16 ounces medium pasta shells
2/3 cup pickle juice, divided
2 cups chopped dill pickles
1 cup diced onion
8 ounces Monterey Jack cheese (or other mild-flavor cheese,) cut into small cubes
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Optional: fresh dill fronds
Step 1: Prepare the pasta
Cook the pasta in salted water according to the package directions until the pasta is al dente. Drain the pasta, then rinse it several times in cold water until it’s completely cool.
Step 2: Combine the ingredients
Pour the cool pasta into a large mixing bowl, then add in 1/3 cup of the pickle juice, the chopped dill pickles, diced onion and cubed cheese. Use a silicone spatula to gently toss everything together.
Step 3: Make the dressing
Combine the remaining pickle juice, mayonnaise, sour cream, dill, salt and pepper in a small bowl, using a whisk to thoroughly mix the ingredients.
Step 4: Dress the salad
Pour the dressing over the ingredients in the bowl, and use the silicone spatula to fold and stir the salad until everything is completely coated in the dressing. Garnish the top with fresh dill, if you’d like.
Chill the salad for at least 30 minutes before serving.
Tips for Making Pickle Pasta Salad
What kind of pickles should I use in this salad?
Any variety of dill pickles can be used! Whole pickles will have the most crunch after chopping, though. Garlic dill pickles taste great in this salad, as do spicy dill pickles (I like Sucker Punch Spicy Garlic Dills). Dice the pickles into 1/2-inch-sized pieces.