Pickle Fries Recipe

Prepare pickles

Trim each whole dill pickle into quarters lengthwise to create long 'fries'. Pat pieces dry with paper towels to remove excess brine—this helps the breading adhere.

If pickles are extremely salty or very wet, place the cut pickle fries in a bowl with 1 cup cold water and soak 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry. (Optional: reserve 1/4 cup pickle juice to mix into the buttermilk for extra tang.)

Set up dredging stations

In one shallow bowl whisk together 1.5 cups flour, cornstarch, 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and 1/4 tsp cayenne. This is the dry flour mix. In a second shallow bowl lightly beat the 2 eggs with 1 cup buttermilk and 1/4 cup cold water until combined (if using reserved pickle juice, replace up to 2 tbsp of the water with it). In a third shallow bowl combine 1 cup panko, 1/2 cup cornmeal and 1/2 cup flour — this will be the final crumb; season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Bread the pickles

Working in batches of 6–8 fries, dredge each pickle first in the dry flour mix, shaking off excess. Dip into the buttermilk-egg wash ensuring full coating, then press into the panko-cornmeal crumb to adhere. For extra crunchy clinging crust, return each crumbed pickle back to the egg wash briefly then re-coat in the crumb (double-dip). Place breaded fries on a wire rack set over a sheet pan while you heat the oil.

Heat oil

Pour neutral oil into a deep pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2–3 inches (roughly 1 liter). Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, a cube of bread should brown in about 60 seconds at the right temperature.

Fry pickles

Fry the breaded pickle fries in small batches (do not overcrowd) for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until golden brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer to a wire rack or paper towel–lined sheet to drain. While frying remaining batches, maintain oil temperature between 340–360°F (170–180°C).

If desired, sprinkle lightly with additional kosher salt immediately after frying.

Make the ranch

In a bowl combine 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup buttermilk, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 tbsp finely chopped parsley, 1 tbsp finely chopped chives, 1 tsp dried dill, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Whisk until smooth and taste; adjust salt, pepper or lemon as needed. Chill at least 15 minutes for flavors to meld (can be made up to 24 hours ahead).

Arrange pickle fries on a platter or individual plates with a small bowl of chilled buttermilk ranch. Garnish with extra chopped chives or parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over the fries.

Serve immediately while hot and crisp. Leftover fries will lose crispness—reheat briefly in a 400°F (200°C) oven on a wire rack to restore crunch.