Home » Appetizer » Best Fried Pickles Recipe
To me, the most important step when making a deep-fried pickles recipe is the breading process. The pickles have to be extra crispy on the outside. In this fried pickle recipe, I will show you exactly how to achieve that, and what is the best breading method and ingredients to use. So keep reading and follow these simple steps for the best-fried pickles recipe ever.
Ingredients You’ll Need:
- Pickle spears. You can also use rounds, but I think using spears is easier and faster than using rounds
- All-purpose flour. It helps the egg and bread crumbs still to the pickles
- Eggs will help bind the bread crumbs to the spears
- Panko bread crumbs are essential in this recipe. I think they produce the crispiest breading. They are way better than regular breadcrumbs
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Garlic and onion salt to flavor the breading
- Ranch dressing for serving or your favorite sauce.
How To Make Fried Pickles?
- Cut the spears in half if you think they are too thick. Prepare your dredging station by placing the flour in one shallow dish, the beaten eggs in another, and the panko bread crumbs in a third one.
- Season the flour with salt, pepper, garlic, and onion powder. Dredge the pickle spears in the flour until completely coated, shaking any excess. Next, dip them into the beaten eggs until completely covered, and lastly, cover them evenly with the panko bread crumbs.
- Let them rest for about 5-10 mins, this will harden the breading a little bit and prevent it from falling while frying them.
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat and fry the pickles in batches until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Dips and Sauces for Fried Dill Pickles
My favorite sauces for this amazing fried pickles recipe are:
- Ranch dressing
- Fry sauce (ketchup and mayo)
- Buffalo sauce
- Mayo with chopped dill, onions, relish, ketchup, and vinegar
- Thousand Island dressing.
Tips For Crispy Pickles:
- Pat dry the pickle spears before breading them so the breading can stick to them.
- Shake any excess flour from the spears. We want a thin coat.
- Make sure the spears are fully covered with egg before dipping them into the bread crumbs. The egg is what will make the crumbs stick to the spears.
- Use Panko bread crumbs instead of regular bread crumbs. They are way crispier.
- Let the pickles rest for 5-10 mins before frying them so the breading can harden a little and not fall off into the skillet.
Make sure the oil is hot before placing the pickles into the skillet. If the oil is not hot enough, the pickles will come out soggy instead of crispy. To test it, throw a little piece of breading into the oil. If it sizzles, it’s ready.
Freeze Fried Pickles?
You can, but I recommend placing them on a baking sheet or plate in a single layer and into the freezer until they are hard. Then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Can You Reheat Fried Pickles?
You can reheat them in the toaster oven, or by pan-frying them in a little bit of oil. Remember to let the oil get hot before placing the pickles into the pan.
Best Fried Pickles Recipe
This fried pickles recipe makes the crispiest fried pickles you’ve ever tried!
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Servings 12 Servings
Calories 78.7 kcal
Ingredients
- 12 large pickle spears, drained and patted dry
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 2 cups Panko bread crumbs
- Vegetable oil
- Ranch dressing or fry sauce for dipping
Instructions
Slice any large spears in half to make them thinner. Prepare your dredging station by placing the flour, eggs and panko bread crumbs in three different shallow dishes. Season the flour with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder.
Dredge the pickles first in the flour (shake any excess), then into the eggs (make sure they are fully covered in egg), and lastly into the panko bread crumbs. I like to use two forks to do this so I won't get my fingers dirty.
Let the breaded spears rest for 5-10 mins and pour about ½ inch of oil into a medium-sized skillet. Heat the oil over medium-heat until hot, and fry the spears in batches until golden brown. To test if the oil is hot enough, drop a few bread crumbs into it and if they sizzle, it’s ready. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 78.7kcalCarbohydrates: 13.3gProtein: 2.8gFat: 1g
FAQs
A problem that plagues both fried and oven-fried pickles is the coating falling off either mid-cooking or mid-bite. The easiest way to prevent this is to make sure that your pickles are well-dried. Drain the pickles of their juices and then spread the pickles into a single layer and pat dry with paper towels.
