Go Back
–+ servings
A close-up spoonful of creamy dill pickle pasta salad featuring elbow macaroni, chopped pickles, cheddar cheese cubes, celery, red onion, and a sprinkle of fresh dill and paprika.
Print

Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

Creamy, crunchy, and loaded with bold pickle flavor—this easyslad is a must for your next potluck or BBQ.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Cooling & refrigerate 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Calories 318kcal
Author Deb Clark

Equipment

  • 1 Large mixing bowl

Ingredients

  • 12 oz shell pasta or elbow macaroni or your favorite shape
  • 1 ½ cups chopped dill pickles
  • 1 cup diced cheddar cheese
  • ½ cup finely diced red onion
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh dill
  • 4 hard-boiled eggs chopped
  • ½ cup chopped celery
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • ⅓ cup sour cream
  • ⅓ cup pickle juice
  • 2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Boil the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. When cool refrigerate.
  • While the pasta cooks, boil 6 eggs. Once cooled, peel and chop 4 of them. Slice the remaining 2 for that vintage salad topper vibe.
  • Whisk together mayo, sour cream, pickle juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Give it a little taste—add more pickle juice if you like it extra zippy.
    A hand pours pickle juice into a bowl with mayonnaise, mustard, sour cream, and cracked black pepper, prepping the dressing mixture for pasta salad.
  • In a large bowl, mix the pasta, chopped eggs, pickles, cheese, onion, dill, and celery.
    A large mixing bowl filled with chopped dill pickles, cheddar cheese cubes, red onion, celery, and chopped hard-boiled eggs arranged over cooked elbow macaroni, ready to be mixed.
  • Pour in ⅔ of the dressing and gently toss until everything’s coated in creamy dill magic. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Longer is better—it gives those retro flavors time to mingle. (I always add the remaining dressing right before serving.)
    A hand pouring creamy dressing over the assembled pasta salad ingredients in a large glass bowl, surrounded by dill, forks, sliced egg, and pickles.
  • Just before serving, layer on the sliced eggs, a few pickle slices, a sprinkle of paprika, and some extra dill for garnish.

Notes

I always make the pasta and eggs the night before. Cook until al dente and then rinse well to stop the cooking. Drain really well and allow to cool completely. Then if it looks like the pasta is sticking, I will drizzle it with a tablespoon of olive oil. 
Anytime I make a pasta salad, I will sprinkle a little of my chicken seasoning over the pasta before I refrigerate it. It adds a nice flavor. No boring pasta salads here!!!

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 83mg | Sodium: 673mg | Potassium: 156mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 363IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 106mg | Iron: 1mg
QR Code linking back to recipe