This easy dill pickle dip recipe will blow your mind! Made with cream cheese and sour cream, it's pickle-y, creamy, zesty and bright, and you can make it in about 5 minutes!
Dill pickle dip! What's that you say? Could there be such a recipe that would combine two of my favorite things in the whole world: pickles and dip? Yes, actually, there could be and there is.
Creamy and delicious, tangy and briny, it can be a canvas for your creativity, too. Use my recipe as a starting point, then add herbs and spices that you like. Serve with veggies, crackers, or potato chips, possibilities are endless!
Love everything dill? Me too! Try my Salmon with Creamy Dill Sauce or my Dill Potato Salad.
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Dill pickle dip ingredients
- Dill pickles: Smaller, whole dill pickles are best for this dip. My favorite are cornichons because they seem to keep a lot of their crunch.
- Dill pickle brine: The dill pickle juice in the jar of pickles.
- Cream cheese: Full fat, please! We're adding pickle brine to the dip, and the full fat cream cheese will blend more easily with it creating a better texture.
- Sour cream: Also full fat. We need the tang of sour cream to complement the bite of the brine.
- Fresh dill: I can never get enough fresh dill and I use it in everything from soups to pastas.
- Lemon zest: Fresh lemon zest will lift the vinegar and add a bright, floral quality. Using citrus zest to add a pop of flavor and complexity is one of my top cooking tips!
- Crushed red pepper flakes and freshly ground black pepper: Use these both of these spices, or leave out the crushed red pepper flakes if you like a milder flavor.
How to make dill pickle dip
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.
Follow these step by step instructions and you'll have yourself some dill pickle dip ready to serve in about 5-10 minutes!
Step 1: Chop the pickles and fresh dill
Use a good chef's knife and dice the pickles. You want them fairly small, but not as small as you would for relish.
Chop the dill finely, including the tender stems.
Step 2: Combine the sour cream and softened cream cheese
Stir together the room temperature cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. See tip below.
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Step 3: Combine all remaining ingredients to finish the dip
Add the finely chopped dill, the pickles, pepper, crushed red pepper, pickling liquid from the jar, and lemon zest to the bowl with the cream cheese mixture. (I love my Microplane grater for zesting lemons!)
Stir to combine, and that's it! Transfer to a serving bowl and top with more pepper, zest, and dill if desired.
Expert tips
- How to soften cream cheese quickly: If you left your cream cheese on the counter for a long time, but it's still not soft, zap it in the microwave for 10 seconds at at time until it softens up enough to work with.
- Smooth out those tiny chunks of cream cheese: If you find that you still have flecks of softened cream cheese that won't blend in with the sour cream, use an immersion blender to combine them. You'll have the smoothest, creamiest dip ever.
- Don't add salt: Notice there is no salt in this dip recipe. That is intentional. The salty pickles and even saltier pickle brine mean that you don't need to add any salt.
- Let it sit at room temp before serving: Dill pickle dip will benefit from sitting for 30 minutes or so to allow all the flavors to meld together, but it's not necessary.
- To store: Keep in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Dill pickle dip recipe variations
There are many variations on the classic dill pickle dip recipe, you can take suggestions from the list below, or create your own unique take on it!
- Use bread and butter pickles, spicy pickles, or a mix!
- Try it with some pickled jalapeños.
- Add ham or dried beef.
- Swap the crushed red pepper for aleppo pepper or a pinch of cayenne.
- Add smoked paprika or green peppercorns.
- Try it with different herbs like chives and parsley.
- Stir in freshly grated garlic or garlic powder.
What to serve with dill pickle dip
- Be completely ironic and serve it with cucumber slices!
- Serve it as an appetizer on the 4th of July!
- Ridged potato chips are the best!
- Raw veggies like celery, carrots, and broccoli.
- Crackers like these gluten free ones, or toasted baguette slices.
FAQ
Yes, you can make this dill pickle dip recipe one day ahead. It will actually taste better because this gives the flavors time to permeate the dip. Freshen it up with some freshly chopped dill on top when serving.
Dill pickle dip can be frozen in an airtight container or zip top bag for up to 2 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
More easy dip recipes
- Roasted Red Pepper Dip is another quick dip recipe that only takes about 5 minutes to make.
- Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Dip is loaded with caramelized shredded brussels sprouts and served warm.
- Radishes with Radish Leaf Butter is a great nibble for cocktail parties and helps eliminate food waste by using the radish leaves instead of throwing them out.
- Spicy Black Beans with Cheddar, Garlic, and Chipotle is definitely dip and also possibly dinner!
- Pimento Cheese Dip will take you back in time to the nostalgia of your childhood (or at least the nostalgia of my childhood.)
This dill pickle dip recipe is creamy, tangy, easy and quick!
- A blend of sour cream and cream cheese forms the creamy base of the dip.
- Full of chopped pickles and pickle brine from the jar for maximum pickle flavor.
- Made in one bowl for easy cleanup.
- It's gluten free!
- You can make it in about 5-10 minutes, and enjoy it right away!
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Recipe
Dill Pickle Dip
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Equipment
- immersion blender optional, see note
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 cup chopped dill pickles
- ⅓ cup dill pickle brine from the jar
- ½ cup finely chopped fresh dill
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- zest of one lemon
Instructions
- Dice the pickles. You want them fairly small, but not as small as you would for relish. Chop the dill finely, including the tender stems.
- Stir together the room temperature cream cheese and sour cream until smooth. See note below.
- Add the chopped dill, the pickles, pepper, crushed red pepper, pickling liquid from the jar, and lemon zest to the bowl with the cream cheese mixture. Stir to combine, and that's it! Transfer to a serving bowl and top with more pepper, zest, and dill if desired.
Notes
- Did you leave your cream cheese out for a long time but it's still not soft? Zap it in the microwave for 10 seconds at at time until it softens up enough to work with.
- If you find that you still have flecks of softened cream cheese that won't blend in with the sour cream, use an immersion blender to combine them. You'll have the smoothest, creamiest dip ever.
- Notice there is no salt in the recipe. That is intentional. The salty pickles and even saltier pickle brine mean that you don't need to add any salt.
- The dip will benefit from sitting for 30 minutes or so to allow all the flavors to meld together, but it's not necessary.
- Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
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