These easy Crispy Fried Pickles are pan-fried in a flavorful cornmeal and flour mix. Better than restaurant fried pickles and ready in just 10 minutes. They are perfect for a quick party finger food, snack, or appetizer.
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Fried pickles are my all time favorite food and I created this recipe to get that perfect restaurant style fried pickle at home. The breading is made with a combination of flour and cornmeal and seasoned with paprika and garlic powder. The pickles are dredged in buttermilk, giving them an extra dose of flavor and crispiness.
It uses the same batter that is used for fried asparagus spears, crispy onion petals and air fried okra, both of which you should try if you love fried vegetables.
Ingredients
- Pickles: sliced pickles, or you can slice whole pickles into rounds.
- Breading: cornmeal, all-purpose flour, paprika, garlic powder and salt. For optional spice, cayenne powder can be used.
- Batter: buttermilk (or milk and white vinegar) and egg.
- Oil: vegetable oil or canola oil for frying.
Instructions
When making pan fried pickles, it is important to have an excellent method. This is easy to accomplish but you want to make sure to follow the steps entirely.
- Pat the pickle slices until they are completely dry. This is key because you will coat them in the breading first and it will stick better to dry pickles. Soak them between paper towels for 10 minutes. If you plan early enough, remove them from the paper towels and let air dry on a wire rack until you're ready to fry them. I usually let mine air dry for a couple hours.
- While the pickles are drying, heat enough oil to fill your pan ½ inch deep. Let it heat up on medium-high for 10 minutes. *The key to a nice deep brown crispy fried pickle is to submerge them in smoking hot oil.
- While the oil is heating, make the breading by combining the cornmeal, flour, salt, paprika, and garlic powder. In another bowl, combine a beaten egg and the buttermilk.
- If you are making your buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to ½ cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes to curdle. Then add the homemade buttermilk to the egg and mix well.
- Bread the pickles. Work in batches big enough to fit them in the pan in a single layer. Coat a batch of pickles with the cornmeal and flour mixture, then dredge in the buttermilk and egg mixture. Coat again in the cornmeal and flour mixture. *Make sure to shake off extra breading and buttermilk between each transfer. I do this part with my hands instead of a fork or tongs. It's much easier and faster this way.
- Lower the heat to medium and put the breaded pickles in the hot oil using tongs. Fry on each side for about 2 minutes. You'll know they are finished when the breading is a nice deep brown. Remove them with a slotted spoon so the excess oil drains off.
Serving
Fried pickles are a great party snack, but that doesn't mean you can't make them as a regular snack to munch on throughout the day. My favorite time to make fried pickles is as a side for buffalo wings. The are delicious plain or dipped into a ranch or blue cheese dressing. Another idea is to mix a little Cajun seasoning with ranch dressing or make a homemade zesty ranch dipping sauce.
How To Store
Store fried pickles in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. To recrisp, heat in the air fryer or on the stovetop until warmed through.
Recipe
Fried Pickles
Equipment
- large frying pan
- 2 mixing bowls
Ingredients
- 3 cups sliced pickles
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornmeal
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup buttermilk (or ½ cup milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar)
- 1 large egg
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Fill a wide frying pan with oil ½ inch deep. Heat for 10 minutes on high. Dry the pickle slices between 2 paper towels as the oil heats.
- While the pickles are drying, heat enough oil to fill your pan ½ inch deep. Let it heat up on medium-high for 10 minutes.
- While the oil is heating, make the breading by combining the cornmeal, flour, salt, paprika, and garlic powder. In another bowl, combine a beaten egg and the buttermilk.If you are making your buttermilk, add 1 teaspoon of vinegar to ½ cup of milk and let it sit for 10 minutes to curdle. Then add the homemade buttermilk to the egg and mix well.
- In batches, coat the pickle slices in the cornmeal and flour mixture, then dredge with the buttermilk and egg mixture. Coat again in the cornmeal and flour mixture. Shake off excessive egg and flour as you go.
- Lower the heat to medium. Using tongs, add the breaded pickles to the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes flipping halfway through. Remove them with a slotted spoon so the excess oil drains off. Pickles should be a golden brown when finished. Serve warm, plain or with a dipping sauce of choice.
Notes
Nutrition
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