Big Dill Pasta Salad
Big Dill Pasta Salad is a creamy, tangy pasta salad loaded with dill pickles, hard-boiled eggs, crispy bacon, fresh dill, and a rich pickle juice dressing. It is perfect for cookouts, picnics, potlucks, and make-ahead summer meals.
Ingredients
Pasta Salad
- 1 pound pasta elbow macaroni or your choice of pasta
- 6 large eggs hard-boiled ,chopped
- 1 cup dill pickles diced
- ½ cup red onion finely diced
- ½ cup celery diced
- 8 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
Dill Pickle Dressing
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- ⅔ cup dill pickle juice
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the elbow macaroni according to the package directions until al dente.
- Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water until completely cooled. Drain well.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, sour cream, dill pickle juice, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt until smooth and creamy.
- Add the cooled pasta, chopped hard-boiled eggs, diced dill pickles, red onion, celery, crumbled bacon, and fresh dill to the bowl with the dressing.
- Gently stir until all of the pasta and ingredients are evenly coated in the dressing.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
- Stir before serving. If desired, garnish with extra chopped dill pickles, bacon, fresh dill, or a sprinkle of black pepper.
Notes
When it comes to the nutrition information provided for recipes, it’s important to keep in mind that it’s just an estimate. The actual nutritional values can vary based on the specific ingredients and brands you use. Be mindful that any nutritional information provided is intended as a general guideline rather than exact values.
For the best flavor, make this pasta salad the day before serving. The pickle flavor gets even better overnight, and the generous dressing keeps the salad creamy instead of drying out. If the pasta absorbs too much dressing after chilling, stir in an extra splash of dill pickle juice before serving. Refrigerated deli-style dill pickles add the best crunch and flavor, but regular jarred dill pickles also work well. Rotini, shells, bow ties, or cavatappi can be used instead of elbow macaroni. For extra richness, add 1 cup cubed sharp cheddar cheese.
Storage Notes
Store Big Dill Pasta Salad in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because this recipe contains mayonnaise, sour cream, eggs, and bacon, keep it chilled until ready to serve. Do not freeze this pasta salad because the creamy dressing may separate after thawing.Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 522kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 11gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 18gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 124mgSodium: 797mgPotassium: 211mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 273IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 48mgIron: 1mg
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