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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Have made this pickle pasta salad about three times now and have never had anything but an empty bowl left to bring home. It’s about to go out to another neighborhood gathering. This salad just has so many textures and layers of flavors. Will probably be our standard pasta salad from now on.
I’m so glad your guests and friends love this as much as we do!
Think will love the dill pickle pasta salad recipe, in fact going to go make it now for tonight. Thanks for posting.
You’re welcome! Enjoy!
It’s even better with a packet of ranch..
This salad is amazing; so simple & delicious! Thank you. Liz
This is the tastiest pasta salad I’ve ever made! My family eats it up in one sitting! Thank you.
I’m so glad they loved it!
I will try it all.
Made this for a family get together at the cottage and it was a huge hit. My husband especially is a big fan of this dish! Thanks for an awesome recipe. I’d like to make it this weekend for a friends going away as well. She’s a huge pickle lover….but she’s vegan. Any suggestions?
I know you can get a vegan cheese and mayo product. I don’t follow a vegan lifestyle but you may need to check the ingredients list on your packages. For the sour cream I’d think subbing in a vegan yogurt type product would work just fine.
How far in advance can you make this salad? Or how long does it stay good refrigerated?
You can make this up to 24 hours ahead of time.
Wonder what the nutritional info is on this…I just started a weight loss program. Sounds yummy!!!
Love love love this pasta salad! I have made it twice and it has been gobbled up both times!
OMG I already KNOW I will love this. Since I was a kid, I very often sit down with a pickle (or two) and a hunk of cheese! My granddaughter (19 months) is a pickleholic too and I cant wait to make this for her. Thanks!
Enjoy Jill!
I really want to make this for a family reunion. Does someone know how many servings this recipe is?
This serves 8 as a side dish.
This salad is very good! If you like dill pickles, you will love it, but even if you dont, it is a very tasty summer salad. I am making it for the second time this month!
So glad you enjoyed it Janice!
This caught my eye on Pinterest. I LOVE pickles so I really wanted to try it for my potluck BBQ today. OMG – I can’t tell you how many people wanted to know who made it and came up to me to tell me how good it was! People were even telling each other – “you gotta try the pickle salad.” It was the first salad that was gone – my serving bowl was completely EMPTY, not one piece of pasta left! Next time, I’m going to double it. Thanks for helping me be the potluck star!!!
Yay! That’s so awesome Meg, I’m so glad everyone loved it! :)
Holly this is so good I just snuck a bite before chilling for the night. What spices can I add to add more flavour? I can add more salt but I’m wondering if there is anything else that will work to give it a kick. Thanks!
I’m so glad you like it. Other spices you could add would be a touch more cayenne pepper, dry mustard, dill weed, garlic powder or salt & pepper.
This was really good. I wanted more in it so I added shredded carrots and extra pickles, that gave it the extra crunch that it needed!
Shredded carrots would be great in this! Thank you for sharing!
chilling dowo salad!n for family reunion tomorrow. can’t wait, I think it would be awesome to sub potayoes for shells, a dilly potat
I made this just like written the first time. It is to die for! I started making it the day before so it absorbs all the flavor over night. It is even better then to die for! Just before serving I add grated sharp cheddar cheese. It is a hit at picnics!
I’m so glad you love it! Grated cheese is a great idea!
Friend made this and it was a big hit going to make it for my bbq this weekend crossing fingers
Enjoy Rose!
Love, Love, Love this! I only like dill pickles, (especially Gherkins) and most recipes ask for sweet. Even Mac-Salad, which is usually sweet, I sub Dill.
Sometimes, it’s just nice to see the recipe exactly the way you will make it! Thank you.
You’re so welcome Dawn! Enjoy, it’s one of our all time favorites!