Try something new for your next cookout or outdoor gathering, and mix up this flavor-packed Dill Pickle Pasta Salad made extra special with gut-friendly benefits. Loaded with protein and probiotics from Lifeway Kefir and Lifeway Farmer Cheese, this easy pasta salad recipe has a bold, undeniable pickle flavor that’s simply a must-try for summer.
Rotini pasta is the perfect shape to use in this pasta salad recipe, since it holds up well to the dressing and helps it cling onto each piece of pasta just right. Speaking of the dressing, it stars our probiotic kefir and cultured farmer cheese, which are both high in protein and packed with gut health benefits. Our kefir and farmer cheese are blended with ranch seasoning mix and pure pickle juice with fresh sprigs of dill to create a dynamic dressing unlike any other. It’s tangy, tart, and has just enough spice from the ranch to keep things balanced.
Inside the pasta salad, you’ll find red onion, diced dill pickle, carrots, and bacon that are combined with the pasta before being coated in the dressing. With a quick toss, your new favorite pasta salad is ready to be enjoyed. Grab a fork and dig in!
Find Lifeway products in a store near you here, and check out our other recipes here to discover more delicious, gut-healthy dishes to enjoy all year round.
The Benefits of Cultured Dairy for Better Health:
Research continues to show the importance of eating healthy foods, including cultured dairy such as kefir, for better gut health, a strong immune system, and to support the microbiome. Fermented foods like kefir hold important value in this line of research due to the link between the gut-brain axis and overall health. Specifically, kefir has been shown to help diversify the microbiome, improve digestion, reduce inflammation, support healthier blood sugar levels, and improve satiety since the bioavailable protein it contains triggers the release of GLP-1.
Lifeway Kefir also contains a variety of nutrients that are vital for healthy bones and overall health: vitamin D3, K, calcium, and vitamin B12. Along with our kefir, we also offer our artisan-made Farmer Cheese, a creamy high-protein cheese made with live and active cultures to support a healthy microbiome that’s easy to spread and contains no added salt for optimal heart-health benefits.
Prep Time: 30 mins Servings: 8Ingredients
Dressing:
- 2/3 cup Farmer Cheese
- 1 1/3 cup Lowfat Plain Kefir
- *or you can use our whole milk kefir for a richer flavor and texture
- handful of fresh dill sprigs
- 1 package of dry ranch dressing seasoning mix
- 1/3 cup pickle juice
Pasta Salad:
- 16 ounce box of rotini pasta (use gluten-free if needed)
- 1 cup diced dill pickles
- 2/3 cup thinly sliced red onion (or diced)
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup chopped bacon
Garnishes:
- additional chopped bacon
- sliced/diced pickles
- fresh dill
- tomatoes or any other veggies you want
- any spices or seasonings of choice
Directions
- Add the dressing ingredients to a food processor or blender, then blend until smooth. Set aside.
- Cook the pasta according to the package directions, then strain and rinse with cold water to cool.
- Add the pasta to a large serving bowl, then mix in the pickles, red onion, carrots, bacon, and dressing until everything is fully coated.
- Garnish with the additional chopped bacon, pickles, and fresh dill, along with anything else you prefer. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes before serving to let the flavors marry together and the texture to set up nicely.
