Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Name: Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: ½ pound dry shell pasta (about 3 cups); ¾ cup pickles (sliced); ⅔ cup cheddar cheese (diced); 1 tablespoons white onion (finely diced); 3 tablespoons fresh dill; ½ cup pickle juice; 1 tablespoon red onion (finely chopped); ⅔ cup mayonnaise; ⅓ cup sour cream; ⅛ teaspoon black pepper; 4 tablespoons pickle juice; salt to taste

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Dill Pickle Shell Pasta Salad is the perfect simple side dish. Easy to make for outdoor family gatherings, your next potluck, holiday dinners, or a delicious pairing for any main dish.

This easy shell pasta salad is ready in just 20 minutes but will remain on everyone’s minds long after eating it. One bite of this flavorful dill side dish is all that it takes to be hooked!

Explore our wide selection of cold salad recipes! For your next gathering or quick meal, try our top pasta salads like Taco Pasta Salad, Creamy Tuna Pasta Salad, Chicken Salad Recipe With Grapes And Pecans or Zesty Italian Pasta Salad.

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🛒Ingredients
📋Tips
Storage Instructions
👪Serving Suggestions
🤷Frequently Asked Questions
Tasty Pasta Salads
📖Recipe
🥣Instructions
💬 Comments

🛒Ingredients

Dry shell pasta - For this recipe, any pasta variety such as medium shell pasta, fusilli, or bowtie pasta, which can effectively hold onto the creamy dressing in their unique shapes, would be ideal.
Pickles - Slicing up the dill pickles gives a great dill flavor.
Sharp Cheddar cheese - This is my favorite type of cheese to use with this dish, but you can easily use any type of cheese (shredded or cubed). Pepper Jack, Colby Jack Cheese, Provolone are all great options here.
White or yellow onion - Dice the onion finely so that it doesn’t overtake the dish. Sweet onions are also a tasty alternative.
Fresh dill - For more dill taste! Dried dill is also suitable here.
Pickle juice - The pickle juice provides a tangy kick to the creamy dressing, but if preferred, apple cider vinegar can be used as an alternative.
Chopped red onion - Adds a nice crunch and taste.
Real Mayonnaise - To make the creamy sauce dressing delicious.
Sour cream - Adds depth of flavors to the dressing.
Add meat - For added protein, consider including chicken, tuna, ham, or bacon in this recipe.
Add more fresh veggies - Bell peppers, cooked carrots, other fresh herbs like parsley.

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

You can also use different types of pickles for this shell pasta salad. Dill is my favorite, but sweet and bread and butter pickles could work, too.

📋Tips

Letting the pasta rest for 1 hour in the fridge is the minimum recommended time. If you can let it rest a bit longer, the flavor will continue to blossom.
Feel free to change the type of cheese used in this dill pickle salad. It’s a simple and easy way to add a new flavor and look.

✅ EXPERT TIP: Don’t overcook the pasta. You need to make sure that it’s al dente, or the overcooked pasta will break apart once you’re mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.

Storage Instructions

🍱To Store. Any leftovers of this creamy pasta salad with dill pickles need to be kept in an airtight container and stored in the fridge.
🥶Freezing. Due to the importance of the texture, freezing this easy pasta dish is not recommended. Serve and eat fresh!
To Make Ahead. You can prep and make this pasta salad recipe ahead of time and keep it chilled in the fridge. I like to prepare the dressing a day ahead, assemble the salad on the serving day, and add the dressing right before serving for optimal taste.

👪Serving Suggestions

Appetizer. Serve this in cute little bowls prior to the main meal: slow cooker chicken thighs, chicken patties, salmon burgers.
Side dish. This simple pickle pasta salad recipe is the perfect side dish for any time of year. BBQs, parties, holidays - you name it. Serve it on the side of a sandwich such as air fryer gilled cheese, or roast beef sandwiches.
With other festive side dishes: honey glazed carrots, fresh green bean casserole or sweet potato casserole.

🤷Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use other types of pasta?

You can. The biggest thing to remember when using other types of pasta is to pay attention to the cooking directions on the pasta package. Cook until the noodles are al dente.

Can I add other ingredients to this simple pasta salad?

That’s up to you. If you want to add more of a crunch, dice up some celery and add that to the mixture. Sliced black olives are another great addition that adds fun flavors, too.

What can I use instead of sour cream?

If you don’t have sour cream on hand, you can use Greek yogurt instead. Just be sure that it is unflavored, and Greek yogurt, as that does have the same taste and texture as sour cream.

Can I dice the dill pickles instead of slicing them?

I prefer slicing the dill pickles so that the pickles are a bit thicker in texture, but if you want to dice them or even use a food processor to break them up, that’s up to you. Just be careful that you don’t cut them too small, or the taste won’t come through as well with the other ingredients.

Can you make this pasta salad the night before?

Prepare the dressing a day in advance and assemble the salad on the day you plan to serve it. Add the dressing just before serving for the best results.