This dill pickle pasta salad is creamy, tangy, and loaded with plenty of crunchy pickles, fresh dill, salty bacon, and spicy cheese. It's easy to make ahead and perfect for parties, cookouts, or an easy weeknight side dish!
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Loaded with dill pickle flavor. Crunchy dill pickles, fresh dill, and pickle juice in the creamy dressing give this pasta salad plenty of tangy pickle flavor.
- Easy to make ahead. The flavors get even better as the pasta salad chills. Save a little dressing to stir in right before serving so it stays extra creamy.
- Creamy with a little kick. Spicy cheese and a pinch of cayenne add just the right amount of heat without making it overly spicy.
- Make it your own. Leave out the bacon, adjust the spice level, or swap in your favorite cheese.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full ingredient list.
Ingredient notes & substitutions
- Pasta. Short pasta shapes with plenty of ridges and curves like rotini, fusilli, or cavatappi work best because they hold onto the creamy dressing. Cook the pasta just until al dente so it doesn't get too soft in the salad.
- Dill pickles. Use your favorite crunchy dill pickles. You'll use both chopped pickles and pickle juice for plenty of tangy dill pickle flavor.
- Spicy cheese. Adds a little heat and extra flavor. Pepper jack adds just enough heat to make this a spicy dill pickle pasta salad without being overly spicy. If spice isn't your thing, substitute your favorite mild cheese like sharp cheddar.
- Greek yogurt. Adds creaminess and a little tang to the dressing. Sour cream can be used instead.
- Fresh dill. Fresh dill gives the pasta salad the best flavor, but dried dill can be substituted in a pinch, although I haven't personally tried it. Start with a little, then taste and adjust as needed.
- Bacon. I love making this dill pickle pasta salad with bacon for the salty, smoky crunch, but you can leave it out for a meatless option.
- Cayenne pepper. Add more or less depending on how spicy you like it, or leave it out completely for a milder pasta salad.
How to make dill pickle pasta salad
Scroll down to the recipe card for the full instructions.
- Step 1: Add all pasta ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.
- Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Step 3: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix to combine. Garnish with fresh dill.
How to make the pasta salad ahead of time
This creamy dill pickle pasta salad is a great make-ahead side dish because the flavors get even better as it chills. Prepare the pasta salad as directed, but reserve about ¼-1/3 cup of the dressing. Cover and refrigerate the pasta salad and reserved dressing seperately until you're ready to serve.
Before serving, stir in the reserved dressing to loosen everything up and make the pasta salad creamy again. Taste and add an extra splash of pickle juice if you want even more tangy dill pickle flavor.
Tips for Success
- Don't overcook the pasta. Cook the pasta just until al dente, so it holds its shape and doesn't become too soft once mixed with the dressing.
- Rinse the pasta. Rinse the cooked pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down before adding the dressing. Drain well so excess water doesn't water down the dressing.
- Chop everything small. Finely chop the onion, celery, and fresh dill so you get a little bit of everything in each bite, but I like to keep the cheese, bacon, and pickles a bit larger.
- Let it chill. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving so it's nice and cold, and the flavors have time to come together.
Storing
Store leftover dill pickle pasta salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Give it a mix before serving, and add a splash of pickle juice or a little more dressing if the pasta salad has dried out.
Did you try this recipe?
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Thanks so much! - Rachel
Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 16 oz short pasta cooked
- 1 ½ cups chopped dill pickles
- 6 ounces pepper jack cheese cut into small pieces
- ½ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup diced red onion
- ¼ cup chopped fresh dill plus more for garnish
- ½ pound cooked bacon chopped (optional)
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ⅓ cup pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Add all pasta ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the dressing ingredients.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and mix to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.Optional: Reserve ¼-1/3 cup of dressing to mix in right before serving.
- Garnish with fresh dill before serving.
Notes
- Don't overcook the pasta. Cook the pasta just until al dente, so it holds its shape and doesn't become too soft once mixed with the dressing.
- Rinse the pasta. Rinse the cooked pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down before adding the dressing. Drain well so excess water doesn't water down the dressing.
- Chop everything small. Finely chop the onion, celery, and fresh dill so you get a little bit of everything in each bite, but I like to keep the cheese, bacon, and pickles a bit larger.
- Let it chill. Refrigerate the pasta salad for at least 1 hour before serving so it's nice and cold, and the flavors have time to come together.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated by a third party software and is only an estimate, not a guarantee. This information is provided as a courtesy, and you are solely responsible for all decisions related to your health.
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