
- 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool it down and to remove excess starch. Place in a large salad bowl.1 (8-oz) box uncooked short pasta shapes
- Toss the cooked pasta with 2-4 tablespoons pickle juice, or to taste (it should not be liquidy, the pasta should soak up the pickle juice).pickle juice
- Add the pickles, cheddar cheese, red onion, and dill to the pasta and toss together.½ cup sliced dill pickles, ½ cup chopped dill pickles, ⅔ cup diced cheddar cheese, 2-3 tablespoons minced red onion, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients in a small measuring jug or jar. Check for seasoning, add more pickle juice, mustard and seasoning to your taste (I kept it middle of the road for the recipe, I always add more pickle juice).Add about 1 cup of the dressing to the salad and toss to coat. Reserve the remaining dressing in the fridge.¾ cup mayonnaise, ½ cup sour cream, 3 tablespoons pickle juice, 1 tablespoon pickle relish, 1-2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder, salt and black pepper
- Taste the salad and again, adjust the flavors to your preference. Cover the salad and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, and up to overnight before serving.
- Right before serving, toss the salad one more time. Add additional dressing as needed (pasta salad soaks up dressing as it sits, I always like to add some extra dressing right before serving to freshen it up and make sure it’s not dry or sticky). Garnish with extra dill and pickles, if you’d like.
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