Easy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is one of those recipes that sounds a little unexpected and then becomes the thing everyone asks you to bring to every single cookout for the rest of the summer. This Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is packed with chopped crunchy dill pickles, cubed sharp cheddar, crispy bacon pieces, tender small pasta shells, and a creamy dill pickle dressing made with both pickle brine and fresh dill that hits every single note you want: tangy, savory, creamy, and cold. If you are a pickle person, this one is going to be your new favorite pasta salad by the end of the first bite.

This Dill Pickle Pasta Salad recipe is the ultimate creamy, tangy side dish for any family cookout. Packed with crunchy pickles and sharp cheddar, it’s a quick-prep favorite that my daughter Olivia and I love making together for summer memories!

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I first tried a version of this at a neighborhood cookout a couple of years ago and honestly could not stop eating it. I went home and started testing my own version immediately. After a few rounds of adjustments, this is the recipe I landed on and it has been a staple in our house every summer since. It travels beautifully, holds up in the fridge for days, and it is genuinely one of those make-ahead dishes that gets better the longer it sits. Whether you are headed to a potluck, a BBQ, or just need a week of packed lunches that you are actually excited about, this dill pickle pasta salad is going to deliver.

Why You'll Love This Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

• It is loaded with bold, real pickle flavor in every single bite. Most pasta salads use pickles as a minor garnish. This one uses chopped pickles, pickle brine in the dressing, and fresh dill all working together so the pickle flavor is front and center the whole time, not an afterthought hiding under the mayo.
• Ready in under 30 minutes and perfect for making ahead. You boil one pot of pasta, chop your mix-ins, and stir together the creamy dressing in one bowl. The whole thing comes together fast, and it genuinely tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge once everything has had time to meld. It is a meal prepper's dream side dish.
• Crowd-pleasing and totally customizable. Bring it to a cookout next to something like my Bruschetta Pasta Salad and watch people go back for seconds of both. You can keep it classic with bacon and cheddar or switch it up depending on who you are feeding. Either way, it always gets compliments.

Ingredients for Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

You do not need anything unusual for this recipe. Everything on this list is easy to find and most of it is probably already in your fridge or pantry. The two things that matter most here are good quality dill pickles and enough pickle brine in the dressing to make that tangy flavor really sing.

What You'll Need

For the salad:

• Small pasta shells (or rotini)
• Crunchy dill pickles, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• Sharp cheddar cheese, cubed small
• Crispy bacon, crumbled (cooked and cooled)
• Red onion, very finely diced
• Fresh dill, chopped

For the creamy dill pickle dressing:

• Mayonnaise
• Sour cream
• Pickle brine (from the pickle jar)
• Dijon mustard
• Garlic powder
• Dried dill or extra fresh dill
• Salt and black pepper
• A small pinch of sugar to balance the acid

Why These Ingredients Matter

• Pickle brine in the dressing is the move that takes this from a standard creamy pasta salad to something genuinely bold and pickle-forward. The brine already has salt, vinegar, dill, and garlic built into it from the pickling process, so it seasons the dressing from the inside and gives you that deep tangy flavor that pickle lovers specifically go looking for. Use at least two tablespoons and taste as you go.
• Small pasta shells are my top choice for this recipe because the little cup shape of each shell literally holds a tiny amount of creamy dressing inside it. Every forkful delivers more flavor than a flat or tubular pasta shape could because the dressing is sitting inside the pasta, not just coating the outside of it.
• Sharp cheddar cubed small rather than shredded stays firm and distinct in the cold salad so you get actual cheesy bites rather than strings of melted-looking cheese that disappear into the dressing. The sharpness of the cheddar also plays off the tanginess of the pickles really well and the two together are a big part of what makes this salad taste so satisfying.

For more creamy, make-ahead pasta salads that are just as satisfying for summer meal prep, my High-Protein Italian Pasta Salad is another weekly staple that comes together fast and holds up beautifully in the fridge all week.

How to Make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

This recipe uses one pot for the pasta and one bowl for the dressing. You will chop a few things while the pasta cooks and the whole process is relaxed and straightforward. Nothing here requires any special skill or timing, just a little patience while the salad chills in the fridge before serving. Here is how I make it every time.

