I don’t know about you, but I feel like I have way too many pickles in the house.
I know, that sounds like an abomination if there ever was one. Too many pickles? No such thing.
We have an excellent dill pickle recipe that we replicate every year with our massive cucumber harvest - who knows, maybe one day I’ll share it.
While it’s an awesome recipe, we have more pickles than we know what to do with - we must have canned about a thousand jars. An exaggeration, of course, but I’m sure there were well over two hundred jars at one point.
As a result, we have pickles coming out of our ears, and as the new cucumber season is upon us, I frankly have no idea what to do with them all.
If you’re in the same boat - or if you just REALLY like cooking with pickles - here are some ideas of how to use them all up.
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What Can I Do With Leftover Pickles?
2. Make Bloody Marys
As a close companion of the last tip, making Bloody Mary’s is also a good way to use up the brine. In addition to the usual horseradish, Worcetshire sauce, tomato juice, hot sauce, and, of course, vodka, you can toss some dill pickle brine in the mix, too. And don’t forget to garnish with pickles!
Intrigued? Check out the Food52 recipe here.
3. Pickle Picatta
I’m obsessed with chicken picatta - this is a great way to shake things up. You’ll need chicken cutlets, but if you don’t have any, you can always slice a couple of chicken breasts in half for the same effect. Serve it with pasta, serve it with mashed potatoes - whatever you do, just make it!
Find the full recipe here, courtesy of Real Simple.
4. Pickle Hummus
As long as you can find all of the ingredients at your local grocery store, hummus is actually surprisingly easy to make. It’s also packed full of protein and absolutely delicious.
This recipe makes it even more delicious by adding in a hefty dose of pickle juice and chopped-up pickles. Eat it on a sandwich, on crackers, or by the spoonful. No judgment.
Here’s the recipe at Blissful Basil.
5. Pickle Salad
This is not for the faint of heart, but if you are a pickle aficionado, you might want to try whipping up a hearty pickle salad. You can use a variety of pickled vegetables, like pickled onions, pickled radishes, or pickled beets, or you can just stick to the cucumbers. Here’s a recipe, also from Food52, to get you started.
Want a few other salad ideas to try out this summer? Take a look at my roundup of some of the tastiest salad options.
6. Dill Pickle Cashews
If you’re looking for a great gift for a loved one or just want to shake things up a bit with your usual snack routine, these dill pickle cashews are the way to go. Check out the recipe over at Belly Full.
7. Use It as a Marinade
It doesn’t matter what kind of meat you choose to use, but stick with one that will pair well with dill - think chicken, pork, or seafood. Here’s a great recipe to give you some ideas.
8. Make a Dill Pickle Dip
The first word to describe this recipe? Yum. The second word? Now. As in, I’ve got to make it....now. You can substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream if you’re looking for a healthier swap, or you can just stick to the traditional mix.
Eat it with crackers, eat it with chips, eat it however you want...just eat it. Here’s the recipe from Lord Byron’s Kitchen.
9. Potato Salad with Pickles
I’ll be honest. I absolutely hate potato salad. But this recipe is one I’ve got to give a try! It contains small bits of dill pickles along with eggs and bacon. What’s not to love? It’s almost a breakfast dish, too…
Here’s a recipe from Cafe Delites.
10. Polish Pickle Soup
I know it sounds strange, but pickles can be truly fantastic when they are warmed up. This traditional Polish soup, as known as zupa ogorkowa, is a savory soup that tastes absolutely fantastic on a cold winter’s night. Check out the recipe from Salt and Lavender.
11. Dill Pickle Grilled Cheese
If you have kids, you’ll have to retehink the traditional grilled cheese by whipping up this delightful treat. It’s loaded with ooey gooey cheese and you can add as many pickles - or other additions, like ham or turkey - as you want. Yes, please.
To make your life even easier, try using a sandwich grill that will whip up huge batches of melted deliciousness in seconds.
Here’s the recipe from the blog Two Peas and Their Pod.
12. Cuban Sliders
At work, once a month or so, we have a potluck day where everybody brings in a dish to share. These Cuban sliders are the best option for that - they’re easy, they’re warm, and they’re delicious. They’ll disappear faster than your willingness to get back to work!
Here’s the recipe over at PureWow.
13. Fried Pickles
Fried pickles are a classic method of eating dill pickles, and while I’ve always loved ordering them at restaurants, I’ve been too afraid of trying to replicate them at home. This recipe from The Chunky Chef makes the task a breeze.
14. Pickle Pizza
Who doesn’t love Friday pizza night? This recipe from Veggies by Candlelight shakes things up a bit and gives new life to those leftover pickles. You can swap out the hamburger for sausage, pepperoni, or any other meat - or leave it off entirely for a vegetarian option.
15. Pickle Deviled Eggs
These buffalo blue cheese deviled eggs are tangy and savory, and they’ll be the party appertizer your guests can’t get enough of. Just be prepared to hand out the recipe from Lauren’s Latest in droves.
16. Dill Pickle Bread
If you know how to make your own bread, you can make dill pickle bread. In addition to your regular bread making ingredients, like active dry yeast, flour, and olive oil, you’ll also need some dill pickle juice and pickles themselves. It’s a great accompaniment for hamburgers or soup - maybe the dill pickle soup we already mentioned?
Check out the recipe over at Gather for Bread.
17. Pickle Kabobs
When summertime comes around, there is nothing we DON’T want to do MORE than heat up the oven. This is the perfect alternative, allowing us to use the charcoal grill (we LOVE our Weber grill) instead of the stove, but it could also be made inside in the winter, too. Perhaps for game day?
Check out the recipe at Sprinkles & Sprouts. You could substitute the beef for any kind of meat or vegetable, too!
18. Salmon Ceviche with Dill Pickles
Really wow your guests with this dill pickle salmon ceviche. It’s surprisingly healthy and goes great on bagels. Here’s the recipe, courtesy of Feed Me Phoebe.
19. Dill and Spinach Chickpea Soup
If you have leftover chickpeas from making the dill pickle hummus we already mentioned, you’ve got to give this dill and spinach chickpea soup a try. With an interesting lime green color, it may not look appetizing - but trust me, it is! And it’s packed full of nutrients. What’s not to love?
Dig the recipe over at Killing Thyme.
20. Dill Pickle Popcorn
Don’t wait for the next movie night to whip up this tasty dill pickle popcorn. It only takes a few minutes, and while it unfortunately doesn’t use up the pickle itself, it’s a great way to use up extra dill or to serve as an accompaniment to one of the other new pickle dishes you now know how to make!
You can find the recipe over at The Gold Lining Girl.
Remember - as long as it’s not old, you can also reuse brine to make...more pickles! We also enjoy feeding leftover pickles and pickle brine to our pigs and chickens in a pinch. It contains tons of garlic and healthy herbs to help keep any potential parasites or illnesses away!
What are your favorite pickle recipes? Be sure to let me know in the comments.
