Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Description
Dill pickle pasta salad is one of my top summer recipes, with pickles, red onion, fresh dill, and pickle juice. No cheese cubes here!
Ingredients
- 250 grams short pasta pictured is whole grain
- 6 dill pickles sliced
- 1 small red onion very finely diced
- 100 ml (~⅓ cup) pickle juice
Dressing
- 50 grams (~¼ cup) mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons olive oil replace with more mayonnaise if preferred
- 50 ml (~¼ cup) pickle juice
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Handful fresh dill chopped
Instructions
- Start by cooking the pasta in plenty of well-seasoned water according to package instructions.250 grams short pasta
- While the water is coming to a boil for the pasta, cut the pickles and onion. Set aside.6 dill pickles, 1 small red onion
- While the pasta is cooking, prepare the dressing. Add the mayonnaise, olive oil, 50 ml (~¼ cup) pickle juice, mustard, and pepper to a bowl and whisk well to combine. Stir in the chopped dill.50 grams (~¼ cup) mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 50 ml (~¼ cup) pickle juice, 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon black pepper, Handful fresh dill
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the chopped pickles and onions, then pour over the 100 ml (~⅓ cup) pickle juice. Stir well.100 ml (~⅓ cup) pickle juice
- Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and stir again to combine. Taste the pasta salad and check if it needs any salt before serving.
Notes
Serving size: this serves about four as a side or two hungry people as a main.
Storage: the pasta salad will keep for a couple of days in a sealed container in the refrigerator, but like with most pasta dishes, it's best the day it's made. The pasta can get a bit soggy when stored.
Adjust the acidity: you might want to add some extra vinegar - probably not if you use standard dill pickles - but this will depend on personal taste. I added vinegar because I used lacto-fermented pickles, which are much less sour, but when I make this back home in Canada (or with proper pickles) I don't add any extra vinegar to the salad.
Season to taste: you may need more or less salt depending on how salty the pickle juice is. I recommend starting with no salt, then tasting and seeing if any is needed once the salad is fully mixed.
Choose good pickles: if you're looking for a recipe to use up some pickles you didn't really like, this isn't it. It's a dill pickle pasta salad and it's going to taste like the pickles you use so be sure to choose a type you like!
Give it a bit of time: the salad is very good served immediately, but hits a sweet spot if left at room temperature for about half an hour before serving. If you have the time, leave it for a little while to boost the overall flavour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 | Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 1459mg | Potassium: 159mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 190IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.