What does it mean when we crave salt?
My craving was so big it drove me not only to buy a bag of Ruffles, I also conjured up this pickle perfection.
Since we were going to be out of the country from Thanksgiving to yesterday, and gone for most holiday festivities, we had a couple little happenings before we left.
I made this pickle dip for one of them, and after the initial strange looks from just about everyone, it was a big hit.
So simple, and just how I imagined the flavor would be. I made a double batch and used leftovers for sandwich and wrap spreads. It also traveled on vehicles of raw broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers and once, even a pickle.
The pickle may have been overkill. Just a little.
pickle dip / spread
vegan, gluten free
1 cup raw cashews, soaked
1 cup dill pickles, chopped
3 tablespoons pickle juice
pinch onion powder
In food processor, pulse cashews for several minutes, until almost creamy. Add pickles (reserving 2 tablespoons for garnish), juice and onion powder while continuing to process until creamy. Store in refrigerator until ready to eat; serve with chips and vegetables.
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Are you sure you’re not pregnant?
kidding
Seriously love pickles! Yum! Making dip out of pickles? Now that’s original!
haaa HAAA, no.
I just LOVE pickles!
I love pickles, too. Eat them both when I’m pregnant and when I’m not (I’m not, btw). I’d actually try this
I eat pickles all the time too… is that really a thing when people are pregnant? pickles and ice cream, heh. I hope you do make this!
From what I understand it is, but I’ve always eaten pickles. In fact, I was dared to eat pickles and ice cream as a teenager. To my surprise, I found that I liked putting tiny scoops of vanilla ice cream on top of dill pickle chips (never adding the pickles to the whole bowl, as the pickle juice going through it was just too much). It’s been a while since I’ve had it. I’d use a vegan ice cream now.
I have a dill pickle dip toooo!!!
http://www.purplebirdblog.com/2011/02/17/dill-pickle-dip/
Mine doesn’t have any actual pickles in it, just dill and vinegar, and it’s a sunflower seed base. I haven’t made it in waaaay too long and this is an excellent reminder! Happy Thursday, pretty lady!
awesome, I remember that now!! I was just looking at the comment I left, and am laughing at my use of HORKING. talking about Basil eating fast.
hork Hork HORK.
XXO!
talk about feeding into my pickle obsession….. haha i love it
I know. this dip made me happy.
So cool. I love pickles. Talk about the perfect spread for a sandwich!
it IS a perfect spread. I also topped a salad with it, little blobs of pickle deliciousness.
happy holidays, Heather! XO
I LOVE pickles – this may be my new favorite recipe!
it is definitely one of mine!
This is such a great idea! I love pickles, and the thought of using cashews to make them into a creamy dip sounds like the perfect addition for upcoming holiday get togethers. Thanks!
you are welcome, I hope you love it! I’m making more for our family holiday snacks too, I can’t wait!
I made the pickle dip for Christmas, but by Christmas Eve it was obliterated! My husband and I enjoyed it with potato chips and shared it with my non-vegan parents. It was loved all around, and my parents couldn’t believe it had a cashew base. Great job and thanks for the tasty recipe!
I am SO happy you all loved it!! I made some for our family event yesterday too – it was requested by my mom and sister. Hope your Christmas was lovely!
I saw your FB post just after I read an article on salt cravings. What timing! MedPageToday reports on a study that concluded that salt cravings are greater in children who were fed starchy foods younger than 6 months. I’m not sure what that means, but interesting:
http://tinyurl.com/7ok2x8b
The combination of cashews and dill pickles sounds so intriguing, I’ll have to try it!
oh, very interesting! I wonder… I don’t have salt cravings a lot, although I do think they are stronger than any sweet tooth I may have??
you’ll have to let me know if you try this, Nancy – I hope you love it!
I will use any excuse to eat pickles. But dill pickles only please, no sweet ones!
We tried out a new restaurant for my sister’s birthday recently, and one of their signature dishes was dill pickle soup. Delicious.
we have a restaurant here with a famous dill pickle soup too!! (I actually had to look on your site to remember where you live, I was excited for a moment thinking it could be Portland!)
and I’m right there with ya – no sweet pickles, only dill! just like vermouth.
Growing up, I despised pickles. It was only less than 3 years ago that I discovered I love them! This dip sounds peeerfect for ruffle chips!!
it WAS so good with the ruffles… I’m doing it all again for Christmas with the family! you’ve only liked pickles for three years!?!?? making this dip could catch you up on all you missed out on…
You wrote this post for me, right? You and I are so there with our love of the almighty dill pickle! This is heaven to me!
you were one of several I thought of – our little Pickle Alliance.
its so easy, and really REALLY good! 
happy holidays to you tony and the boys! XO
Doth my eyes deceive me? Are you back?
