Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is literally my favorite pasta salad ever! In this creamy pasta salad recipe, dill pickles play a starring role and add tons of flavor and crunch! This recipe is even better when it’s made ahead of time making it the perfect potluck dish!
I have a thing for dill pickles. I always have. My sister and I have exchanged pickle themed gifts for about 20 years now… I’ve received everything from pickle erasers and a case of pickle pops (like freezies.. but pickle juice) and given her everything from a yodeling pickle to pickle soap and jewellery. One thing we haven’t exchanged yet is a dill pickle recipe, so of course I have to dedicate this delicious pasta salad recipe to my sister Candace.
I like pasta salads, I make a ton of them. They’re easy to make and usually better if made ahead of time. They’re the hit of every potluck meal and perfect to pack the next day for lunch. As much as I like pasta salads, this Dill Pickle Pasta salad is honestly one of the best pasta salads I’ve ever had! Pickles (or even dill pickle relish) usually play a supporting role in recipes, especially pasta salad recipes and potato salads.
But not this time… nope, this time the prized dill pickle plays the starring role, front and center.
* cheer * yay * cheer *
There is pickle flavor infused throughout this recipe (in 3 different places) yet it’s just the right amount of pickley (if pickley is even a word!?). Yup, time to get pickled people (in the dill pickle sense of course).
When buying pickles for this recipe, I love baby dills if you can find them because I love the crunch they give and I love how they look in little rounds. I’m a bit freakish about my pickles so I actually pick up all of the pickle jars at the store and try to choose jar with the the smallest pickles. I look like a person trying to choose the perfect produce, only in the pickle aisle. If you only have bigger dill pickles (or homemade pickles), they’ll still be great in this recipe too, just chop them but not too small, you want them to keep that crunch.
If you have (or love) sweet pickles you can also throw a handful of those in here too. I mean, sweet and salty, crunch creamy… perfection right?!
Oh, and when you’re scooping out your pickle juice to add to the dressing in this recipe, try to grab all of those yummy little garlicky bits floating around and put them in the dressing too, they add extra flavor. And one last tip about the white onion… be sure to grab the onions with the white papery skin, the ones with the yellow skin are much stronger and will be a little bit overpowering in this dish.
This dill pickle pasta salad is pretty much guaranteed to be the hit of your next potluck and the best part is that it is awesome made the day before! If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers (which I doubt would happen) they’ll keep several days in the fridge and make the perfect lunch!
Items You’ll Need For This Recipe
* Dill Pickles * Shell Pasta * Cayenne Pepper *
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- ½ pound medium shells about 3 cups
- ¾ cup sliced pickles
- ⅔ cup diced cheddar cheese
- 3 tablespoons minced white onion
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- ½ cup dill pickle juice
Dressing
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 tablespoons dill pickle juice
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta al dente according to package directions. Run under cold water to stop cooking.
- Toss cold pasta with about ½ cup of pickle juice and set aside for about 5 minutes. Drain & discard pickle juice.
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
- Toss all ingredients in a large bowl. Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving.
Video
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
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Quelle belle et délicieuse recette! Au fil du temps et des occasions, elle se prête bien à différents ajouts ou modifications. Moi, à la sauce, j’ai ajouté 2 bonnes cuillères à table de Miracle Whip et une autre de sucre. J’ai également mis de la ciboulette hachée et remplacé le poivre de cayenne par de la sauce Sriracha. Je compte essayer une version avec du jambon et aussi des crevettes. Ah oui, pour l’aneth frais, j’ai plus que doublé la quantité car nous aimons beaucoup cette fine herbe. Un gros merci du Québec (CANADA) pour cette suggestion de salade.
Merci Beaucoup Hope!
This was amazing!! I keep sneaking forkfuls out of the fridge. I didn’t have any sour cream or mayo on hand, but I had some non-fat plain Greek yogurt and it worked really well! I just added a bit extra pickle juice since the yogurt doesn’t have that tanginess. Everyone loved it!
