This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad combines crisp dill pickles, fresh dill, smoky bacon, spicy pepper jack, and tender pasta shells all smothered in a tangy homemade mayo dressing. You’ll love adding this new pasta salad to your repertoire and it’s a recipe that will quickly become a family favorite.
Few dishes compare to a cold pasta salad on a hot summer day! This bacon-filled dill pickle pasta salad is the perfect accompaniment for burgers, hot dogs, grilled chicken, and steaks. It pairs well with coleslaw, baked beans, and all your other favorite cookout staples.
Bring this creamy pasta salad to cookouts, church functions, potlucks, picnics, etc. If you’re like me, you’ll make this recipe a few times each summer season.
Why You’ll Love Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- It’s So Unique – chances are, you and your guests have likely never tried a creamy dill pickle pasta salad before. It’s a fun new addition to change up from the usual pasta salad recipe.
- Lots of Tanginess – the perfect combination of creaminess and tanginess create a flavor explosion that makes you come back for seconds and thirds.
- Good With or Without Bacon – whether you’re a “bacon makes it better” person or you’re not here for the bacon bits, this pasta salad is delicious either way.
- Kick of Heat – a surprising element that adds so much flare to this dill pickle pasta salad, pepper jack cheese and red pepper flakes! Not too spicy but just enough of a kick to spice things up.
- Make Ahead Friendly – this pasta salad, as with most, just gets better as it sits. You’ll enjoy this even more the next day.
Key Ingredients
Here is the short list of ingredients you’ll need to throw together this creamy pickle pasta salad. Be sure to check out the recipe card below for the measurements.
Baby Dill Pickles – petite dill pickles are sliced up and we also use the pickle juice in our creamy mayo sauce.
Fresh Dill – ramping up the dill flavor by adding this herbaceous ingredient.
Bacon – essential if you are a bacon lover. But this pickle pasta salad is fantastic even without this.
Pepper Jack Cheese – diced into small cubes and adds a decadent element with a little kick of spice.
Mayonnaise – a must for all creamy pasta salads.
Sour Cream – balances out the mayo and adds a pop of brightness and tang to the dressing.
Salad Shells – pasta shells are one of my favorite shapes for this recipe but macaroni salad and other short salads work great.
Red Onion – a few tablespoons of finely diced red onions adds just enough onion flavor without being overpowering.
Seasonings – a little cayenne and garlic powder, plus salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.
How to Make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
This is another quick and easy pasta salad recipe! Just three easy steps to making this for your next gathering:
Boil the Noodles
Get a large pot of salted water boiling, add the noodles and cook to al dente. Strain and rinse with cold water to stop the noodles from cooking and remove the heat from the pasta.
Brine the Noodles
Place the shells into a gallon-sized zip top bag and pour in 1/2 cup pickle juice. Remove excess air, lay in a flat even layer and allow the pasta to brine in the pickle juice for about 15 minutes, flipping it over half way through. Drain out the pickle juice before adding the pasta into the salad.
Make the Dressing
In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, and remaining dressing ingredients. Whisk together, taste and adjust if needed.
Combine It All Together
In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, diced pickles, fresh dill, diced cheese, and bacon pieces, reserving a pinch of each ingredient for topping the finished salad at the end. Pour over the dressing and toss well until it’s evenly combined and well coated. It may feel like a little too much dressing, but the pasta absorbs it as it sits in the fridge.
Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, ideally overnight. I like to let the pasta stand for 30 minutes before serving to remove the chill from the fridge.
Tools I Love for This Recipe:
Pickle Juice – did you know they sell it by the gallon?
Show-Stopping (Pasta) Salad Bowl
If you haven’t already tried my Creamy Pea & Bacon Pasta Salad or my Classic Macaroni Salad, you’ll love those too. As well as this my Street Corn Pasta Salad and Crack Corn Salad.
Looking for More Summer Cookout Foods?
Pea & Bacon Pasta Salad
The Best Macaroni Salad
Street Corn Salad
BLT Pasta Salad
I hope you enjoy this Bacon Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad recipe. Be sure to comment below with any questions or feedback!
If you make these or any other recipes, don’t forget to tag me on IG @BadBatchBaking to be featured on my story. Seeing your recreations makes my day!
Bacon Creamy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Equipment
- Gallon zip-top bag
Ingredients
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
- 12 oz dry salad shells pasta about 4 cups
- 1/2 cup pickle juice
- 8 strips diced bacon, cooked to crisp
- 3/4 cup baby dill pickles, sliced plus more for topping
- 2/3 cup pepper jack cheese, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
Dressing
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 4-5 tablespoons pickle juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Instructions
- Get a large pot of salted water boiling, add the noodles and cook to al dente. Strain and rinse with cold water.
- Place the shells into a gallon-sized zip top bag and pour in 1/2 cup pickle juice. Remove excess air, lay in a flat even layer and allow the pasta to brine in the pickle juice for about 15 minutes, flipping it over half way through.
- In a medium bowl, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, and remaining dressing ingredients. Whisk together, taste and adjust if needed.
- In a large bowl, add the cooked pasta, diced pickles, fresh dill, diced cheese, and bacon pieces, reserving a pinch of each ingredient for topping the finished salad before serving.
- Pour over the dressing and toss well until it's evenly combined and well coated. The pasta absorbs excess dressing it as it sits in the fridge.
- Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving, ideally overnight. Give it a good toss and remove from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to reduce the chill from the fridge.
