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This creamy pickle pasta salad is a summer classic with a twist—featuring a simple, flavorful dressing and a secret ingredient: dill pickle juice. It’s creamy, tangy, and just the right amount of crunchy from chopped pickles, red pepper, and sweet corn.
Add in salami for a satisfying protein boost, or leave it out for a vegetarian version. Perfect for BBQs, potlucks, and family picnics, this side dish is endlessly customizable and incredibly easy to make.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Pickle Pasta Salad
- Quick and easy to prepare – Ready in about 30 minutes.
- Make-ahead friendly – Even better after a few hours in the fridge to chill and develop flavor.
- Customizable – Add or omit ingredients like sharp cheddar cheese, heat, or fresh parsley.
- Crowd-pleasing – Great for barbecues, potlucks, birthdays, and summer grilling season.
- Creamy, tangy dressing – Balanced with a splash of dill pickle brine and optional sweetener.
- Great source of fiber with colorful vegetables.
What You Need To Make This Pasta Salad:
- Uncooked pasta – Elbow Macaroni, rotini, penne, bowtie pasta, or small shells work best. Avoid long or delicate shapes.
- Dill pickles – Finely chopped for that signature dill pickle flavor.
- Corn – Canned, drained.
- Red bell pepper – 1 whole, finely diced (about 1 cup).
- Salami – Cut into cubes (optional but delicious).
- Scallions or red onion – For added crunch and sharp bite.
- Mayonnaise – Full-fat for creaminess.
- Sour cream or plain Greek yogurt – For tang and to reduce trans fat.
- Dill pickle juice – The secret ingredient that enhances flavor.
- Lemon juice – Adds brightness.
- Salt & black pepper – To taste.
- Optional add-ins – Garlic powder, Dijon Mustard sweetener (like sugar or honey), fresh parsley or dill, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, chili flakes.
How to Make It
- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Avoid overcooking. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, 1 tablespoon dill pickle juice, 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice, a pinch of garlic powder, salt, black pepper, Dijon Mustard (optional) and optional sweetener.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooked and cooled pasta, 6 chopped dill pickles, 1 cup diced salami, 1 cup corn, 1 cup diced red bell pepper, and chopped red onion or scallions.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and give everything a good stir until well coated.
- Chill the salad in the fridge for 1–2 hours to let the flavors blend.
- Before serving, stir in a few tablespoons of extra dressing if needed, as the pasta may absorb some. Garnish with fresh parsley or dill.
Recipe Tips
- Rinse the pasta to stop the cooking and avoid clumping.
- Make extra dressing to refresh the salad before serving.
- Adjust mayo and yogurt ratios to balance flavor and calories.
- Add or swap ingredients like cheddar cheese, ham, or chili flakes.
- A perfect side dish for grilled meats or roasted vegetables.
Storage
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Not recommended for freezing.
- Stir in extra dressing and fresh herbs before serving leftovers.
More Similar Recipes You May Like
- Tuna Pasta
- Chickpea Salad
- Bulgarian Potato Salad
- Napa Cabbage Salad with Creamy Dressing
- Cold Yogurt Cucumber Soup (Tarator)
Ready for pasta salad season? This creamy dill pickle pasta salad will become your go-to dish for summer gatherings. Let me know if you make it—tag me @cookinglslrecipes on Instagram or leave a comment!
FAQ
Macaroni and other short pasta shapes like rotini or penne hold the creamy dressing well and capture bits of pickles and vegetables. They provide great texture and balance in each bite.
Yes! It tastes even better after a few hours in the fridge. Chill it well and stir before serving. Add more dressing if needed.
Try ham, shredded chicken, cooked bacon, or skip the meat entirely for a vegetarian version.
It can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Stir and refresh before serving.
Absolutely. Elbow macaroni, fusilli, penne, or bowtie pasta all work. Just avoid long shapes like spaghetti or linguine.
Using a mix of mayo and plain Greek yogurt helps reduce the trans fat and overall calorie content, while keeping the salad creamy and flavorful.
Yes, cubed sharp cheddar cheese is a great addition and pairs well with the dill pickle flavor.
Include chili flakes, hot sauce, or even finely chopped jalapeño to add a spicy kick.
Yes. Rinse under cold water to stop cooking and keep the pasta from getting too soft.
Its creamy texture, tangy pickle flavor, and colorful ingredients make it a crowd-pleaser at barbecues, picnics, and potlucks.
Pickle Pasta Salad with Salami
Ingredients
- 250 g uncooked elbow macaroni or fusilli, or other short pasta like rotini or penne
- 6 dill pickles, chopped
- 1 cup canned corn, drained
- 1 red bell pepper, diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 cup diced salami
- 2 –3 scallions or 1/4 red onion, chopped
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp dill pickle juice
- 1 –2 tsp lemon juice
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Optional: pinch garlic powder, 1/2 tsp sugar or honey, chopped parsley or dill, chili flakes, shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, yogurt, pickle juice, lemon juice, garlic powder, sweetener (if using), salt, and black pepper.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, pickles, corn, red pepper, salami, and onion.
- Add the dressing and stir until everything is coated evenly.
- Chill for 1–2 hours before serving. Stir and refresh with extra dressing as needed.
Video
Notes
- Add more or less dressing based on preference.
- Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Serve as a side dish with grilled meats, burgers, or roasted veggies.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