I’ve missed you!
oh, Lindsay I have missed you too, my friend!! we are back, just in time for all the GOOD part of the holidays! XXO hope yours are a joy!
you had me at pickle dip!! sounds delicious!!! love pickles!
Sounds delicious to me!
Ohhh my goodness, that sounds AMAZING!
thanks, Rande! we all really liked it – I’m making some for my family for Christmas snacky appetizers, we’ll see how they like it!
happy holidays!
Looks delicious! Another pickle is never overkill. ha ha! And.. welcome back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Missed you!
I MISSED YOU TOO!! and thank you, it is good to be back. we missed all the GAAH of the holidays and landed right in the middle of the good stuff!
and yep – you really are right. dipping a pickle into pickle dip? a really good thing.
Nice! And cashew (fresh) cheese again, how intriguing! I’ll try something like that when I’m back home (and have my blender again
).
I hope you try this – SO good! it’s going to be part of the snacky appetizers I bring to my sisters place on Christmas…
you’re always up to something a little bit different in your kitchen, and I love that! p.s. ruffles potato chips are the shit.
ha – they ARE the shit, aren’t they?? I rarely eat chips, but those just sounded SO good. I was standing there in the aisle, looking at all the Ruffles choices. I picked up the “light” or “baked” or whatever they are, ingredients like soy, other unpronounceables… the “regular” Ruffles? potato salt and oil. oh, and DELICIOUSNESS!
Hi Kiddo~ salt cravings?…could mean you need a huge drink…………
and I mean WATER….hee hee….all that tequela has probably got
you pickled….you know like the worm in the bottom of the bottle?
Glad your home….pickles?….preggers?…..Say What?
love ya , the boys~
ha, no mom – as much as you’d love that!
we went into a few tequila shops (can you imagine, a store with NOTHING but tequila???) and there was no worm.
I drank LOTS of water. not from the faucet. I even brushed my teeth with bottled water – I really like brushing with club soda!!
Wonderful recipe! My husband loves pickles & pickle juice, so he will LOVE this! I am making it this weekend as a Christmas dinner appetizer dip
oh, GOOD, he is sure to love it! I am making it again for our family holiday snacking too! merry Christmas, Krissy!
mmm! Me love pickles! Sounds interesting and fun to eat.
it was SO GOOD… making it again for our family holiday snacking.
Pickle overkill?!?! no such thing. Unless you ran over a pickle and killed it.
I would NEVER do any such thing! (and yeah, dipping a pickle into pickle dip was actually good…)
This is perfect to bring to my girls’ gathering. I try to bring something new each time that isn’t typical and the ladies are surprised and always ask how it’s made. I brought bean balls once and they got positive reviews.
oh my gosh. this is genius. i want to eat this dip with salt and vinegar chips and all will be perfect in my world.
I make a raw fake chicken salad with pickles in it and it’s so good! This time I’m going with fridge pickles that I’m doing myself. They’d be good in this dip too.
This looks so yummy
love dill pickles and since you put the word dip in there too, I am so there! Need to make some of this QUICK
I hope you love it, Diane! I’ve heard from several people that made it over the holiday weekend and loved it… I made it for my family and it definitely was a hit! IF you have leftovers? a great sandwich spread!
Congrats! I have to say, these don’t sound very tempting. I do love pickles and I do love ice cream. Maybe next time I’m pregnant or feelin’ crazy I’ll have to give these a chance.
I LOVE pickles and will be trying this!!
I hope you love it, Whitney!
took this to a birthday party last night, it was GONE within the first half hour!! this stuff is AMAZING!!
I surprised my kiddoes with this today, they screeched and jumped around, loved it so much. me too.
why did I not think of this?!! well I will be MAKING this!!
weird but I get its good LOL
I keep reading these recipe for this dip and i have to be truthfull, totoaly gross……I make this dip/spread and this is not the way its prepared if you want the real 1930′s recipe ……..ill bet dollars too doughnuts against this
I love pickles! This dip is great! must be so crunchy and refreshing for summer parties
Oh goodness. I just stumbled upon this recipe while reading another one – I can’t even remember what I clicked on first to wind up here, but I am so grateful! I have always loved dill pickles. They do not last in my house, and I buy 2+ litres at a time…
I am definitely making this as soon as I get to a store and grab some cashews to soak
yay – I hope you love it! it’s so very good, enjoy!
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