Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
A fast, easy, and incredibly flavorful Dill Pickle Pasta Salad featuring rotini, chopped pickles, Colby Jack cheese, and a creamy, tangy dill pickle juice dressing. Perfect for picnics, BBQs, or potlucks.
Equipment
- Medium bowl For making the dressing
- Large bowl For combining all ingredients
- large spoon or spatula For mixing
- Refrigerator For chilling
Ingredients
Hauptzutaten
- 1 box rotini pasta 16 oz; or shells, elbow macaroni
- 0.66 cup dill pickle juice from the pickle jar (total for pasta and dressing)
- 2 cup chopped baby dill pickles good quality, bite-sized
- 1 block Colby Jack cheese 8 oz, cubed small; or sharp cheddar, Monterey Jack
- 1 small white onion finely chopped; or red onion, green onions
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 0.5 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 tablespoon dried dill
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.25 teaspoon pepper freshly ground preferred
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain well and rinse under cold water to cool quickly and prevent sticking.
- While pasta cooks or cools, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, 1/3 cup dill pickle juice (for dressing), fresh or dried dill, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked and drained pasta, the first 1/3 cup dill pickle juice (for pasta), chopped pickles, cubed cheese, and finely chopped onion.
- Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta mixture.
- Gently stir everything together using a large spoon or spatula, ensuring all ingredients are coated in the dressing. Be gentle to avoid breaking the pasta.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to allow flavors to meld. Chilling for several hours or overnight is highly recommended for best flavor.
Notes
Chilling time is crucial for the flavors to develop. This salad is a fantastic make-ahead dish and can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. If it thickens too much, stir in a tablespoon or two of extra mayonnaise, sour cream, or pickle juice.