You’re going to want to douse all of the summer salads in this incredible, homemade Dill Pickle Salad Dressing (without mayonnaise!). It’s a fantastic way to use leftover pickle juice; by turning it into a pickle-forward condiment. Plus this Pickle Dressing recipe calls for Dijon mustard - instead of mayo - making it vegetarian and vegan-friendly (not all Dijon mustards are vegan-friendly, check the ingredients first!).
I hail from a state where dill pickles are often given the star treatment, from Minnesota sushi to deep-fried pickles and I have always been HERE FOR IT. I hope you are on Team Pickle too because this Dill Pickle Salad Dressing I’m about to lay on you is lit. And super easy to make!
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Why You'll Love this Pickle Dressing
- It solves the problem of what to do with leftover pickle juice. Leftover pickle juice has a ton of great uses and this Dill Pickle Vinaigrette is one of them!This pickle lover is also the person who saves leftover pickle juice, which clutters up the top shelf of the refrigerator until I find a tasty use for it. While leftover pickle juice typically gets used in marinades, it also makes a fantastic salad dressing. It’s the perfect acid because it brings its own distinct dill-y flavor to the vinaigrette party.
- What isn't this homemade pickle dressing good on? This dressing is seriously versatile. And so incredibly tasty that you’re going to want to add it to everything from simple garden salads, to pasta salads, to potato salads. You're definitely going to want to use it on this Dill Pickle Pasta Salad - this dressing was made for it! Plus it’s super easy to make, requiring only 5 ingredients! You are welcome.
Get ready, I’m about to bring that big dill pickle energy with this amazing homemade salad dressing.
Ingredients
This Dill Pickle Salad Dressing (without mayo) is super easy to whip up and only requires 5 ingredients - which gets you a solid base to tweak with salt and pepper. I love using Dijon mustard here because it adds a great flavor dimension while letting the dill pickle juice shine.
- Canola oil - Perfectly fine to use another similar oil, like vegetable oil, but opt for a neutral-tasting oil here as dill pickle is the star of the show.
- Dill pickle juice (I used Gedney) - Make sure you are using a DILL pickle juice here!
- Dijon mustard - The amount of Dijon called for is minuscule and you can't taste it in the resulting dressing, but it's the perfect emulsifier here against dill pickle juice.
- Dried dill - Feel free to use fresh here if you prefer, plus you can keep the amounts equal.
- Garlic powder - Fresh garlic can vary in pungency which is why I prefer garlic powder so I can better control the level of garlicyness.
Like all dressings, have salt and pepper standing by so you can tweak the final seasoning to taste. And if you feel like making a zesty pickle dressing, add in some red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper. To taste, of course 🙂
- Salt and pepper (optional, to taste)
- Red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional, to taste)
A full ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below - keep scrolling!
Dill pickle juice can vary in saltiness from brand to brand, so you may not want to include additional salt. Taste first!
Pickle Salad Dressing Substitutions
Check out the following substitutions should you want to make a few adjustments to the basic Dill Pickle Salad Dressing recipe.
- Canola oil - Instead, use one of the following oils, replacing it with an equivalent amount: extra virgin olive, peanut, avocado, or grapeseed.
- Dijon mustard - I like a classic Dijon here, but you can also opt for a stone ground mustard. Or you could swap in a different emulsifier like mayonnaise if you’d prefer.
- Dill - If using fresh, add 2-3 tablespoons to replace the dried dill.
- Garlic powder - You can leave it out or replace it with a small fresh clove of garlic. You could also use an equal amount of onion powder instead.
If you really want to push the pickle envelope, try adding a few dashes of Trader Joe’s Dill Pickle Seasoning. It really ups the pickle ante!
Salad Dressing Variations
Add a twist to the basic pickle salad dressing recipe with these suggested variations:
- Spicy Dill Pickle Dressing - Add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper or a few dashes of red pepper flakes.
- Extra Pickle-y Dill Pickle Dressing - Add 1-2 pickles while blending! Either strain the dressing before use, or maybe want a dressing with a little bit of texture.
- Garlic Dill Pickle Dressing - Increase the garlic powder by ½ teaspoon or use 1 large-ish garlic clove.
- Ranch Dill Pickle Dressing - Add in ½ to 1 tablespoon of dry Ranch seasoning.
- Lemon Pepper Dill Pickle Dressing - Add in some freshly squeezed lemon juice, maybe even a little of that lemon zest for an extra pop, as well as some black pepper. I recommend starting with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and a ¼ teaspoon of black pepper, then taste and adjust to suit your tastes.
How to Make a Dill Pickle Salad Dressing - Instructions
Push the easy button by using a blender or food processor once you’ve got your ingredients ready to go.
- Step 1: Add pickle juice, Dijon mustard, dried dill, and garlic powder to a blender or food processor.
- Step 2: Start the blender or food processor. Slowly start drizzling in the canola oil, keeping the blender or food processor running the entire time.
Turn off the blender or food processor once you’ve added all the canola oil. This should only take 1 - 2 minutes.
Taste and adjust seasonings - you may want to add salt and pepper, or maybe even some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. If you add any more seasonings, pulse a few times to combine.
Refrigerate in a lidded container, like a Mason jar, until ready to use. Shake the Dill Pickle Salad Dressing vigorously before each use.
Equipment Needed
Top Tips for the BEST Dill Pickle Dressing
Taste before adding salt. Pickle brands vary in their salt usage. 99% of the time I add salt to homemade dressings, but I always taste before doing so here.
Taste the pickle juice before making. The pickle juice largely drives the flavor, so choose a pickle juice that tastes good to you - by taking a sip! If you don't like the taste, the other ingredients may not doctor it up enough.
By the way, pickle juice makes a great marinade, like in this Grilled Ranch Chicken recipe.
Recipe FAQs
Store the Dill Pickle Vinaigrette in a lidded container (like a Mason jar) in the refrigerator. For best results, use within 14 days. If using fresh ingredients (e.g., fresh dill, fresh garlic cloves), use within 7 days. Shake well before using.
The easy answer here is pretty much any type of lettuce-based salad. It's also great in pasta salads, like this Dill Pickle Pasta Salad. I wouldn't hesitate to use a drizzle on a cold sandwich, like a ham sub sandwich, or try drizzling it over a rice bowl, like this Buffalo Chicken Rice Bowl.
Of course! I've seen variations of this dressing that call for the use of pickles, not just the juice. If you want a thicker textured salad dressing, maybe even some pickle bits, add a pickle or two in during blending.
Other Dill-icous Pickle Recipes
There are so many dill-icious things you can do with pickles. Told you I was HERE for it!
If you tried this No Mayo Dill Pickle Salad Dressing recipe (or any other recipe on Midwexican), please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it turned out in the 📝 comments below!
Dill Pickle Salad Dressing (No Mayo)
Equipment
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup canola oil
- ⅓ cup pickle juice
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon dill dried
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste (optional)
- red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper (optional)
Instructions
- Add pickle juice, Dijon mustard, dried dill, and garlic powder to a blender or food processor.⅓ cup pickle juice, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon dill dried, 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Start the blender or food processor. Slowly start drizzling in the canola oil, keeping the blender or food processor running the entire time.⅔ cup canola oil
- Turn off the blender or food processor once you’ve added all of the canola oil. This should only take 1 - 2 minutes.
- Taste and adjust seasonings - you may want to add salt and pepper, or maybe even some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes. If you add any seasonings, pulse a few times to combine.
- Refrigerate in a lidded container, like a Mason jar, until ready to use. Shake the Dill Pickle Salad Dressing vigorously before each use.
Notes
Nutrition
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