Description
Dill Pickle Bacon Pasta Salad is a creamy, tangy, and savory side dish loaded with tender pasta, crispy bacon, crunchy dill pickles, cheddar cheese, and a flavorful homemade dill dressing. Perfect for summer BBQs, potlucks, picnics, or meal prep, this crowd-pleasing recipe comes together in just a few easy steps.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
For the Salad
- 12 oz rotini pasta
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1½ cups dill pickles, diced
- 1/2 cup pickle juice
- 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, cubed
- 1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
- 1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped
For the Creamy Dressing
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tbsp pickle juice
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Instructions
- Cook the pasta: Boil the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss the cooled pasta with 1/2 cup pickle juice and let it sit for 10 minutes before draining any excess.
- Prepare the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt until smooth.
- Assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, diced pickles, crumbled bacon, cheddar cheese, red onion, and fresh dill.
- Toss with dressing: Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and gently stir until everything is evenly coated.
- Chill and serve: Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Garnish with extra bacon, chopped dill, and sliced pickles for the best presentation.
Notes
Letting the cooked pasta soak briefly in pickle juice gives every bite extra dill pickle flavor. Add diced celery for more crunch or swap cheddar with Colby Jack or Pepper Jack cheese for a delicious variation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Salad
- Method: Boil
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 395
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 760mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 31g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 13g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
Keywords: dill pickle bacon pasta salad, pickle pasta salad, bacon pasta salad, creamy pasta salad, summer pasta salad, picnic side dish