This dill pickle pasta salad combines pasta, crunchy dill pickles, cucumber, gem lettuce and bacon with a creamy Greek yogurt and pickle juice dressing. It is made without mayo, cheese or sour cream and can be prepared ahead for cold lunches when you cannot be bothered joining the microwave queue at work.
I become mildly pickle-obsessed whenever I visit Canada with my partner because there is something about the pickles over there that hits differently. I usually return to Australia craving everything pickle-flavoured, so after my latest trip I decided that obsession needed to become an actual meal-prep recipe rather than another jar eaten directly from the fridge.
Unlike most creamy pickle pasta salad recipes, this version has been specifically developed with meal prep in mind. I already use Greek yogurt instead of a mayonnaise-heavy dressing in recipes such as my big mac pasta salad and chicken macaroni pasta salad. I love mayonnaise as much as the next person, but eating a thick mayonnaise dressing day after day can get a bit heavy. Greek yogurt keeps this salad creamy without all the added eck.
TL;DR
- Servings: 4
- Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 10 minutes
- Meal prep: A practical cold meal prep that can be paired with chicken, salmon or another protein. Store the dressing separately for the best texture across the week.
- Fridge storage: 4-5 days with the dressing stored separately. Once fully dressed, the salad is best within 2 days because the lettuce and cucumber gradually soften.
- Customise: Leave out the bacon, add shredded chicken, and adjust the sauce ingredients depending on your preferences.
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Why you'll love this recipe
Creamy without the cream. Greek yogurt retains the creaminess without the heavy mayonnaise, cheese or sour cream found in many pasta salads.
Cold meal prep. Eat it straight from the fridge when you cannot be bothered waiting for the work microwave to become free.
Easy to make. The dressing is whisked in one bowl while the pasta and bacon cook.
Easy to add protein. Serve it with slow cooker shredded chicken, leftover roast chicken or crispy skin salmon.
Ingredients
Dill pickles. Dill pickles are cucumbers preserved in a vinegar or fermented brine flavoured with dill, garlic and other savoury seasonings. They are sharper and more savoury than bread-and-butter or sweet pickles, which contain more sugar and would change the flavour of this salad. Choose firm, crunchy dill pickles rather than soft slices so they retain their texture during storage.
Greek yogurt. This forms the base of the dressing and makes the salad creamy without mayo or sour cream. A plain Greek yogurt with a thick consistency works best because runny yogurt can produce a thin dressing once the pickle juice is added.
Pasta. Use a firm shape with ridges or folds that can collect the creamy dill dressing. Fusilli, rotini and bow-tie pasta work well and keep their shape during meal prep. Avoid fragile pasta and very small shapes that can soften, tear or disappear among the chopped vegetables.
Fresh dill. I highly recommend using fresh dill because it provides the unmistakable flavour this recipe needs. Dried dill is more muted and requires a larger quantity, but adding more can make the dressing taste dusty rather than fresh.
Mustard. I have tested both Dijon and American mustard in this dressing. Dijon provides a sharper mustard flavour, but American mustard cuts through the yogurt and pickle juice more clearly, so it is my preferred option when available.
Gem lettuce. Gem lettuce is one of the heartier lettuce varieties for meal prep and can hold up for several days, even when it comes into contact with some dressing. Softer leaves wilt far more quickly and are not as reliable for a prepared lunch.
Bacon. I first tested this pickle pasta salad without bacon, but the final flavour felt sharply acidic and needed something savoury to round it out. Bacon adds salt, crispness and a lightly smoky element that balances the yogurt and pickle juice without requiring cheese.
Substitutions and Variations
Add proteins. There's already bacon and Greek yogurt in this recipe, but if you want to add extra protein, shredded chicken and salmon both work well. You could also try chickpeas for a vegetarian option.
With extra vegetables. Celery, capsicum, grated carrot or finely sliced cabbage can be added for more crunch. Choose firm vegetables that store well rather than delicate leaves or very juicy tomatoes.
Yogurt. While my personal preference is to have this without mayonnaise or heavy cream, a lot of other recipes will use mayonnaise and/or sour cream for this combination of flavours. Feel free to substitute - and let me know what you think!
How to make Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
Step 1: Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil with salt and cook the pasta 2 minutes under packet instructions (this will help it hold its integrity a little more if meal prepping). The pasta should be cooked through but retain a slight firmness when bitten. Drain immediately under cold water and set aside to cool.
Step 2: At the same time as your pasta, you can cook your bacon on the stove for approx 3-5 minutes each side (depending how crispy you like it).
Step 3: Mix together sauce ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust according to your preferences (e.g. if you reaaaaaaly like pickles, add some more pickles if you're not getting enough pickley taste).
Step 4: Add the cooled pasta, red onion, cucumber, gem lettuce, dill pickles and chopped bacon to a large mixing bowl. Toss gently until the ingredients are evenly distributed.
