Dill Pickle Dip

By
Megan Scott
Meg Scott
Megan Scott
Megan is a recipe developer and editor with 12 years of industry experience, most recently as culinary director at a marketing agency. In 2019, she also co-authored the 9th edition of the classic cookbook, Joy of Cooking.
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Published on 12/1/22
Tested by
Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers
Tested by Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers works on food prep for several area caterers. He has worked with a team of prep chefs for a private school group. He was an assistant cooking teacher for children and teen group cooking classes. Noah was hired as an intern and was then trained as a recipe tester for Fine Cooking Magazine. 
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dill pickle dip with ruffle potato chips

The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 10 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Yield: 1 3/4 cups

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.

“I find dips like this are much tastier to make at home (especially when you know what's in them) instead of relying on the store-bought chemically flavored variants to scratch that itch. It’s easy to make and filled with flavor for all you pickle lovers out there.” —Noah Velush-Rogers

Dill Pickle Dip/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 1 cup (245 grams) sour cream

  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) mayonnaise

  • 1/2 cup finely diced dill pickles, more to taste

  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh dill, or to taste

  • 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Trader Joe's In A Pickle Seasoning Blend (or make your own, see below)

  • 1 tablespoon dill pickle brine

  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

  • Potato chips, for serving

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    dill pickle dip ingredients gathered

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  2. Mix together sour cream, mayonnaise, dill pickles, fresh dill, dill pickle seasoning, pickle brine, and vinegar in a medium bowl until combined. Taste for seasoning and add a little more dill, pickle seasoning, vinegar, or diced pickles as desired.

    ingredients for dill pickle dip in a bowl

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

  3. Serve with potato chips or let the dip sit for up to 1 day before serving.

    dill pickle dip in a bowl with ruffle potato chips

    The Spruce Eats / Bahareh Niati

Recipe Tips

Use your favorite dill pickles in this recipe. I recommend refrigerated dills vs. shelf-stable pickles as they tend to be more crisp and have a fresher flavor.

Recipe Variations

For a thicker dip, use 8 ounces of softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup sour cream instead of the sour cream and mayonnaise.


If you can’t find (or would rather not use) the Trader Joe’s dill pickle seasoning, increase the apple cider vinegar to 1 tablespoon and add the following ingredients to the dip instead of the dill pickle seasoning:

  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1 teaspoon granulated onion 
  • 3/4 teaspoon fine salt

How to Store

This dip can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Some liquid may separate out as it sits. Just give it a stir before serving.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
148 Calories
15g Fat
2g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 148
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 15g 20%
Saturated Fat 5g 23%
Cholesterol 23mg 8%
Sodium 554mg 24%
Total Carbohydrate 2g 1%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 1mg 3%
Calcium 42mg 3%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 57mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)