Ingredients:

  • 340 g rotini pasta, dry
  • 150 g chopped dill pickles, well drained
  • 75 g diced red onion
  • 100 g diced celery
  • 3 g chopped fresh dill
  • 120 g mayonnaise
  • 115 g sour cream
  • 60 ml dill pickle brine (from the jar)
  • 5 g Dijon mustard
  • 1.5 g garlic powder
  • 3 g kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
  • 0.6 g ground black pepper

Instructions:

  1. Chop the dill pickles and drain them in a fine-mesh sieve for a few minutes. Pat them dry with a paper towel.
  2. Dice the red onion and celery. For a milder onion, soak the diced onion in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain.
  3. Chop the fresh dill.
  4. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the rotini 1 minute less than the package directs, until tender with a slight bite.
  5. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold running water until cool to the touch. Shake the colander well so no excess water remains.
  6. In a large bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sour cream, pickle brine, Dijon mustard, garlic powder, salt, and pepper until smooth and glossy.
  7. Add the cooled pasta, pickles, onion, celery, and dill. Fold gently until every piece is coated.
  8. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  9. Before serving, toss the salad. If it feels dry, stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of pickle brine. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.