Dill Pickle Pasta Salad (Gluten-Free, Vegan)

This easy Dill Pickle Pasta Salad is a must for all pickle lovers! Gluten-free and vegan, this pickle pasta salad is cool, creamy, tangy, and salty with the perfect amount of real pickle crunch and fresh herby dill! This healthier allergy-free side dish recipe is just 7 ingredients, perfect for potlucks, cookouts, BBQs, and quick weekly meal prep!

Raise your hand if you LOVE pickles! Even if you don't, I think (I know), you're going to love this pickle pasta salad! Cold, creamy, pasta salad with crisp and crunchy dill pickles, fresh herby dill, garlic, onion, and extra briny pickle juice! The best part is, it's gluten-free and vegan so everyone at the weekend potluck can enjoy a big hearty scoop! When the warm weather rolls around and cold side dishes are a must, nothing beats a quick, easy, and unique pasta salad!

Why You'll Love This Pickle Pasta Salad

The only cooking required is boiling your gluten-free pasta! Then just a little chopping, mixing, and the patience to allow it to chill before devouring. You only need 7 ingredients and there are so many ways to customize this pickle pasta even further. Kids and adults will love it and it's perfectly creamy without the dairy! This recipe is:

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan & Vegetarian
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
• Grain-Free & Paleo Option
• Sugar-Free & Oil-Free
• Kid-Friendly
• A Make-Ahead & Meal Prep Essential
• Simple Side Dish, Lunch, or Light Dinner
• Great For Summer Potlucks, Picnics, BBQs, & Cookouts

Ingredients For Gluten-Free Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

• Gluten-Free Pasta: You have many options on the type of pasta, but I went with a gluten-free shell pasta so the noodles would be similar size to the pickle pieces and be little pockets of creamy deliciousness for every bite. You can use gluten-free macaroni, rotini, grain-free pasta for low-carb, or legume-based pasta for extra protein!
• Baby Dill Pickles: A jar of baby kosher dill pickles is the perfect amount for this pasta! They're easy to slice and chop for the salad, plus you'll be using the pickle juice in this recipe as well (a 2 for 1)!
• Onion: I went with a sweet Vidalia onion, however, you can use white onion, red onion, or shallots.
• Garlic: Miced garlic is essential for that perfect garlicky briney pickle flavor.
• Vegan Mayo: You can use my homemade eggless mayo or a store-bought variety like Hellman's vegan mayonnaise.
• Vegan Sour Cream: You can use my 2-ingredient vegan sour cream recipe or a dairy-free store-bought variety.
• Fresh Dill: I love dill and fresh dill adds so much flavor and aroma to the creamy pasta salad! Don't skimp on this and it's great for garnishing. If you only have access to dried dill you can substitute that in if you must.
• Black Pepper: Usually I would say salt and pepper to taste, but since this recipe uses an entire jar of pickles plus some pickle juice I didn't feel the need for extra salt, but that's up to you. However, some extra cracker black pepper adds just enough spice to every bite!

Ingredient Add-Ins & Substitutions

• Pasta: Again, as stated above, you can use grain-free pasta, chickpea or lentil pasta, or a different shape of gluten-free pasta. A rotini or spiral pasta is great but smaller bite-sized noodles like macaroni or shells are best!
• Vegan Yogurt: To swap out the vegan mayo and sour cream, you can use a thick, unsweetened, plain vegan Greek yogurt. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar and you have a slightly lighter creamy option!
• Extra Veggies: Did you know pickles are cucumbers which are fruits? I know! But if you want to amp up the veggies in this salad some great fresh options include diced celery, chopped or shredded carrots, sliced or diced bell peppers, chopped English cucumbers, sliced cherry or grape tomatoes, or chopped broccoli!
• Vegan Cheese: For a slight hamburger vibe, you can add some cubed vegan cheddar or pepperjack cheese.
• Coconut Bacon: For a crunchy smokey vibe, add half a cup or so of homemade coconut bacon!
• Make It Spicy: If you want extra spice, you can use spicy dill pickles in place of regular or you can add a touch of hot sauce or chili powder to the dish!

How To Make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

1. Boil your gluten-free pasta al dente, while you chop and dice the pickles, onion, and dill.
2. Drain and rinse the pasta under cold water to stop the cooking process and add it to a large mixing bowl. Toss the pasta with 2 tablespoons of pickle juice.

3. Add the vegan mayo, sour cream, pickle juice, garlic, black pepper, and fresh dill to a small mixing bowl.
4. Stir the creamy dressing together to fully combine the ingredients. Taste the mixture and adjust any ingredients if needed.

5. Add the vegan dressing, chopped pickles, and diced onion to the cooked gluten-free pasta.
6. Mix everything together to fully coat in the dressing before chilling the pickle pasta salad in the fridge until ready to serve.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Don't overcook the pasta! Gluten-free pasta tends to get mushier regardless, so make sure you follow the package instructions for al dente texture. Immediately drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to stop the pasta from cooking further and maintain that nice bite. While the pasta is still warm make sure to toss it with the cool pickle juice so it can soak up that briny goodness!
• This creamy pasta salad is best served chilled! Once everything is mixed together, allow the flavors to develop, the dressing to thicken, and the dish to chill for at least 30 minutes before serving!
• Slice the baby dills lengthwise and then horizontally to get a small chop. I reserved one whole pickle to slice into rounds for topping the finished pasta salad.

Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions

• Make-Ahead: This pasta salad is ideal for meal prepping! You can cook your pasta, chop your veggies, and mix together your dressing. Toss everything together the morning before you're ready to serve at your gathering. You can also make the entire dish ahead of time and reserve half the dressing to toss in the pasta before serving to loosen up the pasta.
• Leftovers: You can store leftovers in a closed container in the fridge for up to 5 days. This salad will thicken as it sits in the fridge and the pasta will soften, but it's still delicious with a quick stir before serving. You can add a dollop of extra sour cream or a splash of pickle juice if the leftovers get too thick.
• Freezing: Creamy macaroni or pasta salads are not ideal for freezing as the texture will get funny once defrosted and the creamy dressing may separate.

How To Serve Creamy Pickle Pasta Salad

This vegan pickle pasta is the perfect cold pasta salad for summer BBQs, cookouts, potlucks, and picnics! An essential side dish everyone will love, but you can also serve it as an entree by adding a grilled protein like this grilled chicken, salmon, vegan bacon, or portobello steak!

More Delicious Gluten-Free Pasta Salads:

• Classic Italian Pasta Salad
• Gluten-Free Greek Pasta Salad
• Hawaiian Macaroni Salad
• Vegan BLT Pasta Salad
• Classic American Macaroni Salad
• Asian Pasta Salad
• Spring Orzo Pasta Salad

Print

You can pretend all you want to not like pickles, but this creamy, delicious, gluten-free dill pickle pasta salad is a life-changing eating experience!

So tell me:

+ What's your favorite type of pickle?

———————————————-

Stay connected:

Facebook: Strength and Sunshine

Twitter: @RebeccaGF666

Instagram: @rebeccagf666

Pinterest: RebeccaGF666

TikTok: @strengthandsunshine