This Dill Pickle Bacon Pasta Salad Is Kinda Legendary
If I’m being honest, there are only a handful of recipes in my arsenal that have everyone texting me for the recipe (and not just out of politeness, for once). This dill pickle bacon pasta salad is one of those rare unicorns. The first time I made it? It was for a summer BBQ, I dropped the bowl in front of my family, and within ten minutes my cousin had licked her fork, declared me a “pasta wizard,” and yes—taken the leftovers home. True story, I still tease her about it every year. It’s a real crowd-pleaser, and has magically converted even the biggest pickle skeptics (you know who you are, Aunt Jan!) into converts. Plus, there’s bacon, which is kind of a cure-all in my book.
Why I Can’t Stop Making This (And Maybe You Won’t Either)
I bust this out anytime I want a dish that seems fancy but actually takes hardly any effort, you know? My family loses their minds when I bring this out at picnics (someone always asks if I tripled the bacon—sometimes I didn’t). Actually, there was one summer when I made this three times in a week for various gatherings and didn’t even get tired of it—though my pants sure did. This pasta salad is salty, creamy, tangy, and just a bit crunchy; like all the best salad bits in one. And if you’re worried about the pickle thing, trust me, the pickles aren’t too intense—they just give it some zip. The only tricky part is not eating half the bacon before it gets to the bowl. (Guilty.)
What You’ll Need (But Here’s What I Actually Use…)
- 12 oz (about 3 cups) short pasta (I use rotini, but elbows or bowties do the trick. My grandma swore by penne for this, but honestly, any shape that grabs sauce is fine.)
- 6 strips of crispy bacon (sometimes I do 7 if I feel like living dangerously)
- 1 cup dill pickles, diced (I always sneak a few extra big pieces for myself; feel free to up it to 1 1/2 cups if you’re hardcore)
- 1/2 cup pickle juice (from the jar, nothing fancy)
- 3/4 cup mayo (Best Foods/Hellmann’s is my go-to, but sometimes half Greek yogurt if there’s too much mayo guilt at home)
- 1/2 small red onion, very finely diced (or green onions if you want it less sharp—sometimes I just use what’s leftover in the fridge)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever’s on hand, I’ve used Monterey Jack once and it was pretty good)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (or about 2 tbsp dried if you’re in a pinch, but fresh is top tier for this)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (don’t overthink this one, just some shakes from the grinder)
- Pinch of salt (really, just a pinch because the bacon and pickles already bring the salt)
How To Make Dill Pickle Bacon Pasta Salad
- Cook your pasta in a big pot of salted water until it’s just al dente (don’t overcook—I’ve done it, still edible but meh). Drain, rinse with cold water, and toss in a drizzle of pickle juice while it cools.
- Meanwhile, fry your bacon until it’s crispy. Set it on a paper towel, try to resist eating more than two pieces, then chop or crumble it.
- In a smaller bowl, mix the mayo, pickle juice, and black pepper (this is where I usually sneak a taste—if it seems too thick, add a splash more pickle juice).
- In a big bowl, combine cooled pasta, bacon, diced pickles, cheese, red onion, and fresh dill. Give it a good toss to distribute everything—don’t worry if it looks weird at first, it’ll come together, promise.
- Pour over the dressing and mix well til every noodle is glistening. Taste for salt; I almost never need more than a pinch because of all the salty friends in here.
- Cover and chill for at least an hour, though I’m gonna be honest—it tastes even better the next day when everything’s gotten friendly in the fridge. Serve cold, with extra dill on top if you like being fancy.
Real Talk: Notes from My Kitchen
- Pasta shapes: Anything bite-sized works; I once used spaghetti broken into thirds and, well, it worked, but it’s messier to eat.
- Bacon: Oven-baked is less messy, but stovetop works if you’re feeling old school.
- Dill: Actually, I find it’s way better with fresh if you can swing it, but if you only have dried, don’t sweat it.
What I’ve Tried (Some Good, Some Not)
- Used turkey bacon once—pretty tasty, though it lacked some oomph.
