Pickle Dip belongs in the hallowed snack halls of French Onion Dip, Thick Ranch, and Mexicali Dip. To my mind, the best way to balance a decadent sauce is by slathering it on a mountain of fresh, crisp vegetables. Here the creamy base is contrasted with the acidity of the pickles and lemon, the heat of the chile flakes and black pepper, the freshness of the chopped herbs, and the salty crunch of a Cheez-It crust.
Note: This dip can also be served cold, but then I reduce the amount of cream cheese to 2 oz. and increase the sour cream to 6 oz. Feel free to make this dip ahead of time; it will last in the fridge for up to three days before it starts to separate. If heating from cold, either bring to room temp before baking or reduce the oven temp to 325° and bake for 25 minutes.
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What you’ll need
Small Skillet
$23 At Amazon
8x8" Baking Dish
$18 At Amazon
Whisk
$10 At Amazon
Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 6
$39 $36 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
25 minutes
Yield
8–10 servings
Ingredients
3
1
1
4
4
1
1
¼
1
1
1
1½
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat oven to 350°. Heat 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil in a small skillet over low until shimmering. Add 1 garlic clove, finely chopped, and 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes. Pour garlic-chile oil into a medium bowl.
Step 2
Add 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature, 4 oz. sour cream, 1 cup dill relish, 1 oz. Parmesan, finely grated, ¼ cup chopped dill, 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest, 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, and 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper to garlic-chile oil and whisk to combine; season dip with kosher salt. Scrape into a 1-qt. baking dish and smooth surface.
Step 3
Place 1½ cups Cheez-It crackers in a resealable plastic bag, seal, and smash with a large wooden spoon, rolling pin, or frying pan into coarse crumbs. Scatter over dip and bake until warmed through, about 10 minutes.
Step 4
Serve dip warm with crudités and more crackers for dipping.