Gluten Free Fried Pickles - Amy Myers MD®

AIP Fried Pickles

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Written by Amy Myers, MD

Fried pickles are one of my favorite appetizers, and I love being able to make gluten-free fried pickles that are AIP and Paleo-compliant! You can make these crispy fried pickles in just a few minutes anytime you need a special appetizer.

Gluten-free fried pickles

Fried pickles are typically made with breadcrumbs or wheat flour, meaning that anyone on a gluten-free diet cannot simply order fried pickles as an appetizer at a restaurant. Luckily, gluten-free fried pickles are very easy to make at home using cassava flour instead of breadcrumbs. 

Cassava flour is a great alternative to wheat flour for making crispy breaded fried food. I use it to make pork cutlets and in this fried pickles recipe.

The cassava flour breading is seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil, sea salt, and ground black pepper, giving it lots of flavor and making these fried pickles absolutely irresistible.

AIP-friendly pickles being coated in cassava flour seasoned with garlic and onion powder - Amy Myers MD®

AIP pickles for fried pickles

If you’re using store-bought pickles, check the ingredients list on the jar to make sure there is no refined sugar, nightshade peppers, or artificial coloring added to the pickle brine. You can choose to make your own homemade pickles for this recipe to make sure that your fried pickles are AIP-friendly.

To make AIP pickles, boil 1 ½ cups water together with ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons fine sea salt, 1 tablespoon honey, and 2-3 sliced garlic cloves. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then carefully pour the mixture into heat-safe glass jars containing pickling cucumbers and a few sprigs of fresh dill. Allow to cool to room temperature, then transfer to the refrigerator and chill for 2-3 days before using them for this fried pickle recipe, or for any other use!

Breaded pickles being deep fried in AIP-complaint avocado cooking oil - Amy Myers MD®

How to make fried pickles

To make fried pickles, slice your pickles however you like them – either in small circles, diagonally, or into spears. On a large plate, combine the cassava flour with the seasonings and mix well. Coat the pickles in the cassava flour “breading” on all sides and set aside on a large plate, cutting board, or other flat surface. If you want extra crispy and extra breaded fried pickles, wait a few minutes until the breading gets wet from the pickle juice, then re-coat the pickles in the breading.

You will deep fry the breaded pickles in an AIP-compliant cooking oil, such as avocado oil or palm oil. Make sure to fry in batches so you don’t overcrowd your cooking pot or pan.

Preheat your frying oil to about 365-375 degrees Fahrenheit in a medium saucepan, then use heat-safe tongs to carefully place the breaded pickles into the oil mixture. You want to make sure that the oil is hot enough to immediately start bubbling gently when you place the breaded pickles into the hot oil. If the oil does not bubble when you place the first pickle in, wait a little longer to preheat the oil: until your “test” pickle starts cooking in the oil.

Fry for 2-3 minutes, or until the pickles turn golden brown. If you’re shallow frying, you will need to flip the pickles halfway through to make sure they fry on both sides.

Use tongs to carefully remove the pickles and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease. Allow to cool for a few minutes, and enjoy!

What to serve with fried pickles

I like to serve these pickles with a dairy-free creamy dip made with coconut yogurt seasoned with salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and fresh lime juice. AIP-friendly no-mato ketchup is also a great dipping option!

Are AIP fried pickles healthy?

Fried pickles are a once-in-a-while treat for me because they are not the healthiest appetizer. They are pretty high in sodium because of the pickles, and while cassava flour is a gut-friendly alternative to wheat flour, it offers little nutritional benefits in the small amount that it is used in this recipe. 

Because of this, and the fact that these pickles are deep-fried and pretty high in fat, I reserve this appetizer for special occasions. But I do enjoy these immensely every time I make them, as I hope you will!

AIP Fried Pickles

Course:

Appetizer

Protocol:

Autoimmune Solution (AIP), Paleo, Thyroid Connection

Servings:

4 servings

Prep Time:

10 minutes

Cook Time:

5 minutes

Ingredients

For the fried pickles:
  • 1 lb pickles
  • 1/2 cups Cassava flour
  • 1 tsp dried basil or dried oregano
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
  • 3 cups Avocado oil or palm oil for frying
For the dip:
  • 1/4 cups plain coconut yogurt
  • 1 tsp lime juice
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt to taste
  • 1/4 tsp ground black pepper to taste
  • 1/4 tsp garlic powder to taste
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder to taste

Instructions

  1. Slice the pickles into circles or ovals.
  2. Combine the cassava flour with the dried basil, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, and black pepper, and mix well.
  3. Dredge the sliced pickles in the flour mixture on both sides and set aside on a plate. For extra crispy fried pickles, wait until the flour on the pickles gets a little soggy, then dredge the pickles in the flour again.
  4. Heat the frying oil over medium heat in a medium saucepan or deep pan until about 365-375 degrees Fahrenheit. If you don’t have a food thermometer for deep frying, you can carefully test if the oil is hot enough by adding a floured pickle to the oil. If the pickle starts frying immediately and tiny bubbles form all around it, the oil is hot enough to fry pickles. If no bubbles form, then heat the oil longer and test again with another piece of floured pickle.
  5. Use metal tongs to gently place the floured pickles into the oil, taking care not to crowd them. Fry for about 2-3 minutes, or until the pickles turn a light golden brown. If the bottom of the pickles is frying faster than the top, use tongs to carefully flip the pickles.
  6. Place the fried pickles on a large plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the excess oil.
  7. Allow the pickles to cool for a few minutes while you prepare the dip: in a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dip and mix well. Serve pickles warm with the creamy dip.