A crunchy, squeaky pickle salad that would be amazing alongside a super fatty main dish, like this giant pork roast. But don’t worry, it’s not one briny mouthful, there are a lot of different textures going on between the crisp onions, juicy pickles, and crunchy nuts. We tend to favor pickles that are bright with acid and low on sugar; anything labeled “half-sour” usually fits the bill. If using sweeter pickles, add a bit more vinegar and salt. And honestly, you can use whatever pickles you want in this (radishes! Green beans!).
Recipe information
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
½
4
3
2
1
¼
½
1
½
2
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop.
Step 2
Meanwhile, whisk pickle brine, vinegar, mustard, honey, and red pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add onion and season with salt and pepper. Let sit to allow onion to soften slightly, at least 5 minutes and up to 15 minutes.
Step 3
Add walnuts, pickles, fennel, dill, and Parmesan to dressing and toss to coat. Transfer salad to a large shallow bowl or platter and drizzle with oil. Serve with toast to sop up the dressing if desired.
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Reviews (13)
Back to TopWas very skeptical of this salad, but I happened to have (basically) all the ingredients so I gave it a try. Delicious!! Ended up adding some nutritional yeast in addition to the parm. Used pecans instead of walnuts. Not sure how these ingredients work together but they do!
Anonymous
Portland, OR
7/15/2024
I don't understand how or why this salad is so good, but it's really very good. Followed the recipe exactly.
Jessica
Toronto
4/16/2023
I’m not going to lie…this might be the best thing I’ve ever tasted. The freshness of the fennel and warm toasted notes of the walnut just compliment this dish so well. I used feta because I forgot Parmesan, but still amazing. Only thing I’m upset about is that I didn’t make more. I used Claussen pickles.
Anonymous
Philadelphia
2/27/2023
Wow this really does work.. Very glad that I read the reviews to this unusual recipe. We served it with a smoked pork belly, and the acid in the salad really went well with the fattiness of the pork belly.
Lynn
Christchurch, New Zealand
10/23/2021
So.. when I read the recipe, it seems like someone who was drunk and hadn’t been to the store in a while was hungry. However, my daughter and I love sour pickles so we made it. SOOOO GOOD! I ate almost the whole bowl myself, but it was screaming for a brat and a beer to go with it. I added raisins(don’t judge), because my brain was filling in the sweet with the sour. It was awesome! I also did feta instead of Parmesan because I’m not doing cows milk. I will make this again soon!
Stuart
Los Angeles, CA
6/26/2021
What a lovely salad. It would be awesome for cookout with hamburgers or hotdogs or as a side for some fresh white fish. Good with any fatty dish. I made it the first day - EXACTLY AS WRITTEN (although I did forget the olive oil for drizzling. We weren't in love. I let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple of days. It seemed like it kind of fermented a little into a briny deliciousness. Next time- I will make it 24 hrs. in advance- I would put a little olive oil & garlic on the bread before toasting, and I would only toast lightly so the bread was slightly soft for better sopping. You will want every drop of the dressing! Pickle salad - who would have thought it?
Wesley Chapel, FLORIDA
5/4/2020
This is really good! The flavours and textures work together so well. I used ~1/3 of a yellow onion since I didn't have any white onions on hand.
Anonymous
New York
4/29/2020