Dill-Pickle Pasta Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing

Prep Time:

20 mins

Additional Time:

10 mins

Total Time:

30 mins

Servings:

Yield:

7 servings

Nutrition Profile:

Low-Carb Nut-Free Vegetarian

Jump to Nutrition Facts

This Dill-Pickle Pasta Salad with Creamy Dill Dressing will become your favorite picnic side. Dilly pickles and herbs freshen up the nutty, fiber-filled whole-wheat pasta. Mayo and plain Greek yogurt provide a creamy dressing that complements the crunchy texture of the celery, red bell pepper and red onion. Pickle juice and hot sauce tie the flavors together with a hit of subtle heat. If you want more protein, feel free to add some chicken or tuna. Keep reading for expert tips, like why rotini pasta is perfect for this salad.

Tips from the EatingWell Test Kitchen

Rotini pasta is perfect for this recipe because the spirals trap the mayo and all the flavors. If you decide to use a different pasta, we’d suggest one with nooks and crannies like cavatappi, fusilli, bow tie or macaroni.
Using real, full-fat mayonnaise will give you delicious results. Don’t be tempted to get a lite variety.
If you prefer cold pasta salad, tuck it in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.
To make ahead, store pasta in one or multiple airtight containers set in the coldest section of your fridge at 40°F or below for up to 3 days. To increase shelf life, store the dressing separately until ready to serve.

Nutrition Notes

Compared to pasta made from refined white flour, the whole-wheat rotini provides more gut-friendly fiber and inflammation-calming antioxidants. The fiber will also help you stay full longer and prevent blood sugar spikes. If you can't get past the heartier flavor of whole-wheat pasta, you'll still get some fiber and nutrients with regular pasta. Or you could also use half whole-wheat pasta and half regular pasta to get the best of both.
Bell peppers are an amazing source of antioxidants and vitamin C and a good source of vitamin A. This means they're good for the brain, immune system, skin and eyes. The fiber in bell peppers will help keep things moving through your gut and manage blood sugar.
Besides adding an amazing crunch to this salad, celery is 95% water, which means it's a great hydrating veggie. It's also a good source of vitamin K, necessary for strong bones. Perhaps celery's superpowers, though, lie in its antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation and chronic disease. Of course, it's also a great vehicle for your favorite spread!

This salad wouldn't be what it is without dill pickles—they are, after all, in the recipe's name. Dill pickles are made from cucumbers, which provide some pretty great health benefits, like reducing cancer and diabetes risk. And pickles that have been fermented—which you will find in the refrigerated section of the grocery store—provide gut-friendly probiotics. But pickles do tend to be high in sodium, so if you're watching your sodium intake, it's probably wise to limit your pickle consumption. And while there aren't a lot of pickles in this salad, if you're concerned about the sodium in them, you could swap the pickles for cucumbers.

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Ingredients

8 ounces whole-wheat rotini
⅓ cup sour cream or whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
⅓ cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons pickle juice from the jar
1-3 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Frank's
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper
½ cup thinly sliced celery
½ cup chopped red bell pepper
½ cup chopped dill pickles
¼ cup finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Directions

Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Meanwhile, whisk sour cream (or yogurt), mayonnaise, pickle juice, hot sauce to taste, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add celery, bell pepper, pickles, onion, dill and the cooked pasta. Toss to coat well. Let stand for at least 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I rinse cooked pasta?

Rinse pasta only for cold dishes or when you won't serve it immediately. Pasta served warm should not be rinsed because it is the starch on the pasta helps the sauce cling better.
What are some good ways to use up a jar of dill pickles?

In addition to serving them alongside or topping burgers and tuna fish sandwiches, try making our Dill Pickle Dip. It is excellent with veggie chips or used as a topping for vegetables. Or make our Dill-Pickle Cauliflower and Potato Salad.
Is pasta salad better when it's warm or cold?

It's a personal preference—some people enjoy a cold pasta salad on a hot day. After assembling the pasta salad, we recommend waiting for about 10 minutes before serving. The same applies to a salad stored in the fridge. Allowing it to sit will help the pasta become less firm and allow the dressing to distribute more evenly.
What should I serve with Dill Pickle Pasta Salad?

This salad is a meal in itself and could be enjoyed with just a fresh baguette. It's the ideal side dish for grilled foods, pairing well with hamburgers, hot dogs, beer brats and chicken, pork and beef kebabs, and so much more.

Additional reporting by Carrie Myers, M.S. and Linda Frahm

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, July 2020

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

136	Calories
9g	Fat
12g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 7
Serving Size 3/4 cup
Calories 136
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 12g	4%
Dietary Fiber 2g	6%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 3g	7%
Total Fat 9g	11%
Saturated Fat 1g	7%
Cholesterol 5mg	2%
Vitamin A 407IU	8%
Vitamin C 15mg	17%
Folate 18mcg	4%
Sodium 311mg	14%
Calcium 29mg	2%
Iron 1mg	4%
Magnesium 22mg	5%
Potassium 114mg	2%

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.