Dill Pickle Pasta Salad
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This dill pickle pasta salad is a cold pasta salad made with crunchy pickles, cucumber, gem lettuce, bacon and a creamy Greek yogurt dressing. Made without mayo, cheese or sour cream, it is a practical cold lunch for busy professionals and families. Pair it with a prepared protein to make it more filling.Note - ingredients can be approximate
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.
Notes
Note 1 - Greek yogurt
Substitute with another thick yogurt alternative (I would recommend a dairy-free Greek-style yogurt rather than another type as they won't be as thick).
You could also substitute with mayonnaise or sour cream to align with other recipes, but I haven't tested this.
Note 2 - Dill pickles
Use firm, crunchy dill pickles for a sharp, savoury flavour. Avoid sweet or bread-and-butter pickles, as their added sugar will change the taste of the salad.
Serve with
Your choice of protein e.g. slow cooker shredded chicken breast, leftover roast chicken, salmon, tuna, chickpeas
Storing
Store the salad and dressing separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 4–5 days; once fully dressed, it is best eaten within 2 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 339kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 14gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.02gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 409mgPotassium: 375mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 719IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 71mgIron: 1mg
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