Yogurt sounds like a great substitution for mayo and sour cream!
I made this to take as a side to my In-Laws one day and everyone fell in love with it. It is now a request any time we go to a family members for dinner, especially Holidays. I initially made it because I wanted to bring a pasta salad I would eat, had no idea we would all love it this much.
I am so glad your family loves this recipe!
Holy YUMMM! This is really delicious! Thanks for sharing! I just made this today and the family loves it.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe Lisa!
I’ve always loved pickles, both dill and sweet, so this recipe looks great to me. I’ve no sense of smell/taste any more, due to illness, but I plan to make the salad as my husband has seen the recipe and wants to try it. And I’ll probably make this for our next family gathering too. It looks like a very versatile recipe. Thanks to the many commentators for their suggestions on additions to the recipe too. I may have to try some of those down the road as well.
Made this two days ago, just as recipe was written, and my husband loves it! Even though I can’t taste it at all, the textures are very nice and I enjoy it as well. So this ones a definite ‘keeper’. Thanks again!
I really enjoyed the salad, I now keep Cornichons in my home. Have made this salad several times just for me.
Glad you love it Sharon!
Love this recipe. I recommend using cocktail onions. And adding ham.
This sounds amazing! And looks so easy to make.
My boss sends me recipe “suggestion” to make.. and bring to work. lol
SO making this tonight…. Heading to the grocery store, adding shells to the list
I order DUKES Mayo on ebay or Amazon.. It’s a southern Mayo, and it’s “Da Bomb” !!!!
And Best Foods/Hellmans is my back-up when I’m out of Dukes…. Check it out sometime !!
I’m a Mayo Freak… Dip french fries in it, etc.. I could eat it like yogurt… “Could,” not that I do
Milwaukees Best pickles would be great in this..
I’ve got them here in Vegas before, need to remember where
I’ve got a few recipes now that need pickle juice… wish they sold it separately in jars like vinegar
LOL, sounds like you definitely know your mayo!! :)
You’ll be happy to know that … you CAN buy pickle juice here (they say it’s good for leg cramps).
This recipe is the best and it’s always a hit every time I take it to a party!
I’ve made this many times. I just love it. Hard part is . . . Closing the lid!
LOL! Glad you love it!
This is my absolute favorite macaroni salad!! Such a flavorful dish and always a crowd pleaser!
This is an AMAZING pasta salad! I’ve made it several times and everyone loves it. The idea of dill pickles being a main ingredient did sound a bit strange at first, but this is a REALLY good pasta salad!
This is a very tasty recipe. I have made 4 times. I love it. I don’t like cubes of chseese so I shred ny cheese and chop my pickles.
I am so glad that you have enjoyed this recipe!
At first I was like, no way, this can’t be good. But then I made it because I love all these ingredients. I LOVED this….so yummy. You are a genius!
So glad you loved it Michelle!
Absolutely perfect!! I’ve made it several times, it’s perfect to bring to potlucks as it holds up really well and the flavors just get better & better. I know once people try it they will love it, so I actually secretly hope no one will try it so I have more to take home LOL. It’s so good! If you like pickles, this is a must try. I’ve never modified a thing, it’s great as is.
I am so glad that you have enjoyed this recipe!
We’ve made this several times everyone loves it. So easy to make.
I am so glad you have enjoyed this recipe Linda!
My daughter fiancé made this….oh My Goodness! So good!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I rarely leave a comment, but this is delicious!! I used my own canned dill pickles and followed the recipe to a T. The family loved it!
Thank you so much for stopping by to leave a comment Sherrie! I’m so glad you loved it!
I love this recipe! I made a version the same way, but with olives. It was fantastic, and it is so versatile you can add or take away anything you want. I did not include onions, but I did add onion powder. It was very tasty, and quick to make!
Yummy! I’ll have to give an olive version a try!