Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
If you’re the kind of person who eats pickles straight from the jar, this dill pickle pasta salad is going to be your new obsession. Ready in half an hour, it is creamy, crunchy, tangy, and loaded with flavor.
While I was pregnant, I had been obsessed with meal prep salads. All it takes is half an hour of your time to prep ingredients and split them between jars. It saves so much time, and you can enjoy a different PlantYou salad recipe every week!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Do you love pickles or do you love pickles? This dill pickle pasta salad highlights them in the best possible way.
- This recipe holds up beautifully in the fridge. Great for weekly meal prep, a picnic, or a backyard BBQ.
- Between pasta, chickpeas, and vegan cheese, this is more than just a side dish. It has everything you need in a main meal!
- The whole recipe comes together in about 25 minutes! That’s a minuscule amount of time to prep four servings – perfect for busy (and heavily pregnant haha) people.
Key Ingredients
- Macaroni pasta is the carbohydrate base that soaks up all that creamy, tangy dressing.
- Chickpeas add a protein boost, which contributes to your daily intake and creates a sense of fullness.
- Dill pickles are the star ingredient that creates a strong flavor profile, along with pickle juice (we don’t waste food here!).
- Vegan cheddar adds richness and a familiar creamy texture to this dill pickle pasta salad.
Hack It!
- No chickpeas? Use a different type of legume like white beans or edamame.
- Use gluten-free pasta to easily transform this recipe for a gluten allergy or Celiac disease.
- Layer into mason jars or mix in the bowl – this dill pickle pasta salad works both ways!
- Got more pickle juice leftover? Make delicious tahini dill dipping sauce, tofu “chicken” sandwich, or dill pickle soup.
- Use any plain vegan yogurt, depending on availability and dietary restrictions.
How to Make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Step 1: Cook your macaroni noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine the noodles, chopped pickles, red onion, chickpeas, vegan cheddar, and fresh dill.
Step 3: In a separate bowl or jar, whisk together the dressing. Combine yogurt, pickle juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil (if using), garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to coat. Taste and adjust salt or pickle juice as desired. For best flavor, let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store in the fridge for up to 4 days. Tastes even better the next day.
I would never stop you from eating more plants! Especially if it helps you avoid waste. Serve this salad on a bed of greens, add some roasted bell peppers, or throw in celery for extra crunch.
Take your pick! Tofu cubes, setain, or fresh edamame all fit great with this dill pickle pasta salad.
More Plant-Based Salads
- Kale White Bean Salad
- Thai Noodle Salad
- Pesto Pasta Salad
- Cauliflower Sweet Potato Salad
- Cucumber Chickpea Salad
If you love cooking (and especially meal prep), join our Plant Cooking Club on Substack! Every week, a new meal plan full of plants drops in your inbox – not to mention an amazing and supportive community you get to be a part of!
The Recipe: Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 4 cups macaroni (cooked), about 2 cups dry
- ¾ cup dill pickles, chopped
- ½ red onion, small, finely diced
- 15 oz chickpeas, 1 can, drained and rinsed
- ¾ cup vegan cheddar, shredded
- 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 green onion, chopped
For the dressing
- ½ cup vegan yogurt, unsweetened
- ¼ cup pickle juice
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp olive oil, optional, for richness
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
Equipment
- Small jar or bowl for the dressing
- 4 Large jars if doing meal prep
Instructions
- Cook your macaroni noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse with cold water until completely cooled.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the noodles, chopped pickles, red onion, chickpeas, vegan cheddar, and fresh dill.
- In a separate bowl or jar, whisk together the yogurt, pickle juice, Dijon mustard, olive oil (if using), garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta salad and toss to coat. Taste and adjust salt or pickle juice as desired. For best flavor, let sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- If meal prepping, you can make salad jars, by combining the dressing ingredients in the bottom of 3 to 4 jars, and layering the ingredients in this order: chickpeas, red onion, pickles, macaroni, cheese, fresh dill
Notes
- No chickpeas? Use a different type of legume like white beans or edamame.
- Use gluten-free pasta to easily transform this recipe for a gluten allergy or Celiac disease.
- Layer into mason jars or mix in the bowl – this dill pickle pasta salad works both ways!
- Got more pickle juice leftover? Make delicious tahini dill dipping sauce, tofu “chicken” sandwich, or dill pickle soup.
- Use any plain vegan yogurt, depending on availability and dietary restrictions.
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