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a full boil over high heat. Salt it generously before the pasta goes in, it should taste almost like seawater. This is the foundation of flavor for the whole salad. Under-seasoned pasta tastes flat even with the best dressing coating it.
2. Cook the small pasta shells according to package directions but pull them 1 minute early so they are al dente with a slight bite. Pasta that is cooked through fully will soften further once it sits in the creamy dressing and you will end up with a mushy texture by serving time. Drain through a colander, then rinse thoroughly under cold running water until every piece is cold to the touch. Shake off excess water and set aside.
3. Make the creamy dill pickle dressing. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle brine, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, dried or fresh dill, salt, pepper, and a small pinch of sugar until smooth and well combined. Taste it before adding anything else. It should be tangy, creamy, and noticeably pickle-forward. Adjust the brine for more tang or the mayo for more richness as needed.
4. Add the cooled pasta to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat everything evenly while the pasta is still cold. Cold pasta does not absorb the dressing too aggressively, which means the salad stays creamy rather than dry.
5. Fold in the chopped dill pickles, cubed sharp cheddar, crumbled bacon, and finely diced red onion. Stir gently so the cheddar cubes and bacon pieces stay intact rather than breaking up into the dressing.
6. Taste and adjust seasoning one final time. A little more pickle brine if you want more tang, a touch more salt, or an extra pinch of fresh dill over the top. The flavors will develop more as it chills, but you want it to taste well-seasoned before it goes into the fridge.
7. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving, and ideally one to two hours. This rest time is not optional for flavor. The pasta absorbs the dressing, the pickle flavor deepens throughout the whole bowl, and everything comes together into something much more cohesive and delicious than it is right after tossing.

Hint: Always use cold pasta when you toss it with the creamy dressing. Warm pasta absorbs dressing too fast and the salad will look dry and clumped by the time it hits the table. Rinse it well and let it cool completely before you add a single spoonful of dressing.

Little Moments in the Kitchen

I set out the bowl of small pasta shells on the counter while I was getting everything else ready and Olivia walked over, peered in, and looked up at me completely serious and said, "Mom, are there tiny hermit crabs in here?" I told her they were just pasta shells and she squinted at them for a second like she was not entirely convinced. Then she picked one up, looked inside it, and said, "Okay but why is it shaped like that?" I explained that the cup shape holds the dressing inside and she nodded slowly like this was the most reasonable explanation she had ever heard in her life.

She was fully on board by the time the salad was finished, though I will say her first taste of the dressing straight off the spoon gave her a moment of genuine surprise. She went quiet, looked at the spoon, and said "That tastes like a pickle but also like something good." I decided to take that as a compliment and moved on. She had two bowls at dinner and asked me to pack the rest for her lunch the next day, so I think the hermit crab pasta won her over completely.

Substitutions for Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

• Sour cream: Greek yogurt is a great swap that makes the dressing a little lighter and adds a slightly tangier note that works really well with the pickle brine. Use it as a 1:1 replacement.
• Mayonnaise: For a dill pickle pasta salad without mayo entirely, replace it with all Greek yogurt or a combination of Greek yogurt and a little cream cheese for richness. The texture of the dressing will be slightly lighter and less rich, but it still works well with the bold pickle flavor.
• Bacon: Leave it out for a meat-free version. The salad is still deeply flavorful and satisfying without it. Smoked paprika stirred into the dressing adds a subtle smoky note that nods to the bacon flavor if you miss it.
• Sharp cheddar: White cheddar, Colby jack, or pepper jack all work well here. Pepper jack adds a nice kick that pairs really well with the tanginess of the pickles if you like a little heat in the mix.
• Small pasta shells: Rotini is the next best option for trapping dressing. Farfalle and ditalini also work. Avoid smooth pasta shapes like penne or rigatoni where the creamy dressing just slides off the surface.
• Gluten-free: Swap in your favorite gluten-free short pasta shape and cook it slightly under the package time since gluten-free pasta continues to soften as it sits in dressing.
• No sour cream version: For a dill pickle pasta salad no sour cream option, use all mayonnaise in the dressing and add an extra splash of pickle brine to maintain that bright tangy flavor that sour cream contributes. It works beautifully and the texture is still creamy and satisfying.

