Description
This Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a flavorful and refreshing side dish perfect for summer gatherings and potlucks. Made with rotini pasta, tangy dill pickles, sharp cheddar cheese, and a creamy dressing infused with pickle juice and fresh dill, this salad offers a delightful combination of textures and flavors. It’s easy to prepare, best served chilled, and can be made ahead for convenience.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta Salad
- 12 ounces rotini pasta
- 1 ½ cups chopped dill pickles
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ cup diced red onion
- ½ cup chopped celery
Dressing
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Cook Pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the rotini pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente, usually about 8-10 minutes. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool completely and stop the cooking process.
- Combine Salad Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled pasta with chopped dill pickles, shredded cheddar cheese, diced red onion, and chopped celery. Toss gently to mix evenly.
- Prepare Dressing: In a separate small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, chopped fresh dill, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper until smooth and well blended.
- Mix Dressing with Salad: Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss gently to coat all ingredients evenly with the creamy dressing.
- Chill: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate the salad for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld and the salad to chill.
- Serve: Before serving, stir the salad again to redistribute the dressing. Garnish with additional fresh dill and chopped pickles if desired. Serve cold.
Notes
- For extra tanginess, add a splash more pickle juice to the dressing.
- Any short pasta like penne or bowtie can be used as a substitute for rotini.
- This salad is best served cold and can be made a day in advance for enhanced flavor.