What is the best oil to fry pickles in? ›
Best oil for frying pickles
Canola oil is the best oil for deep frying due to it's low level of saturated fat and high smoke point. Other good choices are peanut oil, vegetable oil, safflower oil and sunflower oil. Don't use olive oil, avocado oil or other nut oils.
How do you make fried pickles crispy again? ›
Always make sure the oil is hot enough to cook with, or else the pickles will simply absorb the oil and they won't be crunchy. Reheat leftover deep-fried dill pickles in an air fryer or place them under the broiler until they get crispy again.
How do you get breading to stick to fried pickles? ›
Dry the pickles well.
This is probably the most important step. Pickles live in liquid and they need to be very dry before frying if you want the breading to stick well.
What do you soak pickles in to make them crisp? ›
Soak Cucumbers In Ice Water Beforehand
If you're not canning your cucumbers immediately, leave them in an ice bath or in your refrigerator overnight to maintain firmness. Doing this before you start canning them will give you the crunchiest pickles you've ever had!
How long should you air fry pickles? ›
In batches, place pickles in a single layer on greased tray in air-fryer basket. Cook until golden brown and crispy, 7-10 minutes. Turn pickles; spritz with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown and crispy, 7-10 minutes longer.
What kind of sauce to serve with fried pickles? ›
For the Dill Pickle Ranch Sauce
Mix the ½ cup mayo, ½ cup sour cream, ½ cup buttermilk, 2 tsp pickle juice, 1 TBSP chopped fresh dill (or 1 tsp dried dill), ½ tsp garlic powder, and salt and pepper, together with a fork or whisk in a small bowl.
How do you make pickles taste better? ›
Spice them up: Another way to make your pickles taste fresh again is to add some spices to the jar. Try adding some garlic, dill, or mustard seeds to give them a little extra flavor. Make a pickle dip: If you have a lot of pickles that you need to use up, try making a pickle dip.
Why are my homemade pickles not crunchy? ›
Using too weak a salt brine or vinegar solution may cause soft or slippery pickles, as can using moldy garlic or storing the pickles at too warm a temperature.
What chemical makes pickles crunchy? ›
Calcium chloride is mainly used in canning to make crunchy pickles. It can also be used in lacto-fermentation! Fermentation tends to soften vegetables, so using calcium chloride helps keep the vegetables crunchy.
Naturally juicy, pickles have a lot of moisture that can alter the dry ingredients in breading mixes and make the frying process result in a soggy mess.
How long to air fry soggy fried pickles? ›
Air fry the pickles for three to four minutes, but always be attentive as the size and thickness of your pickles and varying air fryer models can alter the ideal reheating time. After this period, gently shake the basket or use a pair of tongs to flip the pickles and continue frying for a similar duration.
How do you make fried pickles less salty? ›
Assuming that these pickles are already done fermenting or have been processed, then you could soak them to decrease the salt (and the acid) - especially if you are going to eat them right away. If you going to eat them "later" (after more than 2 hours), then you will need to store them in the refrigerator.
Why does my breading fall off after frying? ›
You don't start dry
The first step to breading chicken is crucial: Make sure the chicken is completely dry before starting the dredging process. Using a paper towel, pat the meat dry on all sides. Excess moisture will cause the flour to get soggy, meaning it will not adhere properly to the chicken.
Why does my breading always fall off? ›
It may be too watery. Dry the chicken first with paper towels. It helps to then coat it with a thin layer of flour, then in well-beaten egg whites which will help the coating stick. Then coat with breading and press on it lightly to help it stick.
How do you make chicken breading not fall off? ›
After the chicken pieces are thoroughly coated in the breading mixture, place them in the hot oil—with plenty of space in between—and let them be! The more you touch the chicken with tongs, the more likely the breading is to fall off. If the cutlets are touching each other, the more likely the breading is to come off.
Why does breading fall off calamari? ›
If the oil temperature is too low, the calamari will absorb too much oil and become soggy, or will lose its breading all together. On the other hand, if the oil is too hot, the outside will cook faster than the inside.
