I can still recall the first time I encountered pickle pizza, which was: sitting under a yellow food-festival tent in Minnesota, serving up a crunchy riff on the classic slice. It was a surprise and a delight to feel that tangy dill come through the creamy cheese. Viral garlic-dill pizza, it seems, is the key to making a budget-friendly home-cooked dinner that requires minimal prep. Whether you consider it an out-of-left-field snack or a daring dinner, this pickle pizza adds some playful flair to pizza night.
Table of Contents
Ingredients List
1 450 g (1 lb) ball pizza dough -your fave homemade or store bought
2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil
Garlic-dill sauce:
120 ml (1/2 cup) sour cream
60 ml (1/4 cup) mayonnaise
1/2 tsp dried dill + 1/2 tsp fresh dill, minced
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp pickle juice
Kosher salt & black pepper to taste
200 g (2 cups) grated mozzarella cheese
2 tblspns (1/2 cup) grated Parmesan Copyright Journal Media Ltd. 2016.
200 grams (2 cups) thinly sliced dill pickles, drained well
Optional: 4 rashers cooked bacon (crumbled) or 100g cooked ham
Fresh dill for garnish
Method
Make the dough Heat oven to 250 °C (500 °F) with pizza stone or inverted baking sheet inside. On a floured surface, roll pastry out into a 30 cm (about 12-inch) round; brush edges with oil.
Make the sauce: Whisk sour cream, mayo, dill, garlic powder and pickle juice in a bowl until smooth; season with salt. Taste and adjust acidity.
Assemble the pizza: Turn dough onto floured peel or cornmeal-dusted rimmed baking sheet. Spoon sauce over crust and spread so it covers without going beyond 1 cm (1/2 inch) from the edge.
First layer of toppings: Half of mozzarella and Parmesan, and sprinkle with half the pickles.
Assemble: Layer on remaining cheese, pickles, and bacon or ham, if using.
Bake: Slide the pizza into the oven; bake 11 to 13 minutes or until cheese bubbles and edges brown.
Rest and top: Pull out and let rest for 2 minutes before showering with fresh dill. Slice and serve with the remaining sauce or ranch if you prefer.
Tips & Variations
Pickles: Dry with a paper towel so they don’t make the crust soggy. Thin slices get doled out more equitably than chips.
Sauce options: If you like, make a garlic-cream béchamel or try a red sauce with cheddar (like a cheeseburger).
Add-ons: Either bacon, Canadian bacon or cooked chicken are delicious.
Shortcut: For once, you can use store-bought prebaked crust, prebaked 5 minutes before topping.
Make-ahead: Sauce keeps 5 days; dough: fridge 3 days, freezer 3 months.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Using wet pickles: Always pat pickle slices dry to prevent a soggy crust. Excess moisture ruins texture.
- Overloading with sauce or toppings: Too much sauce or too many toppings can weigh down the crust and prevent even baking.
- Skipping preheat: A cold oven leads to an under-cooked base. Preheat thoroughly to get a crisp bottom.
- Using thick pickle cuts: Thick slices won’t heat evenly and can overpower the bite. Use thin, even slices.
- Forgetting to rest after baking: Letting the pizza rest for a couple minutes helps cheese set and flavors settle.
FAQs about Pickle Pizza
What kind of sauce goes on a pickle pizza?
The go-to is garlic filled, cream based sauce with sour cream, mayo, dried and fresh dill, garlic powder and a splash of pickle juice. Some other versions go even further, incorporating a white garlic-béchamel, ranch-cream cheese speculations or a tomato base with cheddar for a cheeseburger vibe.
do you put pickles on pizza before or after cooking
Pickles are layered beneath and atop the cheese before baking, so they absorb and release an ever-nicer brininess. You might drizzle on some extra sauce or fresh pickles after baking for added brightness, but the traditional prep is pre-bake.
Can you substitute sweet pickles for dill pickles?
Yes, but it will be significantly sweeter and might compete with some of the savory components. Dill pickles provide the most pungent contrast.
How do you keep your pizza from getting soggy?
And be sure to pat those pickles dry before you add them. Also, bake at high heat so that the crust will cook quickly and remain crisp.
“What cheese goes with pickles on pizza?”
Mozzarella is the traditional base for its melting abilities, but cheddar or provolone work in the sharp category. On top of that, it gets a salty punch of Parmesan.
Summary
Quick and quirky pickle pizza As good as sliced cucumber pickles are on a burger, I’d argue that they’re even better on a pizza. An olive-oil brushed pizza dough is smeared with a sour cream-mayo-garlic-dill sauce, topped with mozzarella and Parmesan and piled high with thin slices of well-drained pickles (there’s optional bacon or ham for richness. Baked at 500°F (250°C) for 11-13 mins until drunken and golden, it is topped with fresh dill and is ready to serve. Great for the adventurous eater, it’s ready in just 30 minutes. Tell me in the comments if you make any substitutions!
Quick Pickle Pizza You’ll Crave , 30 Min Delight
Ingredients
Pizza & Sauce
- 1 ball 450 g pizza dough (homemade or store-bought)
- 2 tbsp 30 ml olive oil
- 120 ml 1/2 cup sour cream
- 60 ml 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 tsp dried dill
- 1/2 tsp fresh dill chopped
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp pickle juice
- Pinch of salt and black pepper
Toppings
- 200 g 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tbsp 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 200 g 2 cups dill pickles, thinly sliced and well drained
- Optional: 4 slices cooked bacon crumbled or 100 g cooked ham
- Fresh dill for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250°C (500°F) with a pizza stone or baking sheet inside. Roll dough into a 30 cm (12-inch) circle. Brush edges with olive oil.
- Mix sour cream, mayonnaise, dill, garlic powder, and pickle juice in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Spread the sauce evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 cm (1/2-inch) border.
- Sprinkle half of the mozzarella and Parmesan, then add half of the pickle slices.
- Add the remaining cheese and pickles, and top with bacon or ham if using.
- Bake for 11–13 minutes until the crust is golden and the cheese is bubbling.
- Let the pizza rest for 2 minutes before sprinkling with fresh dill. Slice and serve.