Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
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Dill Pickle Pasta Salad transforms your favorite bar snack, fried pickles, into a refreshing and tangy pasta salad. This unique twist on a classic will be the standout hit at any gathering!
Completely foolproof and ready in no time, this perfect side dish is packed with flavor and comes with a crispy panko topping and creamy dressing.
Why this delicious dill pickle pasta salad recipe is the best
If you like pickles as much as I do, this fun twist on pasta salad is an absolute must-try! It combines chunks of crunchy dill pickles with tender pasta and cheese, a bold and flavorful homemade dressing, and a toasted panko topping with fresh herbs.
The end result is a filling and tangy pasta salad that’s absolutely packed with fresh dill flavor! Just like my Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad and my Taco Pasta Salad, this recipe turns the plain old side dish into a crowd-pleasing masterpiece.
- Quick and easy: It’s simple to put this pickle pasta salad together and it features commonly found ingredients.
- Packed with flavor: Thanks to a homemade dill ranch dressing, pieces of cheddar cheese, and big pieces of pickle, this pasta salad is beyond delicious!
- Easy to customize: You can easily leave off the panko topping, use a store bought dressing, or swap ingredients in and out to make this pasta salad your own.
- Great for the summer: The flavors of this delicious pasta salad recipe dish are ideal for a summer picnic, a pool party, or your next potluck.
Ingredients you will need
Perfect for pickle lovers, this Dill Pickle Pasta Salad combines the salty and acidic flavor of pickles with a summer-ready pasta salad!
Pasta salad
- Radiatore pasta: You can use any type of pasta you like, but I love the way radiatore picks up all of the flavors and the dressing.
- Olive oil: Helps prevent the pasta from sticking together. I even have a new trick for you to replace rinsing the pasta!
- Dill pickle spears: This pasta salad doesn’t just taste like pickles, it also has chunks of them in the mix! Believe it or not, the type of pickle you use does matter! These are my favorite pickles.
- White cheddar cheese: The sharp flavor of white cheddar pairs perfectly with salty and slightly sour pickles.
- Herbs: I use a simple combo of parsley and dill.
Panko topping
- Panko bread crumbs: This variety of bread crumbs yields a perfectly crispy and crunchy topping for your salad.
- Seasonings: More parsley, dill, and fresh lemon zest for flavor.
Creamy dill dressing
- Dill pickle juice: Of course the dressing has to have some pickle juice too! This is a perfect way to use up some of the pickle juice from the jar.
- Greek yogurt and Mexican crema: Gives the dressing a creamy texture and a bit of sour flavor. You can also use regular sour cream and/or mayonnaise if you prefer.
- Ranch seasoning: A quick way to pack lots of flavor into your dressing.
- Fresh dill
- Fresh lemon juice: I recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice if possible, but bottled lemon juice is another potential option.
How to make pasta salad with dill pickles
- Cook the pasta: To a large pot of boiling water, add the pasta. Cook until al dente, or longer if you prefer softer pasta.
- Drain the pasta: Drain out the pasta and transfer it to a sheet pan. Instead of rinsing it, drizzle with a bit of olive oil and toss to prevent the pasta from sticking.
- Make the dressing: In a small mixing bowl, combine the dressing ingredients (pickle juice, Greek yogurt, crema, lemon juice, ranch seasoning, and dill).
- Toast the panko: Heat some olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the panko and toss until it’s toasted and golden brown, then remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest, parsley, and dill.
- Make the pasta salad: To a large mixing bowl, add the cooked pasta, pickles, sharp cheddar cheese, homemade ranch dressing, parsley, and dill. Stir until everything is combined and well coated in the dressing.
Tip: if you need to thin out the dressing a bit, add a tablespoon or two of cold water.
*For a detailed list of ingredients and instructions, please reference the recipe card down below.
Five mistakes to avoid when making pasta salad
- Making it too far ahead of time: You can prepare this dill pickle pasta salad a day or so ahead of time, but if you prepare it too far ahead the noodles will get soggy and floppy and the pickles may also break down a bit. If you do make it ahead of time, I would serve it the next day and make sure it’s stored in an airtight container!
- Overcooking the pasta: The best part of pasta salad is the nice hearty bite of the pasta! Cook the pasta to a nice al dente—if you cook it too long it’ll end up soft and mushy.
- Not dressing pasta while still warm: Try to dress the pasta while it’s still a little warm. This will help the flavors develop, but if you’re preparing ahead of time, save some of the dressing to mix in until right before serving.
- Rinsing the pasta: After being cooked pasta has a nice layer of starchiness, which leads to a more hearty and flavorful pasta salad. Don’t rinse this off!
- Using the wrong pasta shape: Many shapes of pasta are great for pasta salad like rotini pasta, penne, farfalle (or bowtie pasta) and fusili are great for pasta salad, but you’ll want to avoid long cut pasta like spaghetti.
What to serve with pasta salad
This pickle pasta salad pairs well with all of your favorite barbecue fare like Turkey Burgers, Buffalo Chicken Wings, Slow Cooker Ribs, or Grilled BBQ Chicken. You could also serve alongside another hearty main course like my Creamy Chicken and Mushroom Skillet or a Roasted Vegetable Soup!
More easy recipes to try
If you can’t get enough pasta salad, you’ll also love this Caprese Pasta Salad, a Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad, or a big bowl of my Goat Cheese Orzo Pasta Salad!
These are all perfect to serve with a summer dinner, but will work well as crowd-pleasing sides all year long. And for lovers of that classic dill pickle flavor, these Air Fryer Pickles will become an instant favorite appetizer or snack!
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Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Equipment
Ingredients
- Radiatore pasta
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3/4 cup diced dill pickle spears
- 3/4 cup white cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
Panko topping
Ranch dressing
- 2 tbsp pickle juice
- 3/4 cup greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup Mexican crema
- 1 tbsp ranch seasoning, add more as desired
- 2 tbsp fresh dill
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
Optional
- cooked bacon, crumbled
- extra toasted panko
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta according to package instructions. I like to add a drop of olive oil to the pot to keep the noodles from sticking. Drain and rinse under cool water when it’s finished cooking.
- When the pasta is finished cooking, drain and transfer the pasta to a sheet pan. Toss the pasta with 2 tbsp of olive oil and spread it out on the sheet pan in a single layer to cool.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mexican crema, greek yogurt, pickle juice, lemon juice, ranch seasoning, and dill.
- Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in a medium skillet. Add the panko and toss occasionally for 3-5 minutes or until it turns golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and mix in the lemon zest, dill, and parsley.
- Add the cooled pasta to a large mixing bowl with the pickles, shredded cheddar, ranch dressing, parsley, and dill. Mix to combine then top the pasta salad with the toasted panko and serve.
