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If you are a pickle lover, this dill pickle pasta salad is about to become your new warm-weather obsession. Creamy, tangy, loaded with fresh dill and chunks of cheddar, it is the kind of side dish that gets talked about long after the plate is empty.
My little sister was absolutely obsessed with pickles growing up. As in wrap-in-a-napkin-and-eat-it-walking-around-the-house obsessed. However, I have always been pretty against them until I realized that I have a husband who loves them so every once in a while, I find a recipe that is perfectly suited for him and this is that recipe.
This pasta salad is everything a summer side dish should be. The pasta gets tossed in pickle juice right after cooking, so it soaks up that bright, briny flavor before the dressing even goes on.
The creamy garlic aioli and sour cream base take it somewhere rich and indulgent, while the fresh dill and chopped pickles keep every bite zippy and fresh. It comes together fast, gets better as it chills, and is always the first bowl emptied.
Ingredients For Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
This is much better than your run-of-the-mill macaroni salad. The dill pickle flavors mesh with the creaminess of the dressing and the real mayonnaise. Here is what you need and why:
- Rotini Pasta: The spiral shape is perfect here because it catches and holds onto the creamy dressing in every single bite. Other pasta shapes like cavatappi or bowtie pasta would work too, but rotini is my preference.
- Dill Pickle Juice: Tossed with the warm pasta right after cooking so it absorbs directly into the noodles for briny flavor from the inside out.
- Mayonnaise: Adds richness and body to the dressing as the creamy base.
- Garlic Aioli: Brings a bold, garlicky depth to the dressing that takes it well beyond a basic pasta salad.
- Sour Cream: Lightens the dressing slightly while adding a subtle tang that complements the pickle flavor beautifully.
- Salt and Pepper: Season the whole salad and can be adjusted to taste.
- Fresh Dill: The signature herb that ties all the pickle flavors together and adds a bright, fresh finish.
- Pickles: Sweet petite or dill pickles chopped throughout the salad for that satisfying briny crunch in every bite.
- Cheddar Cheese: Cubed and folded in for little pockets of rich, savory cheese that balance the tanginess of the dressing. Mild or Sharp Cheddar both work great.
Simple ingredients that come together into something seriously addictive.
Recipe Tip
Stonewall Kitchen’s Roasted Garlic Aioli is a fantastic substitute for some of the mayo in this recipe. No aioli on hand? Just stick with mayo and sour cream and it will still be incredibly delicious.
How to Make Dill Pickle Pasta
This pickle pasta salad recipe comes together quickly, and the hardest part is waiting for it to chill. It’s perfect for summer bbqs, just make sure you’re sharing with fellow pickle fans. Here is how to make it:
- Cook: Boil the rotini pasta 2 minutes past al dente. This gives the pasta the perfect tender texture, then rinse with cold water and drain well.
- Marinate: Toss the warm, drained pasta with pickle juice, then place it in the fridge. Prep the remaining ingredients.
- Whisk: Combine the mayonnaise, garlic aioli, sour cream, fresh dill, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Toss: Add the dressing, chopped pickles, and cubed cheddar to the chilled cooked pasta and toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Garnish: Top with a little extra fresh dill, salt, and pepper before serving.
Chilling the pasta in pickle juice before adding the dressing is the step that sets this recipe apart. Do not skip it.
Substitutions and Variations
If you do not have garlic aioli on hand, extra mayonnaise with a clove of minced garlic stirred in works perfectly as a substitute.
Greek yogurt can be swapped in for the sour cream for a slightly lighter version without sacrificing the creamy texture.
Sweet petite pickles give the salad a mild, balanced flavor while dill pickles bring more of a punch, so use whichever you prefer or do a mix of both.
For extra protein, diced ham, bacon, grilled chicken, or chopped hard-boiled eggs are both classic additions that work really well here.
If you love heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes or a spoonful of spicy pickle brine is a great way to kick things up.
Feel free to toss in extra veggies like red onion, chopped bell pepper, or corn.
What to Eat with Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
This pasta salad is the perfect companion to just about anything coming off the grill. Serve it alongside Best Grilled Hamburgers or Grilled Chicken Breasts for a classic summer plate.
It also pairs beautifully next to Smoked Ribs or Maple Mustard Grilled Chicken Thighs for a full backyard cookout spread.
And if you are building out a bigger salad table, it sits perfectly next to Greek Pasta Salad and Italian Pasta Salad for a spread that covers every craving.
Storing Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The pasta will continue to absorb the dressing as it sits. If it looks a little dry after chilling, stir in a spoonful of mayo or a splash of pickle juice to freshen it back up.
This salad is not recommended for freezing as the creamy dressing does not hold up well once thawed.
This dill pickle pasta salad is one of those recipes that sounds a little unexpected until you taste it and suddenly cannot stop eating it. Tangy, creamy, packed with fresh dill and cheddar, it is the side dish that always gets requests for the recipe. Make it once and it will earn a permanent spot in your summer rotation.
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What How This Pasta Salad is Made…
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