Variations on Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

• Dill pickle pasta salad with bacon (loaded version): Double the bacon and add an extra handful of cubed cheddar, a sprinkle of smoked paprika, and thinly sliced green onions over the top right before serving. This is the version for people who want maximum richness and smokiness in every bite. It is heartier and more indulgent and works especially well when you are serving it as the main event at a cookout rather than just a side. Set it next to my Caprese Pasta Salad for a table with two completely different pasta salads that will cover every preference in the crowd.
• Dill pickle pasta salad not creamy (lighter vinegar version): Skip the mayonnaise and sour cream entirely and make the dressing with extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar, a generous pour of pickle brine, Dijon mustard, fresh dill, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. It is bright, tangy, and much lighter than the creamy version while still being deeply pickle-flavored throughout. This one is especially popular with people who want that bold dill pickle hit without any richness, and it holds up beautifully at room temperature for a couple of hours at outdoor events where keeping a creamy salad cool is harder to manage.
• Spicy dill pickle pasta salad: Add two to three tablespoons of chopped pickled jalapenos to the mix along with the regular dill pickles, and stir a teaspoon of hot sauce into the creamy dressing before tossing. The heat from the jalapenos plays against the cool creaminess of the dressing in a really satisfying way, and the vinegar in the hot sauce deepens the overall pickle flavor even more. This is Olivia's absolute least favorite version and my personal favorite version, which tells you everything you need to know about its intensity.

Equipment for Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Large pot: One generously sized pot for boiling the pasta gives it room to move freely in the water and cook evenly. A too-small pot causes uneven cooking and sticking.

Colander: For draining and cold-rinsing the pasta immediately after cooking. Rinsing stops the cooking process and brings the temperature down quickly so the pasta is ready for the cold dressing.

Large mixing bowl: Big enough to comfortably toss all the pasta, pickles, cheese, and bacon together with the dressing without anything spilling out. Go bigger than you think you need, every single time.

Sharp knife and cutting board: For chopping the dill pickles into consistent bite-sized pieces, cubing the cheddar evenly, and finely dicing the red onion. Uniform cuts mean you get a balanced mix of every ingredient in every forkful rather than one massive pickle chunk dominating the whole bite.

Small jar or bowl for extra dressing: Always make a little more dressing than you think you need and store the extra in a sealed jar in the fridge. You will thank yourself on day two when the pasta has absorbed most of the original dressing and needs refreshing.

Storage Tips for Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

• Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The pasta will continue absorbing the creamy dressing as it sits, so always keep reserved extra dressing in a separate jar and stir a spoonful into each portion right before eating to bring the creaminess back.
• Bacon: If you are making this more than a day ahead, consider storing the crumbled bacon separately in a small container and folding it in right before serving. Bacon softens and loses its texture when stored mixed into a creamy salad overnight. Adding it fresh keeps every piece at its best.
• Do not freeze this salad. The creamy dressing contains mayonnaise and sour cream, both of which will separate and become grainy and unpleasant when frozen and thawed. This is a strictly fridge-only recipe.
• Pickles: If you want to keep some pieces especially firm and snappy, fold half the chopped pickles into the salad when mixing and add the other half right before serving so those pieces have not been sitting in the dressing overnight.
• Keeps well for meal prep: This is one of the best pasta salads for weekly prep. Make a big batch Sunday and portion it into individual containers for grab-and-go lunches all week. The flavor keeps developing and improving each day.

For another fresh salad that works just as well for meal prep week after week, my California Roll Cucumber Salad is a lighter option that is equally make-ahead friendly and always a hit.

