Fried Pickle Spears

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Fried Pickle Spears are Panko crusted dill pickle spears fried in a skillet until golden and crunchy.

Fried Pickle Spears  on a plate with a ramekin of ranch dressing.

Fried Pickle Spears

Have you ever had fried pickles?

As unusual as it may seem, this tangy and crunchy treat is a culinary delight.  It is not uncommon to see fried pickles listed as an appetizer on the menu of “southern” restaurants.

Typically fried pickles are made with the bite-sized burger chips but I like using the spears.  They pack more of a tangy punch and require less seasoning in the batter.

How to make fried pickle spears?

I started by laying the spears out on paper towels to drain off excess moisture.  I even blotted them a bit then dredged them in flour and egg before adding the panko crust.

This method worked out perfectly, the panko breadcrumbs adhered to pickle spears and after frying, they turned golden and crunchy.  Serve the fried pickle spears with ranch dressing as a dipping sauce and you have the perfect appetizer.

Fried Pickle Spear being dipped in a ramekin of ranch dressing.

If you make this fried pickle spears recipe, please let me know how you like them! Did you try a different sauce? I’d love to hear about your experience.

Fried Pickle Spears

4.78 from 9 votes
Fried Pickle Spear being dipped in a ramekin of ranch dressing.
Panko-crusted dill pickle spears fried in a skillet until golden and crunchy.
Jen Sobjack
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 21 minutes
Serving Size 6

Ingredients

  • 4 cups canola oil
  • ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 6 dill pickle spears
  • ranch dressing, for dipping

Instructions

  • Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat.
  • Place pickle spears on a plate with paper towels, blotting gently to remove excess moisture.
  • Place flour in a shallow dish. Add eggs to another shallow dish and beat gently with a fork or whisk. Place panko breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish.
  • Dip each pickle spear into the flour, then into the egg, back into the flour, then back into the egg, and lastly into the breadcrumbs. Be sure to coat well with the breadcrumbs.
  • Fry in hot oil for 2-3 minutes on each side or until deep golden brown. Drain pickles on a cooling rack set over newspaper or paper towels. Serve with ranch dipping sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1spear | Calories: 106kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 619mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 198IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.

Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

21 Comments

  1. These were amazing!!! Better than restaurant ones even!! My whole family loved them!! Thanks for sharing!!

  2. Can these be done in a air fryer?

    1. Jen Sobjack says:

      I’m not sure, I haven’t made them in an air fryer. Let me know if you try it.

  3. 5 stars
    I had always loved ordering these at restaurants so I thought I’d take a shot at this myself. Really loved your pictures, they helped me follow the recipe perfectly – they turned out great! Thanks so much for sharing!

    1. Jen Sobjack says:

      Hi Sam! I’m so happy to hear that! Fried pickles have always been a favorite of mine!

  4. 5 stars
    Mouth is watering! These sound delicious. They remind me of fish sticks but even better. Can’t wait to try these at home. Thank you for sharing!

  5. Patricia Stephens says:

    My family loves fried pickles but my problem is the batter always comes off in the deep fryer. I let them dry and blot the access moisture off. Is there any tips to help me? Thank you

    1. You can try coating them with flour after blotting them with a paper towel. This will help the batter “stick” to the pickle. Also, make sure the oil is up to temperature so the batter will cook quickly.

  6. do you think these could be baked? Maybe spraying them with cooking spray when they go in a hot oven?

    1. I haven’t baked them before, but it is worth a try. Spraying them with cooking spray before they go in should help them crispen up. Let me know how they turn out!

  7. Plain panko crumbs or seasoned? So many options in the store now! Ugh.

    1. Jen Sobjack says:

      I used plain, but feel free to experiment with any of the seasoned ones!

  8. 5 stars
    Delish!! I added Cajun seasoning to the flour and will smash up the panko a bit more next time. Thanks for a great recipe!!

    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed them!

  9. Marie Ochs says:

    5 stars
    Cant wait too try the Pickels!! Thanks

    1. Thank you, Marie. I know you will enjoy them!

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