Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Cook pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then cook elbow macaroni according to package directions until tender. Maintain a rolling boil for even cooking, then drain.
- Rinse the drained pasta under cold water until cool to stop cooking, then drain well. The pasta should look separated and not sticky.
Make the dressing
- In a bowl, whisk mayonnaise, pickle juice, Dijon mustard, dill, salt, and pepper until smooth and fully combined. Stop whisking when the dressing looks glossy and evenly tinted.
Assemble the salad
- In a large bowl, combine pasta, diced dill pickles, crumbled bacon, shredded cheddar, and finely diced red onion. Toss gently so the mix-ins are distributed throughout the pasta.
- Pour the dressing over the pasta mixture and toss to coat evenly. Continue tossing until the pasta looks creamy rather than dry.
Chill and serve
- Refrigerate the salad for at least 2 hours so the flavors meld. Cover and chill until cold throughout.
- Toss again before serving and adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as needed. The final bite should be tangy and well-seasoned.
Notes
For clean, creamy texture, rinse pasta thoroughly with cold water so it cools fast and doesn’t clump. Refrigerate in a covered container up to 4 days; freezer not recommended due to texture changes. For a lighter version, use light mayonnaise (or Greek-yogurt mayo blend) and keep the pickle juice amount the same for the tangy flavor.