Description
This Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a creamy, tangy, and flavorful dish perfect for picnics, potlucks, or a refreshing side. Combining rotini pasta, sharp white cheddar, and plenty of diced dill pickles with a zesty dressing made from mayonnaise, sour cream, and pickle juice, it’s a unique twist on classic pasta salad that pickle lovers will adore.
Ingredients
Scale
Pasta and Cheese
- 1 pound dry rotini pasta
- 8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, cubed
Vegetables and Herbs
- 2 cups diced dill pickles, plus extra for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives, plus extra for garnish
- ½ white onion, minced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Dressing
- ¾ cup mayonnaise (store-bought or homemade)
- ½ cup sour cream
- â…” cup pickle juice (from the pickle jar)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the Pasta: Cook the rotini pasta according to the package instructions until al dente. Drain well and allow to cool completely to prevent the dressing from melting later.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the cooled pasta along with the cubed sharp white cheddar cheese, diced dill pickles, chopped fresh dill, and chopped fresh chives. Mix gently to combine.
- Make the Dressing: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, minced white onion, minced garlic, kosher salt, and ground black pepper until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Toss and Coat: Pour the prepared dressing over the pasta mixture. Toss gently but thoroughly to ensure every piece of pasta is evenly coated with the flavorful dressing.
- Chill: Cover the salad and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving. Chilling allows the flavors to meld together and enhances the tangy taste.
- Optional Kick: For an extra burst of tanginess, add an additional ¼ to ½ cup of pickle juice to the salad just before serving and toss to combine.
- Garnish: Garnish the salad with extra diced pickles, freshly chopped dill, and chives to add a fresh and vibrant touch before serving.
Notes
- Use sharp white cheddar cheese for a robust flavor that complements the pickles.
- Be sure to cool the pasta completely before adding the dressing to avoid a runny salad.
- Adjust the amount of pickle juice depending on how tangy you like your salad.
- The salad can be made a day in advance for better flavor.
- Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- For a lighter version, substitute half of the mayonnaise with Greek yogurt.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 10g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