- Swapped cheddar for pepper jack; my husband loved it, I was medium on it.
- Once tried mixing in chopped celery for crunch… but honestly, didn’t fit the vibe. Won’t do that again.
Gear You’ll Need — Or Not
- Good sharp knife for pickles/onion (or just your least dull one, I use the one that isn’t in the dishwasher.)
- Big mixing bowl (if you don’t have one, a big stockpot works in a pinch)
- Colander (or, let’s be real, just fish out the pasta with a slotted spoon if you forgot to run the dishwasher)
Storing This Salad (If There’s Any Left)
This keeps in the fridge in a lidded container for 2-3 days, though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day! It tends to get even zingier overnight, which I totally love.
How I Like to Serve It
I pile it in a big serving bowl with a little extra dill showered on top, usually next to burgers straight off the grill. We have this quirky family thing where we toss hot dogs right into the bowl if we’re feeling wild. Don’t knock it til you’ve tried.
Pro Tips From My Missed Steps
- I once tried cooling the pasta too quickly (ice bath!) and it turned out soggy. Just cold water is fine.
- Don’t add the bacon while it’s hot or it goes kind of limp and weird in the salad.
- Best not to eyeball the pickle juice—measure it, or it’ll go from deliciously tangy to whoa, briny real quick.
Questions I’ve Gotten (Maybe You’re Wondering Too…)
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yep! Actually, I think it tastes better the next day. The flavors cozy up a bit. Just give it a stir before serving.
- What if someone doesn’t like pickles?
- Hmm. You could leave them out, but then it’s basically bacon pasta salad. Not necessarily a tragedy, but not the same magic.
- Is this gluten free?
- Not as written, but you can totally use gluten free pasta if you need to—all the other ingredients are pretty friendly.
Last bit of real advice: don’t overthink it. If you forget an ingredient or swap something, it’ll still be pretty darn good. The salad bowl will still be empty at the end, trust me.
Ingredients
- 12 oz (about 3 cups) short pasta (I use rotini, but elbows or bowties do the trick. My grandma swore by penne for this, but honestly, any shape that grabs sauce is fine.)
- 6 strips of crispy bacon (sometimes I do 7 if I feel like living dangerously)
- 1 cup dill pickles, diced (I always sneak a few extra big pieces for myself; feel free to up it to 1 1/2 cups if you’re hardcore)
- 1/2 cup pickle juice (from the jar, nothing fancy)
- 3/4 cup mayo (Best Foods/Hellmann’s is my go-to, but sometimes half Greek yogurt if there’s too much mayo guilt at home)
- 1/2 small red onion, very finely diced (or green onions if you want it less sharp—sometimes I just use what’s leftover in the fridge)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or whatever’s on hand, I’ve used Monterey Jack once and it was pretty good)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (or about 2 tbsp dried if you’re in a pinch, but fresh is top tier for this)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper (don’t overthink this one, just some shakes from the grinder)
- Pinch of salt (really, just a pinch because the bacon and pickles already bring the salt)
Instructions
-
1Cook your pasta in a big pot of salted water until it’s just al dente (don’t overcook—I’ve done it, still edible but meh). Drain, rinse with cold water, and toss in a drizzle of pickle juice while it cools.
-
2Meanwhile, fry your bacon until it’s crispy. Set it on a paper towel, try to resist eating more than two pieces, then chop or crumble it.
-
3In a smaller bowl, mix the mayo, pickle juice, and black pepper (this is where I usually sneak a taste—if it seems too thick, add a splash more pickle juice).
-
4In a big bowl, combine cooled pasta, bacon, diced pickles, cheese, red onion, and fresh dill. Give it a good toss to distribute everything—don’t worry if it looks weird at first, it’ll come together, promise.
-
5Pour over the dressing and mix well til every noodle is glistening. Taste for salt; I almost never need more than a pinch because of all the salty friends in here.
-
6Cover and chill for at least an hour, though I’m gonna be honest—it tastes even better the next day when everything’s gotten friendly in the fridge. Serve cold, with extra dill on top if you like being fancy.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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