Sauces & dressings
Creamy dill pickle dip with crispy bacon
Chunky dill pickle dip with cream cheese, Greek yogurt, cheddar and crisp bacon. Make it ahead with fresh herbs and a full hour of chilling time.
- Total time
- 84 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cuisine
- American
Ingredients
Method
Drain the pickles
Drain and lightly pat the pickles dry. Weigh 200 g without liquid; do not add brine, which would make the dip thinner and saltier.
Chop the fresh ingredients
Cut pickles into roughly 5 mm dice. Wash and thoroughly dry the dill and chives, then chop them finely.
Crisp the cooked bacon
Use 80 g fully cooked bacon. Crisp in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes and crumble; reserve 20 g for the topping.
Smooth the creamy base
Beat cream cheese until free of lumps. Gradually stir in Greek yogurt with a spatula or hand whisk without whipping air into the mixture.
Add herbs and seasoning
Stir lemon juice, garlic powder, pepper, dill and chives into the base. Add no salt: pickles, cheddar and bacon already supply it.
Fold in the chunky ingredients
Fold in pickles, cheddar and 60 g cooled bacon with a spatula. Distribute evenly without crushing the pickle pieces.
Chill for an hour
Cover and refrigerate for 60 minutes at 4 °C / 40 °F or below. Keep the reserved 20 g bacon chilled in a separate covered container.
Finish and serve cold
Stir once and scatter the reserved bacon on top. Serve as eight appetizer portions. Put out a small amount at a time and keep the rest refrigerated.
The step photos are illustrative.
Notes
Tips
Drain thoroughly to prevent liquid collecting underneath. A firm spatula smooths cream cheese without prolonged beating. The chilling hour lets flavours blend and is separate from active preparation.
Substitutions
A firm aged cheese that can be shredded may replace cheddar, with different flavour and nutrients. Replace fresh dill with 1 g dried dill if needed. Fresh cucumber will not give the same result as dill pickles.
Storage
Cover, keep at 4 °C / 40 °F or below and eat within 3 days, counting from the bacon's cooking date if using leftovers. Keep out for no more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32 °C / 90 °F. Freezing harms the texture.
Sources: www.mybakingaddiction.com, www.foodsafety.gov, www.cdc.gov
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Nutrition facts
1 of 8 servings
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbohydrates
- 3 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Saturated fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 553 mg
Informational estimate per serving, not a measurement of the cooked dish. Brands, cooking losses and actual portion sizes change the values.
Reference source: USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy (2018)
For general information only; it does not replace advice from a qualified health or nutrition professional.
About this recipe
Well-drained dill pickles give this cold dip a tangy crunch against a smooth cream cheese and Greek yogurt base. Crisp bacon and shredded cheddar add savoury depth without turning the mixture into melted cheese sauce. Fresh dill, chives, garlic and lemon replace a packet of dressing mix. The full hour of chilling is included in the total time, so the recipe is easy to plan ahead. Reserve some bacon for the top and add it just before serving to preserve its crisp texture.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make it a day ahead?
Yes. Keep it covered and chilled, then add the reserved bacon just before serving for better texture.
Why is the dip watery?
Pickles that were not drained well or thin yogurt are common causes. Use thick Greek yogurt and leave out pickle brine.
Is this served hot?
This version is served cold. It is not a melted cheese sauce, and chilling is part of the method.
