Fried Pickles

Crunchy on the outside and flavorful on the inside, fried pickles are a southern favorite. Popular at restaurants, fried pickles are a fun appetizer or side dish.

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These scrumptious fried pickles, a beloved Southern treat, can be effortlessly prepared in your own kitchen. You start by dipping sliced dill pickles into buttermilk, followed by rolling them in a blend of flour and spices, and then frying them to perfection.

These deep fried pickles have an incredible crispy texture that's sure to please.

More Recipes ⭐ Fried Zucchini | Dill Pickle Pasta Salad | Dill Pickle Dip

One of our favorite fried appetizers at restaurants, dill pickles sliced, coated in a batter for fried pickles, and deep-fried are a crowd-pleasing hit at any gathering or family get together.

Crunchy on the outside and flavorful on the inside, fried pickles are one delicious appetizer. Serve them at your next party, potluck, or for game day (super bowl), and watch them disappear. 

Ready in just 20 minutes, serve this fried pickles recipe with a dipping sauce, or eat them just as they are. Pair them with another quick and easy appetizer including bacon wrapped mozzarella sticks or Crockpot Buffalo Chicken dip.

What you'll need to make these Fried Pickles:

FOR THE PICKLES

• 4 cups peanut or vegetable oil, for a 10 inch skillet
• 2 cups dill pickles, sliced
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

FOR THE DIPPING SAUCE
(makes a little bit more than ½ cup sauce)

• 6 tablespoons ranch dressing
• 4 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to your taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

FIRST STEP: To make the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients and stir until smooth then pop in the fridge until serving. 

SECOND STEP: Prepare the cooking oil by pouring the oil into a 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet. Cast iron works great! The oil needs to be at least 1 inch deep. Place a candy thermometer on the side of the pan and heat the oil to 375 degrees. This will take about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the oil, making sure it does ​not ​come to a boil.

While frying the pickles, try to keep the temperature of the oil between 360 and 375 degrees.

THIRD STEP: If you are slicing your own pickles, slice them crosswise into ¼ inch slices. Lay the pickles onto paper towels and pat dry.

FOURTH STEP: In a half-gallon or gallon-sized Ziploc bag, combine flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne. Set aside.

FIFTH STEP: In a small shallow bowl, combine the buttermilk and egg.

SIXTH STEP: Place several pickle slices (about 6 to 8) into the bag with the flour mixture. Coat the pickles by gently shaking the bag. Dip the pickles into the buttermilk mixture. Return the pickles to the flour mixture and coat again.

Frying the Pickles

SEVENTH STEP: Gently place the pickles into the heated oil. Fry until golden. This will only take 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat until all the pickles are cooked.

EIGHTH STEP: Serve with dipping sauce or eat as is. These are best when served warm.

This fried pickles recipe offers an exciting twist on enjoying pickles, packed with irresistible taste. After you've got the hang of preparing the batter, you'll find yourself experimenting with a variety of fried delights!

However, the ultimate homemade fried pickle recipe will remain a top pick, whether you're looking for a standout appetizer like the fried pickles at Texas Roadhouse, or a tasty game day appetizer that you can serve with ranch dip.

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Fried Pickles

Crunchy on the outside and flavorful on the inside, fried pickles are a southern favorite. Popular at restaurants, fried pickles are a fun appetizer or side dish.

Did you try this recipe?Let our readers know how it turned out by Leaving a Review!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Calories 2235 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

PICKLES:

• 4 cups peanut or vegetable oil, (for a 10” skillet)
• 2 cups dill pickles
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, (lightly beaten)

DIPPING SAUCE:

• 6 tablespoons ranch dressing
• 4 teaspoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons ketchup
• 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce, (or to your taste)
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

DIRECTIONS

 

• To make the dipping sauce, combine all the ingredients and stir until smooth then pop in the fridge until serving.
• Prepare the cooking oil by pouring the oil into a 10-inch heavy-bottomed skillet. Cast iron works great! The oil needs to be at least 1 inch deep. Place a candy thermometer on the side of the pan and heat the oil to 375 degrees. This will take about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the oil, making sure it does ​not ​come to a boil. While frying the pickles, try to keep the temperature of the oil between 360 and 375 degrees.
• If you are slicing your own pickles, slice them crosswise into ¼ inch slices. Lay the pickles onto paper towels and pat dry.
• In a half gallon or gallon sized ziploc bag, combine flour, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne. Set aside.
• In a small shallow bowl, combine the buttermilk and egg.
• Place several pickle slices (about 6 to 8) into the bag with the flour mixture. Coat the pickles by gently shaking the bag. Dip the pickles into the buttermilk mixture. Return the pickles to the flour mixture and coat again.
• Gently place the pickles into the heated oil. Fry until golden. This will only take 90 seconds to 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Place on a plate lined with a paper towel. Repeat until all the pickles are cooked.
• Serve with dipping sauce or eat as is. These are best when served warm.

Notes

TIP: Check the grocery store for dill pickle chips as they come pre-sliced making this recipe even easier!

 

TIP: Be careful not to have any excess moisture on your hands when using the skillet as drops of water into the oil will cause it to pop and you could get a nasty little burn.

 

TIP: If you like stronger flavor in your fried pickles, then make the slices thicker. You can also use pre-sliced pickles if you prefer a simple option.

 

TIP: When adding to the flour then buttermilk mixture, use one hand for the dry ingredient step and the other for the wet. This stops everything from getting into a gooey mess during the dipping process!

 

TIP: Monitor the oil temperature throughout cooking as this stops the pickles from absorbing too much oil and becoming greasy.

Nutrition

Calories: 2235kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 235g | Saturated Fat: 37g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 134g | Monounsaturated Fat: 53g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 1576mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 360IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg

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