Dill pickle pasta salad

The best side dish for lots of menus!

I can’t believe I have only just learned about the deliciousness of dill pickle pasta salad, which was served at a recent family event I attended. Fans of this site and/or my TV show, Paula Roy’s Favourite Foods, will know that I love pickles so much that I consider them a food group, so the combination of pasta, cheese, pickles and creamy dressing is right up my alley. This salad keeps well for several days in the refrigerator so I highly recommend doubling the recipe. If you’re looking for more tasty pasta salad inspiration, check out my Vietnamese-inspired recipe or this Greek-style one.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (130 g) small shell pasta (or macaroni)
• 1/3 cup dill pickle juice (divided)
• 1/2 cup (70 g) chopped baby dill pickles
• 1/2 cup (57 g) grated cheddar cheese (or finely cubed Havarti with dill)
• 2 tablespoons (1 g) chopped fresh dill
• 1 tablespoon (10 g) diced pickled red onions (optional but delicious)
• 1/3 cup (80 g) mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup (80 g) sour cream
• Few grinds salt and pepper
• Pinch cayenne (or more, to taste)

Method

• Cook pasta in boiling, salted water until tender. Drain well and transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the dill pickle juice. Set aside to cool, stirring often.
• When pasta has cooled to room temperature, add chopped pickles, grated cheese, chopped dill and pickled onions to the bowl; stir gently to combine.
• In a small bowl, whisk together until smooth the mayonnaise, sour cream, remaining 1/4 cup (60 mL) pickle juice, salt, pepper and cayenne. Drizzle over pasta mixture and stir gently to combine.
• Refrigerate salad if not serving immediately. If enjoying leftover salad the next day, you may wish to stir another teaspoon or two of pickle juice into the mixture as the pasta will have absorbed most or all of the original liquid overnight.

Serves 4.