Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

This Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is loaded with tender pasta, crunchy dill pickles, cheddar cheese, fresh dill, and a tangy pickle juice dressing. It’s the perfect cold pasta salad for cookouts, potlucks, summer dinners, and pickle lovers!

RECIPE IS BELOW IN PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD BUT BLOG POST IS FULL OF “HOW TO MAKE IT”, TIPS, INFORMATION AND FAQ.

If you love dill pickles, you are going to want to make a big bowl of this Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad and keep it in the fridge for every summer cookout, backyard barbecue, picnic, and lazy dinner night.

This cold pasta salad is creamy, tangy, crunchy, and packed with dill pickle flavor thanks to chopped pickles, fresh dill, and a little pickle juice mixed right into the dressing. It’s one of those easy side dish recipes that feels fun enough for a party but simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner.

And if you’re a pickle person, this one is going to hit just right.

Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

This recipe is made with tender pasta, crunchy dill pickles, cheddar cheese, and a creamy dressing made with mayonnaise, pickle juice, garlic, dill, and a little seasoning. It’s served cold, which makes it perfect for summer meals, potlucks, cookouts, and make-ahead lunches.

You can serve it beside burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, sandwiches, BBQ plates, or just eat it straight out of the bowl while standing in front of the fridge. No judgment here.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• It’s full of dill pickle flavor. Pickles and pickle juice both go into this recipe.
• It’s make-ahead friendly. This pasta salad gets even better after chilling.
• It’s great for cookouts. Serve it with burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, or BBQ.
• It’s easy to customize. Add more pickles, more cheese, extra dill, or even cooked chicken.
• No onions or peppers needed. This pasta salad has plenty of flavor without them.

Ingredients for Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Here’s what you’ll need to make this creamy pickle pasta salad:

• Small shell pasta – Small shell pasta works great because the creamy dressing settles into all of those little shells and grabs bits of pickle and cheese in every bite.
• Dill pickles – Chop the pickles into bite-sized pieces so every scoop has plenty of tangy pickle flavor.
• Pickle juice – This is the secret ingredient that gives the dressing that classic dill pickle flavor all the way through.
• Cheddar cheese – Cubed cheddar cheese gives this pasta salad a creamy, deli-style feel and balances the tanginess of the pickles.
• Mayonnaise – Creates the creamy base for the dressing. Use your favorite jarred mayonnaise or homemade if you prefer.
• Yellow mustard – Adds a little extra tang and helps brighten the dressing without overpowering the pickle flavor.
• Fresh dill – Fresh chopped dill makes this taste extra fresh and really brings out the dill pickle flavor.
• Garlic powder – Adds savory flavor while keeping the dressing simple and smooth.
• Onion powder – Gives the dressing a little extra depth without needing fresh onion.

Optional add-ins: chopped cooked bacon, cooked shredded chicken, diced celery, chopped hard-boiled eggs, or extra cheese.

What Kind of Pickles Should I Use?

Use your favorite dill pickles for this recipe. I like a crunchy dill pickle with lots of flavor. You can use dill pickle spears, whole pickles, or pickle chips and chop them into small pieces.

Dill pickle chips, hamburger dill chips, and whole dill pickles all work well in this recipe.

If you like a stronger pickle flavor, use extra pickles and a little more pickle juice in the dressing. If you want it a little milder, start with the recipe amount and add more after tasting. I used dill-flavored hamburger chips when making this recipe and loved the extra-tangy pickle flavor.

Hamburger dill chips work great in this recipe and add extra tangy pickle flavor.

How to Make Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Angie’s Kitchen Notes

• Rinse the pasta with cold water after cooking so it doesn’t keep cooking and turn mushy.
• Let the pasta salad chill before serving so the flavors have time to come together.
• If the salad thickens too much in the fridge, stir in a little extra pickle juice or mayo before serving.
• If using cheese, cut the cheddar into small cubes instead of shredding it for a chunkier pasta salad texture.
• Fresh dill makes a big difference, but dried dill will also boost the flavor.
• Hamburger dill chips work great in this recipe and add extra tangy pickle flavor.
• If you like onions, you could always add a bit diced yellow onion or red onion.
  

