Pasta Salad recipes are some of the easiest ones to make. They are tasty, filling, inexpensive to make, and can feed a small crowd. This delicious, tangy pasta salad with dill pickles, fresh dill, onions, and cheese is dressed with a creamy dill dressing. The flavors in dill pickle dressing are surprising and unique, yet strangely familiar at the same time. Need another pasta salad recipe? Try my classic Tuna Pasta Salad. It’s the best! Tortellini Pasta Salad is an Italian inspired salad that always impresses my guests too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Ingredients In Pickle Pasta Salad
10 simple ingredients come together easily to make this unique pasta salad. Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Pasta: Any small, short pasta can be used. Here I’m using rotini, but you can try shells, elbow macaroni, penne, farfalle Sliced Dill Pickles: You need the pickles and at least two tablespoons of the pickle juice from the jar, so be sure not to drain it away. Slice the pickles into rounds, or if your pickles are very large, cut them in half longways and then slice into half-moons. Onion: Diced onion adds crunch and flavor to this salad. A simple yellow onion or a sweet onion can be used. Cheese: Cheddar cheese or Colby Jack can be used in this salad. Cut the cheese into small cubes. Mayo and Greek Yogurt: Adding plain yogurt to the traditional mayonnaise base of pasta salad gives it a lighter, brighter flavor, extra creaminess, and a bit of a tang. You can use sour cream instead of yogurt if you prefer. Dill: Fresh dill adds beautiful flecks of green to the pasta and mimics the flavor of the pickles. You can use dry dill weed if that’s what you have, just use a bit less of it. Salt and Pepper: Pickles are already pretty salty, so we don’t need to add much, but simple seasonings ensure that the salad tastes great.
How To Make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Recipe Tips
Add other ingredients: Pasta salad recipes are very forgiving. You can toss in any other ingredients that you think would taste good. Try hard-boiled eggs, sliced olives, capers, bell peppers, or chopped deli meats. I think ham would be tasty here! Use full-fat dairy: low fat or fat-free mayo, yogurt, or sour cream won’t give your salad the creaminess it deserves! Avoid using miracle whip or salad dressing in place of the mayo too. That product has too much sweetness to it. Let the pasta cool: If the pasta is still warm when you add the rest of the ingredients you may find that your cheese melts. Avoid that by rinsing the pasta well with cold water so that it cools down completely.
Storing Tips
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Remember that you should not leave mayo-based salads out for any length of time, especially outdoors in hot weather. Keep the salad chilled as much as possible.
What To Serve With Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Creamy pasta salads are a must-have when it comes to summertime barbecues and parties! Try more of my easy and delicious summer recipes: More Side Salads: Creamy Cucumber Salad, Greek Orzo Salad, Watermelon Salad with Feta Main Dishes: Grilled BBQ Chicken, Grilled Salmon, or Shrimp Skewers are easy and delicious. BBQ Side Dishes: Baked Beans, Mac and Cheese, Grilled Veggie Kabobs Don’t forget dessert! Make a patriotic layer cake for the 4th of July, Red White and Blue Cupcakes, or try my No Bake Oreo Pie. Enjoy this pasta salad with pickles at all of your summer parties this year! Save this recipe and be sure to Pin it for more people to enjoy too! © Little Sunny Kitchen
