Every year when warm weather rolls around, I start craving pasta salad! Not that it isn’t a great food to eat in the colder months. But I associate it with warm weather and cookouts because pasta salad makes an appearance at every one! And this Dill Pickle Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad is one of THE BEST! Whenever I take this somewhere, it gets devoured. People beg for the recipe. If that is not an indication of just how good it really is. I don’t know what else to tell you. One bite and you will be hooked. It’s that good!
And here are a few more great recipes to check out while you are here!
Sunshine Broccoli Supreme Salad
Grandma’s Old Fashioned Potato Salad
What is Needed to Make Dill Pickle Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad?
- 16 oz Rotini Pasta, or any type of short pasta that you like
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- 1/2 Cup Pickle Juice
- 16 oz Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 2 Cups Dill Pickles, chopped
- 8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese
- 2 tbsp Fresh Dill, chopped
- 1 Packet Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
How To Make Dill Pickle Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
This is just a summary. The full recipe is below. Start by cooking your bacon. I like to make mine in the oven. Put it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake it at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until desired crispiness. It comes out perfect every time.
Cook your pasta in salted boiling water until al dente. When it is finished, drain it, then run under cold water until completely cooled.
In a large mixing bowl, mix the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, ranch seasoning and dill. Mix well. Add in the cooked and cooled pasta, the chopped pickles, cubed cheese and bacon. Mix it really well again. Let it sit in the fridge for at least one hour before serving. Serve cold and enjoy!
For serving purposes, I like to keep a little bit of the bacon, cheese, pickles and dill to put on top. It makes a nice presentation but is not necessary.
If you do make this recipe, please leave a comment and a rating! I love hearing from you and it helps so much! Thank you!
Dill Pickle Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad
Ingredients
- 16 oz Rotini or any other type of short pasta that you like
- 16 oz Bacon, cooked and crumbled
- 1 Cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Cup Sour Cream
- 1/2 Cup Pickle Juice
- 1 Packet Ranch Dressing Seasoning Mix
- 2 tbsp Fresh Dill, roughly chopped dried dill works just fine too
- 2 Cups Dill Pickles, roughly chopped
- 8 oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese, cubed I do not recommend any other type of cheese, the sharpness of the cheddar really goes well with this dish
Instructions
- Cook bacon and set aside. Cook your pasta until al dente. Drain it and rinse under cold water until it is completely cooled.
- In a large bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle juice, ranch seasoning and dill.
- Add in the cooked and cooled pasta, the bacon, pickles and cheese. Mix together really well. *For serving purposes, I leave a little bit of the bacon, cheese, pickles and dill to top with. It makes for a nice presentation but is not necessary*
- Allow it to sit in the fridge for at least one hour before serving. Serve cold and enjoy!