Looking for a new potluck salad?! Make this creamy dill pickle pasta salad. Creamy pasta salad loaded with pickles, bacon, and cheese. This unique salad is for all pickle lovers!
If you love pasta salads, try my viral Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad or the Taco Pasta Salad.
PICKLE PASTA SALAD
If you love pickles, this pasta salad is for you! Loaded with crunchy pickles, bacon, cheese, tender pasta, and a flavorful creamy dressing, this salad is loaded with bold flavors. This pickle pasta salad makes for a great side for your next BBQ, potluck, or even for dinner. Ready in no time, this creamy pasta salad is going to be a hit!
WHAT YOU NEED-
- Pasta– You want to use short pasta for this salad. Short pastas like elbow, rotini, penne, fusilli, farfalle, medium shells, or cavatappi pasta will work!
- Pickles– Be sure to use your favorite pickles! I love to use whole baby Vlasic dill pickles. Either slices or whole pickles make it easier for chopping!
- Cheese– This pasta salad calls for cubed cheese, use either mild cheddar or Colby jack cheese for this recipe. I love to get the block and cube the cheese fresh, but you can also buy pre-cubed cheese.
- Bacon– The added bacon brings this pickle salad to a whole new level! You want to use classic bacon for this recipe. Check out my how to cook bacon post for the perfect bacon bits.
- Mayo– Use a good brand of mayonnaise, I love to use classic Hellman’s or even the olive oil mayo.
- Sour Cream– To add to the creaminess of the dressing the mayo is mixed with sour cream. Use classic or low-fat sour cream or you can even swap it out for plan Greek yogurt.
- Garlic– Adding freshly minced garlic to the dressing adds more flavors and goes great with the rest of the ingredients!
- Flavor– To season the pasta salad, I just use the classic salt and pepper. You can add any other of your favorite seasonings If you would like.
HOW TO MAKE PICKLE PASTA SALAD
This simple salad comes together in no time with just a few steps!
- Using your desired method to cook bacon bits. Add the cooked bacon to a paper towel line plate, allowing them to cool and grease to drain.
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water and cool. (You can cook your pasta ahead of time so that your pasta is cool and ready to use.)
- In a bowl, mix the ingredients for the salad dressing until well combined.
- Prep the rest of the ingredients: cube the cheese and pickles.
- In a large salad bowl, add the cooked pasta, bacon bits, cubed cheese, chopped pickles, and dill.
- Pour the dressing over the ingredients and toss until fully combined.
- Serve with desired sides and enjoy.
SALAD VARIATIONS
Load up this creamy pasta salad with different ingredients for a hearty dill pickle pasta salad! Here are some other great things you can add:
- Red Onion
- Shredded Carrots
- Onion Crisps
- Chicken Breast
- Broccoli & Cauliflower Florets
- Cucumbers
- Pickled Onions
- Cherry tomatoes
QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE:
Yes! You can totally make this pasta salad ahead of time! Prepare ahead of time by cutting all the ingredients and when ready to enjoy, toss and serve! You can make this up to 2-3 days ahead of time, just store it in the fridge.
If you want to make this vegetarian pasta salad, you can totally leave out the bacon. You can also swap it out for salami cubes, pepperoni cubes, or even cubed or shredded chicken!
Yes, but be sure to use the largely shredded cheese for the best results.
Store this leftover dill pickle pasta salad in an airtight container or covered in the fridge for 3-4 days.
This salad is great and doesn’t get soggy fast!
OTHER SUMMER POTLUCK RECIPES–
Summertime calls for BBQ’s and potlucks, here are some great recipes to make for your next gathering:
Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 10 oz cooked short pasta
- 2 cups chopped pickles
- 8 oz block colby jack cheese cubed
- 10 oz chopped bacon cooked
- 1/3 cup mayo
- 2 Tbsp sour cream
- 3 minced garlic cloves
- 1 tsp pickle juice
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Using your desired method to cook bacon bits. (Add the cooked bacon to a paper towel lined plate, allowing them to cool and grease to drain.)
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Once cooked, drain and rinse with cold water and cool.
- In a bowl, mix the mayo, sour cream, minced garlic, pickle juice, salt, and pepper until creamy and well combined.
- Cut the cheese and pickles into even sized cubes.
- In a large salad bowl, add the cooked pasta, bacon bits, cubed cheese, and chopped pickles.
- Pour the dressing over the ingredients and toss until fully combined.
- Serve with desired sides and enjoy.
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