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This Fried Pickle Dip is tangy, crunchy, salty – all the flavors of fried pickles without the deep fryer! Serve with kettle chips for the ultimate crowd pleaser, perfect for game day parties, cookouts, last-minute guests, and holiday gatherings!
Pickles seem to be one of those love-it-or-leave-it foods. I’m not usually a pickle person myself, but fried pickles? Sign me up!!
Since I rarely deep fry at home, I wanted to capture that same flavor in a dip and once I nailed it (the French fried onions were a game changer!!), I could’t believe how incredible it was!!! I might even say I prefer it over my super popular Pickle Wrap Dip…
Ingredients Needed
- Cream Cheese – Gives that creamy and keeps it nice and thick!
- Sour Cream – Use regular or “light” sour cream.
- Ranch Dip Mix – You can use a 1 ounce portioned packet or use 2 1/2 tablespoons of a bulk container.
- Cayenne Pepper & Red Pepper Flakes – I love the added heat in this dip, but feel free to decrease the amounts or skip altogether.
- Dill Pickles – I buy pickle spears, but you could also chop up pickle slices or whole pickles. I do not recommend using sweet pickles or bread & butter pickles as it doesn’t mesh with the ranch flavors as well.
- French Fried Onions – The pickles are the star of the show…but the crunch from these onions are a close second!!
- Potato Chips – Kettle cooked or wavy chips are my favorites as they’re thick and sturdy, perfect for scooping.
How to Make Fried Pickle Dip
Start by combining the cream cheese and the seasonings. I like to do this first to ensure the cream cheese is totally soft and mixes in well.
Pro Tip!
To soften the cream cheese quickly, remove the silver package of cream cheese from its box and place it in a bowl of warm water for 15-20 minutes or until softened.
Next, you’ll stir in the sour cream and then the chopped pickles. Be sure to pat the pickles dry before adding them to the dip or else the excess pickle juice can make the dip runny (though still delicious!).
Once smooth, spread it into the serving dish you’d like to use. I find that a shallow bowl or pie plate works really well so there’s lots of surface area for the crunchy topping!
To make the topping, add the French fried onions to a small baggie. Crush them up with a rolling pin or with the bottom of a heavy saucepan. Seal the baggie until you’re ready to serve the dip.
Keep the dip in the fridge. Once ready to serve, sprinkle the crushed French fried onions on top and serve with potato chips!
Fried Pickle Dippers
- My #1 pick?? Kettle-cooked or wavy potato chips (regular chips are on the verge of being too flimsy).
- Pretzel crisps.
- Wheat crackers.
- Veggies – ie. raw carrots & celery sticks.
Fried Pickle Dip Variations
- Lightened Up – A couple simple swaps will lighten this up without making a huge impact on flavor and texture. Use light sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt) in place of the sour cream and light (neufchâtel) cream cheese in place of the full-fat version.
- Pickle Bacon Ranch – Is this a thing? No, but can we make it one?! Add a few slices of chopped crispy bacon for an added layer of texture and flavor…YUM!!!
- Gluten Free Dip – Making this dip GF is actually quite simple. Though I always recommend checking to ensure that all ingredients are free from gluten, you should just have to swap out the French fried onions for a GF variety. You can also use toasted GF panko bread crumbs.
Storage Instructions
The dip can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days in an airtight container. I recommend stirring the dip and topping with the French fried onions crumbs right before serving. Please note that the crumb topping will soften over time in the fridge. I do not recommend freezing this dip.
Frequently Asked Questions
Most likely, the diced pickles had too much juice on them when they were added. Be sure to pat them down with a paper towel before adding.
Yes! I find that the dip is best on day 2, once it’s had time to really meld the flavors together! However, do NOT add the crumbs on top until you’re ready to serve – they’ll lose their crunch.
I don’t recommend it as relish tends to have quite a bit of moisture in it.
Other Savory Dips To Try
- Crack Corn Dip
- Hot Pizza Dip
- Gyro Dip
- Cream Cheese Caramel Apple Dip
- Brownie Batter Dip
- Cherry Cheesecake Dip
Fried Pickle Dip
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 1-ounce packet ranch dressing mix
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 2 cups sour cream
- 1 1/4 cups diced dill pickles
- 1/3 cup French fried onions
- chips or crackers for serving
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese, ranch mix, red pepper flakes, and cayenne pepper until smooth.4 ounces cream cheese, 1 1-ounce packet ranch dressing mix, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Stir in the sour cream.2 cups sour cream
- Pat the diced pickles with a paper towel to remove excess moisture then add them to the dip; stir.1 1/4 cups diced dill pickles
- Transfer the dip to a serving bowl; refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Add the French fried onions to a small resealable baggie and use a rolling pin to crush them into crumbs.1/3 cup French fried onions
- When ready to serve, top the dip with the French fried onion crumbs and serve with potato chips.chips or crackers
