The Perfect Salad Dressing For Pickle Lovers

Some say 2023 is shaping up to be the year of the pickle, with more pickle-flavored products and pickle-forward recipes than ever (hello, pickle pizza). Folks are looking for bold, zapped-up flavors, and with an increasing interest in reducing food waste, pickled vegetables are a fantastic solution to preventing rotten produce, according to Sustainable America. While most any vegetable can be pickled, the classic dill cucumber pickle has taken center stage. The New York Times speculates that the quintessential dill pickle flavoring has emerged as a favorite because of its striking balance of sweet and salty. Sweet and salty are a tried-and-true pairing, while the salty, vinegary brine of the pickled cucumber, and that sumptuous crunch, can cut through the richness of heavier meals. 

When we first heard about Pickle Vinaigrette from Delish, we'll admit we had our reservations. But after a closer look at the ingredient list compared to that of other vinaigrettes, we started to see the dill pickled light. 

The ingredients of a typical pickle brine include kosher salt, dill, garlic, and a pinch of sugar, though many also include pepper flakes and mustard seeds, like Clausen's Kosher Dill Pickles. While that lip-puckering combo might seem too bold for everyday munching, it actually shares many of the same ingredients of another condiment — salad vinaigrette. The basic, standard vinaigrette recipe is essentially 1/4 cup of acid (white wine, apple cider, or balsamic vinegar) and 3/4 cup of olive oil, says To Taste. But in recent years, as brighter flavors are sought out at the dinner table, a higher ratio of acid is often called for. 

Instead of a standard vinegar, the Delish Pickle Vinaigrette recipe calls for briny pickle and lemon juices as the acid. When the two are shaken and emulsified with olive oil and other seasonings, you'll have a frothy, thickened vinaigrette that has that delicious, distinct, dill pickle bite. We'd love to dip potato chips in it as much as we'd love to have it drizzled over a gorgeous green salad.