It isn't summer without a creamy pasta salad on the menu.
Bring this one to your next gathering!
Love pickles?
I do. Well, dill pickles rather. I hate sweet pickles. Barf. Don't put them near me. But the dill variety? I'd snack on a whole jar if I didn't know they'd make me swell from the salt intake the following day.
Anyway, I love dill pickles.
If you're a hater {I know many of you...} I'm sure you've already checked out. It's okay. You'll come back for the Double Chocolate Banana Muffins coming up next. Because let's be honest, everyone loves muffins.
So last week was kinda a "week". We finished up the older two kid's t-ball league, my oldest had he last day of Nature Camp, my mom visited and the husband worked some seriously weird and odd hours, which for us is par for the course, yet it interrupted our schedule a bit.
I literally had it in my head that I'd make this pasta salad each day of the week to go along with some burgers on the grill and then every stinking day something interfered with those plans. Thank god, I'm flexible.
Finally, come Saturday, I made this side dish. We planned a quiet night at home, but it turned out being a long day of golf for the guys and having friends over later for dinner that night. But this pasta salad made the menu so that is all that really mattered.
Even I was getting sick of thinking about it.
But then I tasted it - fabulous!
If you love dill, you'll love this. If you love pickles, you'll love this. If you love a creamy, not sweet, yet not quite tangy cold pasta, you'll love this.
Are you still with me?
And in case you are bored...there is a unique way to get EXTRA pickle flavor into this pasta. I had heard of a recipe doing this once before and remembered it when putting this one together. I really do think it gives it more of a pickle-y flavor.
Make this for dinner! It goes great along side a juicy burger and baked beans {at least that is my favorite}. If you want to give your guests an array of pasta salads to choose from you definitely also need to try my Deviled Egg Pasta Salad or my Creamy Avocado, Tomato and Bacon Pasta Salad. Both are great in different ways!
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
1/2 lb. medium shell pasta
1/2 c. chopped dill pickles
4 mini sweet peppers, finely diced
1/2 c. cubed colby cheese
1/4 c. chopped onion, finely diced
2 t. dried dill
3/4 c. pickle juice
2/3 c. mayo
1/3 c. sour cream
1/8 t. cayenne
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
1. In a bowl combine the mayo, sour cream, 1/4 c. of the pickle juice, cayenne, dill, salt and pepper and set aside.
2. Bring a pot of water to boil, generously salting the water. Cook the shell pasta to al dente, drain and place in a bowl with the remaining 1/2 c. pickle juice. Toss the pasta in the pickle juice and let it sit for 5 minutes.
3. Drain the pasta from the pickle juice and toss with the prepared dressing, chopped pickles, cheese, peppers and onion.
4. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
