This pasta salad is my DREAM - aggressively tangy and absolutely NOT for the faint of heart in the best possible way. Dill pickle brine pulls double duty as the base of the dressing AND a flavor soak for the pasta, so every single bite tastes like you ate it next to a pickle barrel. The spicy salami and Monterey Jack add just enough heat to balance the tang, and a mountain of fresh dill ties it all together. If you think you’ve added too much dill, add more. Same goes for the dressing.
One thing worth noting: the brine you use matters. Grab a jar you actually like drinking out of (you know the type). The flavor of the brine is the backbone of this whole dish, so don’t use the sad, watery stuff from a gas station relish jar.
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours
HANDS ON TIME: 15 minutes
SERVES: 4
What pickles should I use? Something garlicky and briny (Claussen, Grillo’s). Not bread and butter.
Can I use a different pasta shape? Yes any small pasta works. Ditalini is ideal for bite-sized ratio but elbows, orecchiette, or small shells are all fine.
I can’t find spicy dill Monterey Jack what do I do? I got mine at Costco but I know it can be harder to find - Regular Monterey Jack + a pinch of red pepper flakes works. Or pepper jack in a pinch.
It tastes too salty after sitting, help! Add a small squeeze of lemon and a tiny drizzle of honey to balance it out.
Can I make this a day ahead? Yes, and honestly it’s better the next day. Just hold the dill until you’re ready to serve.
make it GF: ✅ use GF pasta and salami
make it DF: ❌
storing: Keep covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. The pasta will absorb more dressing as it sits, so splash in a little extra pickle brine and a spoon of mayo before serving leftovers to bring it back to life.
For the dressing:
3/4 cup dill pickle brine
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp dijon
2 tsp honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp mayo
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
For the rest:
300 gr Ditalini
1 cup pickles
200 grams spicy dill moterey jack cheese
100 grams spicy salami
2 stalks celery
1 bunch dill
Make your dressing
Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl and whisk aggressively. Taste and adjust - it should be aggressively tangy. Set aside
Prep your fillings
cube your 1 cups dill pickles, 200 grams spicy dill monterey jack cheese, and 100 grams spicy salami, into pieces roughly the same size as your ditalini so you get a bit of everything in each bite.
Finely chop celery.
Assemble
Cook the pasta: Cook 300 grams ditalini pasta in a large pot of well-salted boiling water until just al dente. Drain well - do not rinse, you want the starch to help the dressing cling.
Add the hot drained pasta to a large bowl with ¾ of the dressing, yourpickles, spicy salami and finely chopped celery stalks. Stir well to coat. Place the remaining dressing and the cheese in the fridge separately. Cover the pasta and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes but ideally 2 hours to let the brine really sink in.
Serve
When ready to serve, fold in the reserved cheese, and a generous amount of chopped fresh dill, roughly chopped. Taste and add more dressing if needed, it will likely need it after sitting. Serve cold.
Make it this week. Take a photo. Tag me. Leave a comment. And if you think it needs more pickle brine, it does.
Made this tonight and LOVED IT! obsessed. Making it for a summer party this weekend—we made it vegan by doing vegan mayo and replacing the honey with maple syrup! (Did not add the cheese/salami)