As the weather gets warmer we are hosting more and more get togethers, and we love to sit on the deck and grill. I am a vegetarian but the rest of my family are not, so when we grill everyone can eat a burger, mine just happens to be a veggie burger. I wanted a side dish that was quick, easy, and would pair well with everything we were grilling. Pickle pasta salad to the rescue.
This pickle pasta salad is light, tangy and the perfect summertime side. I personally love pickles, but I wasn’t sure what my family would think. My daughter has been requesting it several times a week, and even my uber picky husband who doesn’t like ANYTHING said, “Hey do you think you could put that on the menu this week?” I’ll call that a winner.
To make this recipe you’ll need 8 oz of dry pasta. I like using small shells (conchigile), but farfalle, elbow macaroni or even rotini would work well. You can use any type on pickle you want, but I prefer “baby” dills. I chop them, sometimes into rounds, and sometimes farther into diced pieces. You might be sensing the theme that I am not very precise in my cooking. How astute.
You can easily make this vegan by using Veganaise (or whatever vegan mayo floats your boat) and either omitting the cheddar cheese, or using a vegan cheese alternative.
While you can serve this in after about 30 minutes of cooling in the fridge, it’s really good when it has sat overnight to let the flavors meld. The mayonnaise/Miracle Whip/Veganaise tends to solidify a bit, but the flavor can’t be beat. At any rate, this is the perfect side dish for your summer get together’s and picnics. Or make it and don’t tell your family so you can eat it yourself. I don’t judge.
- 8 oz small shell pasta
- 1/2 C diced pickle pieces
- 1/2 C pickle juice + 1/4 C pickle juice
- 1/2 C frozen peas
- 2/3 C Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise or vegan alternative)
- 1/4 C shredded or cubed cheddar cheese
- salt to taste
- Cook pasta according to package directions, and add peas to the water for the last 5 minutes of boiling. Rinse in cold water. Drain, then add pasta and peas to a mixing bowl. Pour 1/2 C pickle juice over the pasta and let sit for about 5 minutes. Drain the pickle juice, then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix well then chill for at least 30 minutes before serving. Salt to taste.
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