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Level up your appetizer game with my speedy keto fried pickle recipe! They’re crisp, golden brown, and juicy. 2 grams of net carbs.
Craving more keto finger foods? Try my keto sausage balls, keto mozzarella sticks, or keto deviled eggs next.
Fried foods are superior to all other kinds of foods. There, I said it.
Now, let me temporarily remove my healthy halo and share my recent fried food obsession. For this recipe, each pickle spear is battered in sour cream (yes, you read that right), then they’re lightly seasoned and pan-fried until golden and crunchy on the outside yet juicy in the center.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Short ingredient list. And they’re all basic pantry staples.
- Air fryer option. Just in case you’d rather skip deep frying, I tested an air fryer option as well.
- Gluten-free and low-carb. Because we’re using almond flour!
- Fast. The beauty in frying is in how quick it is. In under 15 minutes, you’ll have your game day appetizer ready to go.
Ingredients needed
- Dill pickles. Make sure the brand you’re using has no added sugar, as some brands tend to sneak it in.
- Almond flour. Opt for blanched almond flour as opposed to almond meal, which is darker, coarser, and not ideal for this recipe.
- Salt and black pepper. To taste.
- Parmesan cheese. Use finely grated parmesan.
- Eggs. Room temperature eggs are best.
- Sour cream. Creates a thick batter for frying the pickles. If you don’t have sour cream on hand, use heavy cream or Greek yogurt.
How to make keto fried pickles
I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step 1- Prep work. Slice the pickles lengthways. In one shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and parmesan. In a second, whisk the eggs and sour cream.
Step 2- Dredge. Coat the dill pickle slices in the wet mixture, then the dry mixture. Repeat with all of the pickles.
Step 3- Fry. Heat oil in a pan. Once it’s hot, fry the pickles until they’re golden brown. Flip midway through. Transfer the pickles to a paper towel lined plate to absorb the excess oil.
Can I make this in the air fryer?
Yes! If you’d prefer to air fry the pickles, start by preparing and dredging them as instructed (it’s almost identical to my air fryer pickles!). Add them to a lined air fryer basket and air fry at 200C/400F for 12 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Swap the almond flour. For extra crunch, use my keto bread crumbs, AKA crushed pork rinds.
- Avoid using pickle chips. As tempting as it may be, I find thicker pickle slices hold up to the dredging and deep frying much better than dill pickle chips. I tested both, and the chips tended to fall apart in the pot.
- Keep them in a single layer. So each pickle spear gets equal access to the oil and becomes crisp.
- Add spices. Use a mix of paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper to enhance the flavor.
- Pair them with your favorite dipping sauce. Like keto ranch dressing, keto honey mustard, or sugar-free ketchup.
Storage instructions
To store: Store leftover fried pickles in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To freeze: Let the pickles cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheating: Reheat the fried pickles in an air fryer or oven until warm.
Frequently asked questions
Traditional fried pickles are high in carbs, as they’re made with sweetened pickles and flour-based breading. My recipe is keto-friendly since we’re using almond flour and sugar-free pickles.
The best keto-friendly pickles are those of the kosher kind, as they have no sugar in them.
Yes, Mt. Olive and Vlastic are two popular brands that make sugar-free pickles. Both are sweetened with sucralose.
More keto snacks to try
- Keto buffalo chicken dip
- Crispy zucchini chips
- Chicharrones
- Keto french fries
- Or any of these keto snack recipes
Keto Fried Pickles
Ingredients
- 9 large pickles sliced lengthways
- 3/4 + 1 tablespoon almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
Instructions
- Slice your dill pickles lengthways and set aside.
- In a small bowl, add your almond flour, salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese and mix until combined. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs and sour cream.
- Dip the dill pickles in the wet mixture, followed by the dry mixture. Repeat the process until all the pickles are battered.
- Add some oil to a non-stick pan. Once hot, add the battered pickles to it and fry for 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown.
- Serve the fried pickles immediately with your favorite condiments.
He gave the answer. You can cut them lengthwise if you want long fried pickles or you can cut them cross-wise, like at the state fair. Kind of a no brainer.
either? i only asked about one thing… i cant see slicing it cross-wise would work… but thanks anyway
when you say slice the pickle, does that mean just one longitudinal cut?
Either works, I like to do it lengthways
As in any keto battered recipe, crushed pork rinds (chicharrones) are an option for whatever the breadcrumbs ingredient is and vice versa: almond and/or coconut flour mixed with parmesan or all three AND pork rinds, it all works.
The one looking for dairy free- why not ask about the sour cream too?( Which FYI you can sub plain unsweetened non dairy yogurt)
Can I use plain flour in the fried pickle recipe?
Yes you can.
Is there a Dairy free substitute I could use instead of Parmesan cheese? Would nutritional yeast work? Or maybe something else? Thanks.