Pickle lovers, brace yourselves for this one. Tender cooked pasta, crunchy pickles, fresh dill, and grated carrot are coated in a tangy, creamy, pickle-juice-infused dressing.
If pasta and pickles together is wrong, then I don't want to be right. This creamy vegan dill pickle pasta salad brings together the comforting familiarity of pasta salad with the irresistible allure of crunchy dill pickles.
If there's one thing that never fails to hit the spot during warm days or gatherings with loved ones, it's a good old pasta salad. Whether you're planning a picnic, a potluck, or simply want to enjoy an easy, light meal, this recipe is here for you.
Need more pasta salad recipes? Check out my creamy vegan macaroni salad, easy vegan pasta salad and vegan street corn pasta salad.
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Ingredients
This vegan creamy dill pickle pasta salad has everything it needs and nothing more. We are keeping it simple with a handful of fresh, flavorful ingredients requiring minimal prep work.
- Rotini or other short pasta shape. When it comes to pasta salad, I'm a fan of rotini's textured spiral shape, which enhances flavor absorption, and its versatility in holding various ingredients while allowing for easy mixing, ensuring a balanced and visually pleasing dish.
- Pickles - I love using McClure's Garlic & Dill pickles for this dish. They are a Michigan-based company based out of Detroit. Their pickles are characterized by a crisp texture and bold, briny flavor, infused with garlic and dill, aka pickle perfection.
- Carrot - Shredding carrots for salad is the move. It provides a finer texture that evenly distributes their sweet, crunchy goodness and allows them to absorb flavors more effectively and contribute to the salad's visual appeal. This preparation also makes salads easier to eat and is quick and easy to do.
- Fresh dill
- Vegan mayonnaise - it's great to see how many new plant-based products like dressings and mayo are available in grocery stores these days. My go-to for pasta salads are Hellman's vegan spread and Veganaise by Follow your Heart.
- Dijon mustard
- Garlic powder
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Cook pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water.
Transfer cooled pasta to large mixing bowl along with the shredded carrot, chopped pickles, and fresh dill.
Mix vegan mayo, dijon mustard, pickle brine, and garlic powder together in small mixing bowl.
Add dressing to the large mixing bowl holding the pasta, veggies, and dill.
Toss everything together until well combined. Chill for at least 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.
Enjoy straight out of the fridge or serve up on your favorite platter. Feel free to add some salt, black pepper, any additional dill for garnish.
Variations and Substitutions
- Pasta - use a gluten free noodle to make this dish gluten free. Or feel free to change up the noodle shape - I think Farfalle (Bowtie), Penne, Fusilli or Rigatoni noodles would work well.
- Vegetables - feel free to add other veggies like scallions or diced red onion, chopped bell pepper or sliced radish for more crunch, color and variety.
- Pickles - while it's called dill pickle pasta salad, all types of pickles are welcome here. Feel free to switch it up and try a spicy or bread and butter pickle and let me know how it goes.
- Beans - add a can of white beans or chickpeas for more plant-protein and fiber. Pasta salads can be a fantastic quick and convenient lunch option. Adding an additional source of plant-based protein like beans helps make it a more balanced, filling meal.
Equipment
To make this recipe, you will need: a pot to cook your pasta and a colander to drain it; a cutting board and knife to chop the pickles and dill; a grater for the carrot; and a medium mixing bowl for the dressing. Additionally, you will need a large bowl to mix and hold the pasta, vegetables, and dressing.
Storage
- Refrigerator: Store in a covered, airtight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Make ahead: Discover the secret of pasta salads - they shine when prepared in advance, often reaching their peak flavor on the second day as the ingredients meld together. Just before serving, give the dish a gentle stir. Plan ahead and allow for at least an hour between preparing and serving to ensure the dish has ample time to cool down.
- Freezing: Negative, don't do it. Even though we'd like to always have pasta salad on hand, this dish cannot be frozen.
Top tip
When making pasta salads I find it helpful to rinse my cooked noodles with cold water immediately after draining from the cooking water. This not only helps them cool down quicker but prevents them from sticking to one another and potentially continuing to cook / become over-cooked and have a mushy texture.
I will also occasionally toss a bit of olive oil on cold-water rinsed noodles and stir them gently in the colander with a wooden spoon or my hands. (Again, rinse noodles with cold water first before putting your hands in there - otherwise you will burn yourself!)
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Creamy Vegan Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
Pasta Salad Components:
- 16 ounces rotini
- 3 large carrots, shredded (will be ~1 cup)
- 6 dill pickle spears, chopped (will be ~1 ¾ cup)
- 1 cup fresh dill, chopped
Creamy dill dressing components
- 1 ¼ cup vegan Mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
- ¼ cup pickle brine *Liquid from pickle jar
- 1.5 teaspoons garlic powder
- Salt and pepper *Optional
Instructions
- Cook rotini noodles in salted water according to package directions, drain in colander and rinse noodles with cold water to cool them down and prevent them from sticking to one another.
- Mix vegan mayo, dijon mustard, pickle brine, and garlic powder together in small mixing bowl.
- Add cooked pasta, dressing, shredded carrot, chopped pickles and fresh dill to a large bowl and mix together until everything is combined and dressing is coating all of the noodles and veggies. Chill in fridge for at least 30- 60 minutes prior to serving. Top with black pepper, additional salt to taste, and additional fresh dill for garnish.
Notes
Food safety
It is important to avoid leaving food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods of time. This dill pickle pasta salad is served cold; therefore, you need either take it off the table after two hours (returning it to the refrigerator or cooler or discarding it), OR figure out a way to serve it in a larger container of ice so that it stays at 40 degrees or less. Check out these potluck and picnic food safety tips for more information.
Thanks for coming! Let me know what you think: