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Dill Pickle Bacon Pasta Salad

Dill pickle bacon pasta salad is a creamy pasta salad loaded with chunky dill pickle pieces and crispy bacon crumbles. Tossed in a tangy pickle-brine dressing, it’s briny, smoky, and ready for potlucks after chilling.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Pasta salad base
  • 12 oz rotini or elbow pasta Cook until al dente, then cool completely.
  • 8 bacon strips Cook crispy and crumble; reserve some for topping.
  • 1.5 cups dill pickles Dice, and reserve some if you want extra crunch on top.
  • 3 tbsp pickle brine Use in the dressing and reserve a little for adjusting after chilling.
  • 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese Cube small.
  • 0.5 red onion Finely dice.
  • 3 tbsp fresh dill Chop and divide for mixing and topping.
Creamy pickle-brine dressing
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp pickle brine Add to the dressing for tang and depth.
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp dill weed
  • salt To taste.
  • pepper To taste.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Make the dressing
  1. Whisk mayonnaise, pickle brine, apple cider vinegar, Dijon, garlic powder, and dill weed until smooth, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
  2. Continue whisking for 15-30 seconds until the dressing looks evenly creamy and briny, with no dill-weed clumps.
Assemble the pasta salad
  1. Cook rotini or elbow pasta in a Dutch oven until al dente, then drain and cool completely.
  2. In a large bowl, combine cooled pasta, diced dill pickles, crumbled bacon (reserve some for topping), cheddar cubes, red onion, and fresh dill.
  3. Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss until every piece looks coated and creamy.
  4. Taste and adjust brine, salt, or dill as needed for your preferred tang.
Chill and serve
  1. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let flavors meld and the dressing thicken on the pasta.
  2. Before serving, stir in a splash of extra brine if needed to refresh the tang and loosen the dressing.
  3. Top with the reserved bacon and extra fresh dill for visible crunch and freshness.

Notes

For best texture, cool the pasta fully before mixing so the creamy dressing doesn’t thin out. Refrigerate covered for up to 4 days; give it a stir and add a teaspoon or two of extra brine if it tastes less tangy after chilling. Freezing isn’t recommended because the mayo-based dressing can break and the pickles can soften. For a lower-fat option, use light mayonnaise while keeping the same pickle-brine amount for the signature briny flavor.