FAQ about Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Conclusion

Once you try a really good creamy pickle pasta salad, the standard macaroni salads at the table start to feel a little plain by comparison. This version delivers everything you want: bold tangy flavor layered throughout the dressing, richness from the bacon and sharp cheddar, and a pasta shape that holds all of it together perfectly in every forkful. It is the kind of side dish that disappears at cookouts and gets texted about afterward. For even more inspiration on building the perfect bowl, AllRecipes has a great Dill Pickle Pasta Salad recipe worth checking out alongside this one.

If you are putting together a full pasta salad spread this summer, this pairs really well next to something bright and herb-forward like my Bruschetta Pasta Salad because the two flavors are completely different and complement each other perfectly on the same table. Make a big batch, keep the extra dressing in the jar, and let Olivia pick the pasta shape.

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Pairing

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These are my favorite dishes to serve with Dill Pickle Pasta Salad:

📖 Recipe

Easy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad (Creamy & Seriously Addictive)

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This Dill Pickle Pasta Salad recipe is the ultimate creamy, tangy side dish for any family cookout. Packed with crunchy pickles and sharp cheddar, it's a quick-prep favorite that my daughter Olivia and I love making together for summer memories!

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chilling Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dinner, Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Calories: 310

Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

The Salad Base

• ½ pound Small Pasta Shells I love these because the dressing hides inside the 'hermit crabs'!
• ¾ cup Dill Pickles Chopped into bite-sized pieces. We prefer baby dills for extra crunch.
• ⅔ cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese Cubed small. Olivia's job is to make sure they are all even squares!
• ½ cup Crispy Bacon Cooked and crumbled. Save a little extra for the top!
• 3 tablespoons Red Onion Very finely diced so it's subtle but flavorful.
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Dill Finely chopped; there is nothing like the smell of fresh herbs in the kitchen.

The Creamy Dressing

• ⅔ cup Mayonnaise The creamy base.
• ⅓ cup Sour Cream Adds that perfect motherly touch of tang.
• ¼ cup Dill Pickle Juice Straight from the jar, this is our secret family weapon!
• 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard For a tiny bit of depth.
• ½ teaspoon Garlic Powder Because every savory dish needs a hug of garlic.
• Salt and Black Pepper Freshly cracked pepper is best.

Equipment

• 1 Large pot For boiling the pasta; ensure it has plenty of room to prevent sticking.
• 1 Colander Essential for that immediate cold-water rinse!
• 1 Large mixing bowl Olivia calls this the 'Everything Bowl' because it holds all the magic.
• 1 Whisk Perfect for getting the dressing silky smooth.

Method

 

1. Boil the Pasta:

   Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the [small pasta shells] and cook just until al dente, usually about 1 minute less than the box says. Olivia likes to watch the bubbles, but I always remind her that firm pasta makes for the best salad! Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until chilled.
2. Whisk the Dressing:

   In your large mixing bowl, whisk together the [mayonnaise], [sour cream], [dill pickle juice], [Dijon mustard], and [garlic powder]. Let your little helper do the whisking here, Olivia loves seeing the dressing turn into a creamy, pale green 'pickle sauce'!
3. Combine and Toss: Add the cold pasta to the dressing first and toss well. This ensures every 'shell' is coated. Then, gently fold in the [dill pickles], [sharp cheddar cheese], [crispy bacon], [red onion], and [fresh dill]. We use a big spatula to keep the cheese cubes from breaking.
4. Chill for Flavor:

   Season with [salt and black pepper] to your liking. Cover the bowl and let it rest in the fridge for at least an hour. This is the hardest part for Olivia, she's always sneaking a 'test bite' before the hour is up, but trust me, the flavors need that time to get to know each other!

Nutrition

Serving: 180gCalories: 310kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 8gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 620mgPotassium: 110mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 250IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 120mgIron: 1mg

Notes

• "Make it Ahead: This actually tastes better on day two! If it seems a little dry after sitting, just stir in an extra tablespoon of pickle juice to loosen it up."
• "Lighten it up: You can swap the sour cream for Greek yogurt if you want a bit more protein, Olivia never notices the difference!"
• "Vegetarian Option: Simply omit the bacon; the sharp cheddar and pickles provide plenty of savory 'oomph' on their own."
• "Storage: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Do not freeze, as the creamy dressing will separate."

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