Take your picnic or BBQ spread to the next level with this Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad. This super fun and flavorful dish combines piles of chopped dill pickles with creamy homemade dill pickle dressing and tender pasta, creating a side dish with bold flavor and satisfying texture.
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This tangy and creamy pasta salad is a winner! When I tested the first batch, I didn't have leftovers. I brought it for a bunch of friends to try and everyone loved it.
This tangy pasta salad had got chew from the pasta, good crunch from the onion and pickles, and the herbs bring a delightful freshness.
The sauce is where it's AT though! A mix of mayo and tangy Greek yogurt, along with tart pickles and their juice, it's like eating a creamy dill pickle.
If you're a pickle fan, this creamy dill pickle salad is for you. Serve with a jalapeño cheddar burger, or air fryer coconut chicken for a quick weeknight dinner.
Love dill? Try one of my most popular recipes, creamy dill chicken with an easy decadent pan sauce.
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact amounts.
- pasta: I use a shape called Mafalda Corta that looks like mini lasagna noodles. It has great texture and wavy ridges to hold the dressing and the bits of pickle, onion, and herbs.
- red onion and pickle: for flavor and crunch. I use garlic dill pickles.
- herbs: I use fresh dill and chives from my garden and the combination is fresh and fantastic. Fresh dill is essential for that classic dill pickle flavor.
- for the dressing: a mix of mayo and yogurt brings a creamy silky smooth texture as well as great flavor. Dill pickle just adds a tart flavor and the mustard adds a depth of the flavor. Salt and pepper to season.
Substitutions
- pasta: any short pasta with texture would be good for this pasta salad. Think bowties, rotini, or medium shells. The pasta holds the sauce and the little bits of onion and pickle, so a macaroni noodle wouldn't be ideal but you could still use it if you wanted to.
- herbs: You could skip the chives but I wouldn't recommend skipping the dill. To use dried dill instead, start with a 1-2 teaspoons, depending on how much you like dill, and then taste and adjust, adding more dill if needed.
- Note: I originally wrote the recipe with garlic powder included but I forgot to add it in and I ending up loving it as is. You could try adding ½ teaspoon of garlic powder into the dressing if you're a garlic fan.
Feel free to customize your pasta salad! Chopped red bell pepper, diced cooked ham, white cheddar cheese cubes, or crumbled feta cheese can all be delicious additions.
Instructions
Prep Tips
Boil the pasta to al dente according to the package instructions. Once it's done rinse it under cold water. This will stop it from cooking further and cool it quickly.
- Make the dressing by combining the dressing ingredients in a small bowl.
- Whisk to combine.
- Add the salad ingredients to a large mixing bowl and pour over most of the dressing.
- Stir to combine and add more dressing as needed. Serve the rest at the table for dressing lovers who might like to add more.
Eat right away or refrigerate for an hour to chill before serving.
Tips for making pasta salad
- Cook the pasta to al dente: Make sure to not overcook the pasta so you don't end up with a soggy salad.
- Cool the pasta: Make sure to drain and rinse the pasta with cold water. This helps it stop cooking and also helps it cool so the dressing can be added right away.
- The right pasta: Choose a short textured pasta shape that can hold onto the dressing well. Try rotini, cavatappi, farfalle, or mafalda corta like I used.
What to serve with dill pickle pasta salad
This pasta salad pairs well with a variety of dishes for different occasions. If you're serving it at a BBQ, try pairing it with a Blackstone smash burger, or jalapeño cheddar burger for a creamy yet spicy addition.
For a weeknight dinner, try this pasta salad with a quick recipe like air fryer cumin chicken, or air fryer buffalo shrimp, or keep it vegetarian with sesame roasted broccoli, or pull-apart garlic cheese toast.
Try this Italian pasta salad next.
Storage
Store leftover dill pickle pasta salad in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days.
FAQs
Short, sturdy and textured pasta shapes like rotini, cavatappi, farfalle, or mafalda corta are ideal as they hold the dressing well and create a nice textural contrast with the crunchy pickles.
Typically, dill pickle pasta salad can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Recipe
Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
For the salad
- 8 oz pasta (cooked, I used Mafalda Corta)
- 2 cups chopped dill pickles (about 8 large pickles)
- ¼ cup sliced red onion
- ½ cup chopped fresh dill
- ¼ chopped chives
For the dressing
- ⅔ cup mayonnaise
- ⅓ plain Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup pickle juice (from the pickle jar)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Start by cooking the pasta to al dente.
- Once the pasta is cooked drain it and rinse it with cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it quickly.
- While the pasta is cooking, chop the pickles, onion, and herbs.
For the dressing
- Whisk everything together until smooth.
- Add the cooled pasta, pickles, onion, and herbs to a large bowl. Add half of the dressing and stir to combine. Add more dressing as needed.
- Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used.
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