What to Serve with Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is a great side dish for summer meals and cookouts. Serve it with:

• Grilled burgers
• Hot dogs
• BBQ chicken
• Pulled pork sandwiches
• Grilled shrimp
• Chicken sandwiches
• Picnic wraps
• Fried chicken

Can I Make This Pasta Salad Ahead of Time?

Yes! This is a great make-ahead pasta salad. You can make it several hours before serving or the night before. Just keep it covered in the refrigerator.

Before serving, stir it well and add a small splash of pickle juice or an extra spoonful of mayo if it needs a little freshening up.

I always think that pasta salad taste better the next day but it sometimes doesn’t need to be refreshed.

Storage and Leftovers

Store leftover dill pickle pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir before serving.

I don’t recommend freezing this pasta salad because the creamy dressing can separate and the pasta texture can change once thawed.

Recipe Variations

• Add chicken: Stir in chopped cooked chicken to turn this into a heartier lunch.
• Add bacon: Crispy bacon would be delicious if you want a smoky flavor.
• Make it cheesier: Add extra cheddar or use a mix of cheddar and Colby Jack.
• Add celery: Chopped celery adds crunch without using onions or peppers.
• Make it extra pickle-y: Add extra chopped pickles and a splash more pickle juice.
• Sweet Pickles – Don’t like dill pickles, you can also try this recipe with sweet pickles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different pasta shape?

Yes. Rotini, shells, bowtie pasta, elbow macaroni, and penne all work well for pasta salad. Use a pasta shape that will hold onto the creamy dressing.

Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?

Yes. Plain Greek yogurt can replace some or all of the mayonnaise for a tangier, lighter dressing. The texture and flavor will change slightly.

Can I make this pasta salad without mayo?

You can use sour cream or plain Greek yogurt instead of mayo, but the flavor and texture will be a little different. Mayo gives the dressing that classic creamy pasta salad taste.

How long should pasta salad chill before serving?

At least 1 hour is best, but a few hours is even better. Chilling the salad 1-2 hours gives the dressing time to soak into the pasta and lets the dill pickle flavor develop.

Why did my pasta salad get dry in the fridge?

Pasta keeps absorbing dressing as it sits. If it looks dry after chilling, stir in a little extra pickle juice, mayo, or sour cream before serving.

More Summer Side Dish Recipes

Looking for more easy summer recipes? Try these next:

• Ham and Cheese Pasta Salad
• Mozzarella Caprese Pasta Salad
• Pasta Salad with Italian Dressing
• Oven Roasted Carrots

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Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Yield: 5 cups

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Chill Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour 17 minutes

This Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is loaded with tender pasta, crunchy dill pickles, cheddar cheese, fresh dill, and a tangy pickle juice dressing. It’s the perfect cold pasta salad for cookouts, potlucks, summer dinners, and pickle lovers!

Print

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked small shell pasta, cooled
• 1 cup dill pickle slices, chopped
• 1 cup cubed cheddar cheese
• 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon yellow mustard
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh chopped dill

Instructions

Cook the shell pasta according to package instructions until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water until cooled completely.
Add the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl.
Stir in the chopped dill pickles and cubed cheddar cheese.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yellow mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, and dill pickle juice until smooth.
Stir the fresh chopped dill into the dressing mixture.
Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and gently stir until everything is evenly coated.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving for the best flavor.
Garnish with extra chopped pickles and fresh dill before serving if desired.

Notes

Angie’s Kitchen Notes

• 
  Hamburger dill pickle chips work perfectly in this recipe.
  
• 
  Fresh dill gives the pasta salad a brighter homemade flavor.
  
• 
  If the salad thickens after chilling, stir in a splash of pickle juice before serving.
  
• 
  Extra cheddar cheese on top makes it extra pretty for photos.

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