If you're a pickle lover, this dill pickle pasta salad is about to become your new go-to! It's creamy (without a drop of mayo or dairy), and packed with fresh crunch from carrots, cucumber, and red onion. And the homemade creamy dill pickle dressing? It's tangy, rich, and straight-up irresistible!
This recipe is vegan, gluten-free with your choice of pasta, oil-free, and can be made without nuts.
Maybe you've heard of dill pickle pasta salad? I'm not 100% sure where it originated, but according to a video I saw online, I think Holly of Spend With Pennies was the original creator.
Anyway, now there are quite a few versions online, which tends to happen after a recipe goes viral. Most of the recipes I've seen have a mayo-based dressing and cubed cheddar cheese tossed with the pasta and pickles.
I have to say, cheese wrapped in a creamy macaroni salad-style dressing is a little over-the-top for me. Another thing I've noticed is an absence of fresh veggies, other than some onion.
It reminds me more of macaroni salad than a classic pasta salad. And you can certainly use elbow macaroni for the pasta if you'd like.
For this vegan version, I couldn't resist adding some color and crunch in the form of fresh carrots, cucumber, and red onion. I decided orange cubes of carrot would be a fun nod to the cheddar in the original. And of course, cucumber adds freshness to contrast the dill pickles.
Once I learned about this pickle-rific dish, I knew it would be ridiculously easy to create a plant-based version.
And not only was it easy, it really, really surprised us. It was all I could do to finish snapping the photos before I started shoveling this cool and creamy pasta in my mouth!
So if you try it, and also find yourself hooked, don't say I didn't warn you.
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Why You’ll Love It
For starters, this isn’t your average deli-style pasta salad. It's also not like other dill pickle pasta recipes! It’s:
- 100% plant-based—with an easy homemade dill pickle dressing you'll want to put on everything
- creamy, salty, tangy, and SO good even your non-vegan friends will love it
- perfect for picnics, BBQs, or weekday lunches
- make-ahead friendly and even better the next day!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you’ll toss together:
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- Pasta: short shapes like shells, rotini, or bowties hold the dressing beautifully.
- Diced veggies: carrots, cucumber, and red onion for crunch and color.
- Chickpeas: though adding beans is optional, it is an easy way to bulk up the pasta and add a little protein and fiber.
- Dill pickles + pickle brine: the star players. Go for a good quality, garlicky or kosher-style pickle for the best flavor. Baby dills are great.
- Fresh dill: or dried, if that's what you have. Because more dill is always a good idea.
And for the dill pickle dressing:
- Raw cashews: if you need a substitute, go with raw sunflower seeds or a combination of sunflower, pumpkin, and/or hemp seeds. Another option is to use vegan mayonnaise and a little plain, unsweetend yogurt (any variety that works for you).
- Dill pickles + brine from the jar
- Water
- Fresh dill: or dried, to taste
- Garlic and onion powder
See the recipe card below for amounts and full step-by-step instructions.
Pro tip: Make extra.
You'll have just enough dressing for 16 ounces of pasta. So if you only prepare 12 ounces of pasta (as the recipe is written), you'll have plenty.
But if you're feeding a crowd or just want to cook a full pound of pasta, go ahead and make 25–50% more dressing. It's better to have too much than not enough. Plus, you’ll want to drizzle it on everything!
How to Make It
First, blend the dressing until smooth and creamy. Taste for seasoning and add as much fresh dill, salt, and pickles as you like. You want the dressing to be very flavorful.
Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Then drain in a colander and rinse with cold water to cool it down and prevent sticking.
Add the pasta to a large bowl and toss with 1 cup of the dressing. Add the chopped pickles and veggies, fresh dill, and additional dressing.
Toss it all together, and season with salt and pepper.
Hint :
Be sure to salt your pasta water! Salting each layer of the dish is critical to achieve the best dill pickle flavor. 🥒
Variations
- Add halved cherry tomatoes or diced celery.
- Swap chickpeas for white beans, diced seitan or vegan chick'n strips.
- Toss in several handfuls of baby spinach or arugula.
FAQs
Yes! In fact, it tastes even better the next day after the flavors meld. Just give it a good stir before serving and, if needed, splash in a little pickle brine to loosen up the dressing.
Absolutely. If you avoid cashews, swap them for ½ cup raw sunflower seeds, or use a combination of creamy, unsweetened vegan yogurt and mayo. The flavor will shift a bit, but it’ll still be delicious.
It can be! Just use your favorite gluten-free pasta. Chickpea or lentil-based pastas also work and add an extra protein boost.
Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, dill pickle pasta salad will keep for 4–5 days. It’s great for meal prep and weekday lunches.
Helpful Tips
- If the dressing is too thick, thin it with a little water or pickle brine. It should be pourable but still creamy.
- Don't skimp on the pickles or the salt in the dressing.
- And remember to salt your pasta water!
More Pasta Salad Recipes
I hope you enjoy my vegan take on dill pickle pasta salad. If you try the recipe, be sure to comment below and let us know!
Recipe
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dry pasta - such as rotini or shells
- 1 small red onion - chopped; Tip: if it smells extra strong, soak in cold water for 10 min. then drain
- 2 medium carrots - peeled and chopped
- ½ large English cucumber - chopped
- 1½ cups chopped Kosher dill pickles - use crisp, garlicky Kosher dills
- 1 (15 oz.) can chickpeas - rinsed well and drained
- salt and pepper
- 2–3 Tablespoons chopped fresh dill - optional
Creamy dill pickle dressing:
- ¾ cup raw cashews - see Notes
- ½ cup water
- ¼ cup pickle brine
- 4–5 med/large Kosher dill pickles
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill - or ½–¾ teaspoon dried, adjust to taste
Instructions
- Make the dressing. In a blender combine all the dressing ingredients except the dill. Blend on high until completely smooth. Scrape down the sides as needed. Add the dill and blend again. Taste and adjust the flavors, adding another pickle or more salt as desired.
- Cook the pasta in salted water until al dente. Drain in a colander and rinse thoroughly with cold water to cool it down and prevent sticking.
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the pasta with 1 cup of the dressing. Add the onion, carrots, cucumber, dill pickles, and another ⅓–½ cup dressing (you might have a little bit leftover). Season with salt and pepper and fold in the dill. Taste for seasoning, and add more chopped pickles or veggies if you like. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Notes
- cashews – ½ cup raw sunflower seeds or a combination of sunflower, pumpkin, and hemp seeds may be used instead; or use vegan mayo and a dollop of any plain, unsweetened yogurt that works for you.
- chickpeas – omit or add white beans, diced seitan, or plant-based chicken strips
- other veggies – chopped celery and halved cherry tomatoes are right at home in this pasta. Arugula or baby spinach also pair well.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and specific products and ingredients used.
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