Description
Creamy dill pickle pasta salad combines tangy pickles with a zesty dressing for a crowd-pleasing side dish. Cool summer gatherings welcome this crisp, flavorful pasta that you’ll crave at potlucks and backyard barbecues.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 12 oz (340 g) rotini or elbow pasta
- 1 cup dill pickles, diced
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup red onion, diced
- ½ cup celery, diced
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 2 tbsps pickle juice
- 2 tbsps dill pickle juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried dill (or 1 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped)
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Pasta Preparation: Immerse pasta in vigorously salted water, cooking until precisely al dente. Drain swiftly and plunge into ice-cold water to arrest cooking and prevent sticky clumping.
- Dressing Creation: Blend mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, and fresh dill into a harmonious emulsion. Calibrate seasoning with salt and pepper, adjusting pickle juice for optimal tanginess.
- Ingredient Fusion: Combine chilled pasta with crisp pickle chunks, finely diced red onion, crunchy celery, and sharp cheddar cheese in a generous mixing bowl, creating a vibrant textural landscape.
- Flavor Infusion: Cascade prepared dressing over the pasta mixture, tenderly incorporating all components to ensure comprehensive flavor distribution and elegant coating.
- Flavor Maturation: Seal and refrigerate for one hour minimum, allowing ingredients to meld and develop a complex, robust taste profile. Before serving, conduct a final seasoning assessment and optionally garnish with delicate fresh dill sprigs for an elevated presentation.
Notes
- Pasta Perfection: Cook pasta just until al dente to maintain a firm texture and prevent mushiness, which can ruin the salad’s overall mouthfeel.
- Chill and Blend: Let the salad rest in the refrigerator for at least an hour to allow flavors to meld and intensify, creating a more complex taste profile.
- Pickle Juice Trick: Adjust pickle juice quantity to control tanginess and saltiness, tasting as you go for a perfectly balanced dressing.
- Cheese Selection: Use sharp cheddar for maximum flavor punch, or swap with lighter options like feta for a different taste experience or lower-fat alternative.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Snacks, Appetizer
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 350
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 24 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 8 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg