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High-protein dill pickle pasta salad plated in a white bowl with dill havarti, pickles, and fresh dill

High-Protein Dill Pickle Pasta Salad

5 from 1 vote
Creamy, tangy pasta salad loaded with cubed dill havarti, fresh dill, and of course lots of crunchy chopped pickles. A make-ahead lunch that actually gets better after a day in the fridge.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings : 4 servings

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Ingredients

Dressing
  • ¾ cup full-fat greek yogurt
  • 2 tbsp dill pickle juice
  • 2 tbsp whole-grain mustard
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ¼ cup fresh dill, chopped
  • ½ tsp salt, or to taste
Salad
  • 12 oz pasta, rotini, or shells, normal, protein, or whole wheat
  • 1 cup finely chopped dill pickles, about 4 medium
  • ½ cup finely diced red onion
  • 6 oz dill havarti, cubed small
US Customary - Metric
Start Cooking

Instructions
 

  1. Cook 12 oz pasta, rotini, or shells in well-salted water, one minute under the package time for al dente. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, drain again and set aside.
    Cooked pasta shells draining in a colander for high-protein dill pickle pasta salad
  2. In a large bowl, whisk ¾ cup full-fat greek yogurt, 2 tbsp dill pickle juice, 2 tbsp whole-grain mustard, 2 garlic cloves, 1 tbsp lemon juice, ¼ cup fresh dilland ½ tsp salt. Taste and adjust, it should be punchy and a little aggressive because the pasta will mellow it.
    Creamy greek yogurt dressing being whisked with fresh dill and whole-grain mustard in a white bowl
  3. Add the cooled pasta, 1 cup finely chopped dill pickles, ½ cup finely diced red onion, 6 oz dill havarti (in small cubes) to a bowl and toss thoroughly until every piece is coated.
    Pasta shells, diced pickles, cubed dill havarti, and red onion in a bowl before tossing
  4. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving, but ideally overnight. The flavor peaks on day 2. Then mix before serving. Best enjoyed cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 481kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 32gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 1214mgPotassium: 385mgFiber: 9gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 640IUVitamin C: 7mgCalcium: 375mgIron: 4mg

Notes

  • Storage: Keeps for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge.
  • Pasta choice: Regular, protein or chickpea pasta all works well. If you want firmer texture across the full week, swap in Barilla Protein+ or whole-wheat pasta.
  • Dairy-free: Use dairy-free yogurt or swap for mayo and skip the cheese. Add a handful of white beans or cubed rotisserie chicken breast to keep the protein up.