Description
Easy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a creamy, tangy, and crunchy side dish made with rotini, dill pickles, cheddar cheese, and a flavorful pickle dressing. This easy pasta salad recipe is perfect for potlucks, barbecues, summer parties, and make-ahead lunches when you want a cold pickle pasta salad everyone will remember.
Ingredients
12 ounces rotini pasta
1 1/2 cups chopped dill pickles
1 cup cheddar cheese, cubed or shredded
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 cup pickle juice
2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the rotini until just tender according to the package directions.
2. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water until completely cooled.
3. Chop the dill pickles, prepare the cheddar cheese, and finely dice the red onion.
4. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, fresh dill, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth.
5. Add the cooled pasta, chopped pickles, cheddar cheese, and red onion to the bowl.
6. Fold everything together gently until the pasta is evenly coated in the dressing.
7. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes so the flavors can come together.
8. Stir before serving and add a small spoonful of mayo or a splash of pickle juice if needed to loosen the salad.
Notes
For the best texture, cook the pasta just to al dente so it stays firm after chilling.
If you want a stronger pickle flavor, add an extra tablespoon or two of pickle juice before serving.
This pasta salad tastes even better after a short rest in the fridge, which gives the dressing time to soak into the pasta.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boiling and mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 25mg