When you’re craving something tangy, a little sour, and maybe even a little bit spicy, you can’t do better than pickles. The classic way of preserving and enjoying cucumbers is the perfect ingredient for adding an extra-special something to dishes, and we’ve always done so enthusiastically, including it everything from sliders and stuffed cheeseburgers to casseroles and even soups. But the best way to enjoy pickles, we think, is in a starring role, especially with a Southern-fried classic: Fried Pickles!
If you’ve never had Fried Pickles, you are in for a treat! They’re exactly what they sound like: sandwich slices of dill pickles, dipped in buttermilk batter and coated in a just-spicy-enough batter, than fried to perfection for the best ever combo of crunchy and tangy. Watch how they’re made, then read on for the full recipe so you can try them yourself!
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Fried Pickles
Makes 12 fried pickle slices Prep Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- Oil, for frying
- Sandwich sliced dill pickles, about 12 slices
- 2 cups Panko breadcrumbs
Batter
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon dried dill (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 egg
Directions
- In a pot large enough for the pickle slices and fit for frying, preheat the frying oil to 350-to-370 degrees Fahrenheit (150-to-190 degrees Celsius.
- Place the pickle slices on paper towels or kitchen towels, and pat to dry.
- In a bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, paprika, baking powder, black pepper, salt, dried dill and baking soda, and stir to combine.
- In a small bowl, add the buttermilk and egg. Whisk until fully combined.
- Add the buttermilk-and-egg mixture to the mix of dry ingredients, and mix until smooth.
- Place about ½ cup of the panko breadcrumbs in a shallow dish. Reserve the rest of the breadcrumbs for adding later, as needed.
- Dip each pickle slice in the batter, and then gently toss each one in the breadcrumbs. Let the coated pickles sit in the breadcrumbs for a minute or so, as doing so will help them stick. Add more of the 2 cups of breadcrumbs as needed, working batches, as the breadcrumbs do not stick as well once they have batter on them.
- Working in small batches, fry the battered and coated pickles for 3 to 4 minutes, or until brown and crispy.
- Serve with ranch dressing or your choice of dipping sauce.
And there we are! The perfect crunchy-tangy combo, and in under half an hour. What could be better? We’re absolutely going to fry up a bunch of these snacks for our next game-day get-together— and any time we get a craving!
But it’s not just about us; what do you think of our fried pickles? Does this recipe match the one you grew up with, or do you have your own tips and tricks for getting your fried pickle fix? How would you change up the spice mix in the batter? Did you grow up with fried pickles, or is the concept totally new to you? Tell us if you make any, and especially if it’s your first time, let us know how they turn out for you!
Recipe adapted from Spend With Pennies