Description
A delightful salad featuring al dente pasta, tangy dill pickles, crispy bacon, and a creamy dressing, perfect for summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces medium shells
- 6 slices thick-cut bacon
- 1 ½ cups dill pickles (chopped)
- 1 ½ cups cheddar cheese (diced)
- ¼ cup green onions (diced)
- 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
- 1 cup sour cream
- ¼ cup dill pickle juice
- 1 ounce packet ranch seasoning
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill (chopped)
Instructions
- Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a gentle boil. Add your medium shells and follow the package instructions to cook until al dente.
- Once cooked, drain the pasta using a colander and rinse under cold water.
- While the pasta cools, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the thick-cut bacon slices.
- Once crispy, remove them from the skillet and chop into bite-sized pieces.
- In a mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, ¼ cup dill pickle juice, ranch seasoning, and fresh dill.
- Toss the cooled pasta with a ¼ cup of pickle juice until evenly coated.
- Add the chopped dill pickles, cheddar cheese, green onions, and crispy bacon into the pasta bowl.
- Pour the creamy dressing over everything and toss gently to coat.
- Cover the salad with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator to chill for at least two hours.
- Before serving, garnish with additional dill pickles and fresh dill.
Notes
Make-ahead tips: Prepare your salad a day in advance for better flavor. For customization, add hard-boiled eggs or bell peppers as desired.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Mixing and Chilling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 900mg
- Fat: 32g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 8g
- Cholesterol: 50mg