Pickle Pasta Salad is every pickle lovers dream! Tender pasta shells are tossed in a creamy pickle infused dressing, with diced dill pickles, cheddar cheese and a touch of white onion. The result is a crowd pleasing, mouth watering pasta salad! A pickle party, if you will!
Pasta Salad with Dill Pickles
This is really similar to a traditional macaroni salad, but with a pickle element. I actually like this version better I think! It’s got a bright unique flavor, and lends itself really well to BBQ’s, potlucks, church gatherings, and family holidays. Like any macaroni salad, you can add as many ingredients as you like (or don’t like). I keep the base recipe pretty simple because I like a true pickle flavor to shine!
Pickle Pasta Salad Ingredients
This recipe is pretty simple! A lot of these are pantry staples. Of course you can always mix it up, if you have ingredients you want to substitute but aren’t sure how, leave us a comment below and we can help you through it!
- Dill Pickles: I used Vlasic. I’ve also made this using Grillo’s (we go through a Costco sized bucket about every other week!). I really recommend using dill versus sweet pickles!
- Cheddar Cheese: I cut mine the cheese into blocks. They absorb pickle flavor and really add to the flavor of the pasta salad! If you find yourself around a Trader Joes, the block of Dill Havarti would be sooo good in this!
- Onions: Any choice. I used white onion. You could use green or red onions if you want a more mild flavor.
- Pasta: Shells are my personal choice for any pasta salad, they scoop up the dressing really well!
- Pickle Juice: The key to this recipe! It infuses the whole thing with pickle flavor in a really fresh way.
- Mayonnaise: The ultimate key to creamy dressing.
- Greek Yogurt: I use a half and half mixture of Greek yogurt and mayonnaise. It’s my secret trick to keep the creaminess high, but the fat a little lower.
- Dill: Fresh is best but dehydrated will work in a pinch.
- Salt: Some pickles have more salt than others. Do a taste test before you add too much!
- Pepper: Fresh cracked is best.
- Granulated Garlic: I am a garlic girl so I like a little bit extra added to the dressing!
If you want to switch this up, consider adding chopped hard boiled eggs, tuna, and/or diced red bell peppers for more flavor and protein.
Pickle Salad Dressing
I like to mix the pickle dressing while the pasta boils. In a small bowl or pouring cup, mix together the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, pickle juice, dill, salt, pepper, and granulated garlic. Whisk it well until no lumps remain. If you want to really amp up the pickle flavor, add some relish!
Set the dressing aside, and wait for the pasta to finish boiling. Once the pasta is done boiling, drain it, and rinse it continuously in cold water for about 5 minutes. Drain again, until no additional water seeps out of the colander. The less moist the pasta, the more of the pickle dressing it absorbs!
Once the pasta is cooled and drained, add it to a bowl along with the cubed cheese, pickles, and onions. Pour the dressing on top, and mix it until fully combined.
SERVING TIP: If you are bringing this to a function, or if you won’t serve this immediately, make an extra serving of dressing. The pasta can be a sponge and absorb a lot of dressing so plan ahead if you need too!
Serving Pasta Salad with Pickles
I like to garnish this with some fresh cracked pepper, fresh dill, and a few chopped pickle rounds.
I absolutely LOVE serving this with ribs, or stove top burgers. If I’m serving this at a BBQ, it goes really great with corn fritters on the side for a potluck. Something about it just says Summer!
What’s your take on this recipe? Got any questions? Drop a comment below! Be sure to like us on Facebook, connect with us on Instagram, and tag your @Laughingspatula creations with #laughingspatula. We can’t wait to see your photos!
Hope you enjoy! – Kathi and Rachel
Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups shell pasta (about 1.5 cups dry results in 3 cups cooked)
- 1 cup sliced dill pickles
- 1/2 cup cubed cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup minced onion (white onion)
Pickle Dressing
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt (I use nonfat)
- 4 tbsp pickle juice
- 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tbsp fresh dill (chopped, or dehydrated works as well)
- salt & pepper
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. When done, drain in colander, rinse under cool water until pastas is no longer warm, and set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, whisk together dressing. Combine mayonnaise, greek yogurt, salt, pepper, garlic, pickle juice and dill. Whisk until no lumps remain. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine cooled/drained pasta, cheddar cubes, onions, and pickles Toss in dressing until fully combined. Allow pasta to chill in refrigerator for 15 minutes before serving.
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