Dill Pickle Dip

Dill pickles are uniquely craveable. There’s the crunch (there’d better be a crunch), the tang of vinegar that gets you right behind the jaw, the delicious funk of garlic, and the unmistakable…well, dill-ness of the dill.

My great-grandmother was an incredible cook, and our whole family gathered around her table every Sunday for decades. She served a rotating cast of dishes, but there were a few constants, including a jar of her signature dills. These dills were bracingly vinegary and used almost too much dill. Almost. I would think that to myself as I ate them, one after another. 

How to Turn Great Pickles into a Great Dip

When I developed this recipe I wanted to attain all of the snackable appeal of a great dill pickle in a dip. A truly great snack is much like a great dill pickle—almost too much flavor. Almost. I rely heavily on the concentrated dill pickle flavor of Trader Joe’s Seasoning In A Pickle blend to get most of the way there (see the variations below the recipe for a version without this special seasoning). Powdered vinegar is a key ingredient in this seasoning blend. It brings the pucker without adding extra liquid.

But to truly achieve the dill pickle flavor of my dreams, I stirred in an extra splash of vinegar and some dill pickle brine to make the dip nice and tart. Then I chopped up some dill pickles and fresh dill for a bit of texture, some freshness, and credibility (can you even call it dill pickle dip if there’s not some actual pickle in there?).

What to Serve with Dill Pickle Dip

Serve this creamy, savory, tart dip with potato chips. I prefer salt and vinegar or dill pickle chips for even more flavor, but plain chips will do just fine. You could also use this dip as a dipping sauce for fried pickles or even hush puppies, or dollop some on a fried chicken sandwich. I also think it would make a fine dressing for a classic potato salad. Just add extra vinegar to give the dip more of a dressing consistency.