
🥄 Why You’ll Love This Recipe…
Looking for a no-cook pasta salad that’s crunchy, cold, and packed with flavor?
This dill pickle pasta salad is the viral TikTok side dish you didn’t know you needed—and it’s ready in 15 minutes or less.
It’s the perfect chilled dish for hot summer days, potlucks, or anytime you don’t want to turn on the stove.
Pickles, TikTok, and a Foodie Love Affair
I’ll admit it—I was a dill pickle skeptic. But then TikTok hit me with a video of someone pouring pickle brine straight into their pasta salad, and the internet blew up..
Thousands of comments. Millions of views. And me? Curious (and hungry). What started as “I’ll just try a bite” became a full-blown obsession.
Now it’s on repeat all summer long in my kitchen.
🛒 Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Salad:
- 3 cups cooked rotini or elbow macaroni, rinsed and chilled
- 1 ½ cups chopped dill pickles (baby dills or spears)
- ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
- ½ red onion, finely diced2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- Optional: ½ cup pickle juice (brine), for extra flavor
For the Dressing:
- ½ cup sour cream
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and black pepper to taste
🍴 Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Start with Chilled Pasta
You’ll want your pasta completely cooled, so if you’re making this same-day, rinse it under cold water and pop it in the fridge.
Affiliate Tip: Hate sticky pasta? Toss it with a drizzle of olive oil and stir with this nonstick mixing spoon set for smooth, mess-free prep.
Step 2: Chop, Dice, and Dill
Chop your pickles, dice the onion, and snip up that dill. Keep it chunky for texture or go fine if you’re into smooth blends.
Step 3: Mix the Dressing
In a bowl, whisk together sour cream, mayo, mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in a little pickle brine if you like bold flavor.
Step 4: Combine Everything
Dump your pasta, pickles, cheese, onion, and fresh dill into a large bowl. Pour over the dressing and toss to coat.
Step 5: Chill & Serve
Let it chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. The longer it sits, the more flavor it absorbs.
Serve cold with extra chopped pickles on top if you’re feeling fancy.
🧊 Why This Recipe Works
- Zero cooking. The stove stays off, and your kitchen stays cool.
- Bold flavor. Pickle lovers unite—this is tangy, creamy, and sharp.
- Meal-prep magic. It tastes even better the next day.
No-Cook Dill Pickle Pasta Salad (TikTok’s New Summer Obsession)
Course: 30-Minute Meals, International Flavors, Pasta u0026amp; Comfort Food, Quick Lunches, Weeknight Dinners6
servings30
minutes200
kcalIngredients
3 cups cooked and cooled pasta (rotini or elbow)
– 1.5 cups chopped dill pickles
– ¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese
– ½ red onion, diced
– 2 tbsp fresh chopped dill
– ½ cup sour cream
– ¼ cup mayo
– 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
– 1 tsp garlic powder
– Salt and pepper to taste
– Optional: ½ cup pickle juice for added flavor
Directions
- In a large bowl, combine cooked cold pasta, pickles, onion, cheese, and dill.
- In a separate bowl, mix sour cream, mayo, mustard, garlic powder, and seasonings. Add pickle juice if using.
- 3. Pour dressing over pasta mixture and toss well to coat.
- Chill for 30 minutes before serving. Garnish with extra dill or pickles if desired
Notes
- Tastes best after 1–2 hours of chilling. Swap mayo for Greek yogurt for a lighter version.
🙋♀️ FAQs
Q: Can I make this ahead of time?
Absolutely! It tastes even better after sitting overnight in the fridge.
Q: Can I swap the mayo?
Yes—use Greek yogurt or more sour cream for a lighter, tangier taste.
Q: What if I don’t love pickles?
Try sweet pickles or banana peppers instead, or reduce the quantity and add cucumbers.
🔗 Internal Links
Want something meaty to serve with this? Try these Smash Burger Tacos—a backyard BBQ match made in heaven.
🛍️ Affiliate links
🥄 Pro Tip: Speed up your prep with this compact veggie chopper. It dices pickles and onions like a boss—no tears, no stress.
Affiliate Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting 30-Minute Bites!
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🥒 Pickle lovers, unite!
If you made this recipe, comment below or tag @30MinuteBites on Pinterest and Facebook.We want to see your dill-icious creation!