If serving immediately, add the dressing over and mix. I also recommend popping it in the fridge for 30 minutes to help the flavours develop.
If you're having this for meal prep, consider storing the sauce separately.
Lauren's Top Tips
Cool the pasta completely. Warm pasta can thin the Greek yogurt dressing and trap steam inside the storage container.
Dry the vegetables. Patting the cucumber and pickles dry prevents additional brine and water from pooling at the bottom of the salad.
Taste the dressing before adding more pickle juice. The saltiness and acidity of pickle brine differ between brands, so adjust gradually rather than pouring in extra at once.
Meal Prepping Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
This dill pickle pasta salad is an easy cold meal-prep option because the pasta provides carbohydrates, the cucumber and lettuce add vegetables, and the bacon contributes some protein and savoury flavour. For a more balanced and filling lunch, pair it with shredded chicken, roast chicken, salmon, tuna, chickpeas or another protein that suits your week.
It is particularly useful for office lunches because it does not require reheating. You can take the container directly from the fridge, mix in the dressing and eat, which means there is no queue for the microwave and no attempt to carry a dangerously hot container back to your desk.
Storing
For the best texture, store the creamy dill dressing separately from the pasta, bacon and vegetables or at least have it layered, similar to the method used for my chicken caesar pasta salad (pictured above). By having the pasta and proteins closer to the sauce and the lettuce and softer vegetables away from the dressing, the salad will last longer (approx. 4-5 days) in the refrigerator.
When the salad has already been fully dressed, store it in an airtight container and eat it within approximately 2 days for the best texture. It may remain suitable to eat beyond that point when stored correctly, but the lettuce will wilt and the cucumber will soften. It is still a salad, but it begins losing structural integrity and anyone sensitive to soft textures will notice.
Preparing to eat your meal prep
Because Greek yogurt and pasta both absorb moisture in the fridge, the salad may look slightly drier after several days. A teaspoon of pickle juice or Greek yogurt stirred through immediately before eating will loosen it again. Add only a small amount at a time to avoid turning the dressing watery.
If you want more meal prep information, check out my Meal Prep for Beginners post and my Meal Prep Basics E-Book.
FAQs
Cool and drain the pasta thoroughly, then pat the cucumber and dill pickles dry before mixing. Store the dressing separately and add additional pickle juice only a teaspoon at a time.
Pasta absorbs moisture from the dressing while refrigerated, particularly after several days. Stir through a teaspoon of Greek yogurt or pickle juice immediately before eating to restore the creamy texture.
You can use dried dill when fresh is unavailable, but it will not provide the same fresh pickle flavour. Start with a smaller amount because dried herbs are concentrated, then allow the dressing to rest for 10 minutes before tasting and adjusting.
Other easy salad recipes you'll like
Or, you can have a browse through my salad meal prep recipes for more delicious eats.
Recipe
Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
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Equipment
- large bowl
Ingredients
- 250 g (9 oz) pasta, sturdy shape e.g. bow-tie, fusilli
- 3 pieces bacon, shortcut
- ½ red onion
- 1 cucumber
- 1 gem/romaine lettuce
- ¼ cup dill pickles
- ½ cup Greek yogurt, subs note 1
- 2 tablespoon dill pickle, see note 2
- 2 tablespoon dill, fresh recommended
- 2 tablespoon pickle juice
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tablespoon American mustard
Instructions
- Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil. Add 250 g (9 oz) pasta and cook for 2 minutes less than the packet instructions, or until cooked through but still slightly firm when bitten.
- Drain the pasta immediately and rinse under cold running water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to drain and cool completely.
- While the pasta cooks, heat a frying pan over medium heat. Cook 3 pieces baconfor approximately 3-5 minutes on each side, or until browned and as crisp as you prefer. Transfer the bacon to a chopping board, allow it to cool slightly, then chop it into small pieces. Let cool.
- While this is happening, prepare the rest of your ingredients: Finely dice ½ red onion, 1 cucumber, ¼ cup dill pickles and slice 1 gem/romaine lettuce. Set aside.
- Very finely dice 2 tbsp dill pickle, 2 tbsp dill and 1 clove garlic then mix together with ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp pickle juice, 1 tbsp American mustard. Taste and adjust if needed
- Add the cooled pasta, red onion, cucumber, gem lettuce, dill pickles and chopped bacon to a large mixing bowl. Toss gently until evenly combined.
- When serving immediately, pour over the dressing and toss until everything is lightly coated. Refrigerate for approximately 30 minutes before serving, when time permits, to allow the pasta to absorb more of the pickle flavour.
- For meal prep, divide the pasta salad between containers and store the dressing separately. Mix the dressing through immediately before eating to help the lettuce and cucumber retain their texture.
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