My Dill Pickle Pasta Salad recipe focuses squarely on the pickle factor, since we are big lovers of dill pickles in my home. The easy recipe features both pickles and dill pickle juice, as well as some fresh chopped dill. While the pasta salad recipe with dill pickles is simple, the results are creamy and delicious.
Easy Pickle Pasta Salad
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is quite easy to make. Since dill pickle juice and dill are in the mayonnaise based dressing, the only other dressing ingredients needed are salt and fresh ground pepper.
While I used cavatappi (a spiralized type of macaroni), shells, fusilli, gemelli or penne would also be great choices for this salad. Just avoid large pasta shapes or noodles.
I used dill pickle spears from the refrigerated section in the recipe. They are crisper and a little milder in tartness than the shelf stable variety. I think they are the perfect choice for this macaroni salad. The particular brand I used was Grillo’s which is a company local to my area, but there are many other nationwide and regional brands available.
Note: I would use about fifty percent less pickles if you can’t get fresh.
How to Make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Let me show you how quick and easy it is to mix up a batch of this great simple dill pickle pasta salad. The recipe makes a large bowl. Printable recipe card can be below with adjustable measures if you want to halve it or double up the batch.
Ingredients Needed
Here are the minimal ingredients needed to make the recipe:
- dry pasta
- dill pickles, refrigerated type preferred
- mayonnaise
- pickle juice
- chopped fresh dill
- salt and black pepper
Preparing
- Boil the pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside. Chop the pickles and place in a small bowl or measuring cup.
- Place mayonnaise, juice and chopped dill in a large mixing bowl, whisk. Season with salt and ground pepper to taste.
- Add the chopped pickles and mix to coat.
- Add the cooled cooked pasta while stirring.
- Once the pasta is fully coated and chopped pickles are evenly distributed, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Serving
The cold Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a fantastic side dish for barbecue or sandwiches. I enjoy it with my Cajun Blackened Salmon regularly and like to toss the leftovers with torn romaine and blue cheese as a lunch salad. It is a very versatile creamy pasta salad and goes well with a wide array of foods from Grilled Chicken Wraps to pork chops.
Additions to the Macaroni Salad
My daughter will only eat it with just pickles. She is very fussy about what goes in her pasta salads, but there are so many yummy additions you can make to this basic macaroni salad. Adding protein makes this side into a meal.
- cubed or shredded cheddar cheese
- grape tomatoes
- chopped sweet onion
- shrimp or crab meat
- chopped ham
- sour cream
- chopped hard boiled eggs
- drained chick peas
- diced red onion or white onion
Lower Fat Version
Swap out a portion of the mayonnaise for sour cream, 1 to 1 ratio. I don’t suggest doing it with over half the mayo though.
How long can I keep pasta salad?
When stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container or well covered the salad will last 3-5 days. Unless you make additions or changes to the basic recipe, this particular one should be fine for closer to the 4-5 day point, since it uses store bought mayo and pickles aren’t very perishable. You may find it is actually tastier on the second day once the flavors have melded together.
For food safety, do not leave out for more than 2 hours at room temperature. Bacteria grown fast when pasta salads are left out.
Related Recipes
Here are a few more recipes you may like. They each have a little something in common with this one.
- Pickled Dill Green Beans
- Pesto Tortellini Salad
- Ham Pickle Dip
- Pickle Pita Pizza
- Chicken Dinner Pasta Salad
- Egg Salad with Dill
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound of pasta
- 1 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup pickle juice
- 1/4 cup fresh dill chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups refrigerated dill pickles chopped
Instructions
- Boil the pasta. Drain and run under cold water. Set aside.
- Whisk together mayonnaise and pickle juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Mix in the chopped dill and pickles.
- Add the cooled cooked pasta while stirring. Once the pasta is fully coated and chopped pickles are evenly distributed, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
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