A pasta salad that celebrates the tangy and salty flavor of pickles!
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Ingredients
8ouncessmall-shaped dry pasta,such as cavatelli (2 cups)
½cupolive oil mayonnaise
½cuppickle brine
1cupchopped fresh pickle spears*
1cupthinly sliced celery
4ouncesdiced aged white Cheddar
2tablespoonschopped fresh dill
Cracked black pepper
Instructions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Saeson with 2 tablespoons kosher salt, add pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl whisk together mayonnaise, pickle brine and dill.
Drain pasta then immediately add cooked pasta to bowl with dressing; toss to combine then let rest 5 minutes.
Add pickles, celery, and Cheddar; toss to combine then season with black pepper and additional dill or brine to taste.
Notes
Make it vegan: use vegan mayo and skip the cheese.
As the pasta salad cools and sets, the dressing will thicken. Adjust with additional pickle juice to mayo to preference. Same goes with taste. All pickles and brines are different, so season to taste with additional pickle brine and black pepper to taste.
The type of pickle you use matters! We recommend using fresh pickles sold in the refrigerated section of the grocery store. Aside from being fresh, they’ve also got a better flavor. If you’re not using fresh pickles, add the pickle brine in 2 tablespoon increments as it will likely be saltier.
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